When working in a warehouse, ensuring highest efficiency is crucial for productivity, saving costs and ensuring the success of the company. We have put together some tips to help you improve your warehouse and forklift efficiency!
1. Get a forklift that suits your needs
This may seem like one of the most obvious decisions but there are many factors to consider when purchasing a forklift. Having the right forklift can help with faster transportation of products, more efficient storage and the ability to handle greater inventory.
Having a forklift makes transportation easier and faster, particularly if you stock large or heavy items. Moreover, if you don’t have a forklift, you can only store products close to the ground. This means you may be wasting a lot of space and opportunity to expand your storage capacities vertically.
Some things to consider when choosing the best forklift to for your warehouse is:
- Height and size – make sure the height and width of the forklift fits nicely in your warehouse. If you need to reach high storage areas, you need to ensure your forklift capable of this.
- Load capacity – consider the average load weight required for your forklift. You don’t want to purchase an underpowered forklift that is incapable of carrying the required loads.
2. Optimise All Available Space
Thinking of expanding you warehouse? Rather than expanding your warehouse floor space outward which can be extremely costly, think about expanding vertically and using the space you already have. By adding taller storage units and shelfing, you can keep more inventory in the same space and save money. Depending on you warehouse and inventory you could greatly increase your capacities, simply by building upwards. As well as getting more shelving, make sure you invest in the right forklift that can reach high enough.
3. Maintain the warehouse floors.
Issues with the floor surface can slow down productivity and pose safety risks to forklift operators. Check for uneven surfaces and ensure that the floor is always clear of obstacles.
4. Maintain Your Forklift
Regular forklift maintenance ensures highest performance and longevity of your forklift. This is important for the efficiency of your warehouse as detecting minor problems early on ensures that it doesn’t affect the long-term productivity of your warehouse. So make sure you follow a procedure of daily forklift checks and service your forklift regularly.
5. Stay Organised and Keep Training Up-to-Date
One of the most important ways to increase warehouse efficiency is by staying organised! Have a clear system throughout your warehouse and make sure all workers are up-to-date with the system. Ensure that staff are aware of where all equipment, products and stock is located so no time is wasted searching for tools or equipment. Also make sure your most frequently used items are easily accessible.
You also want to ensure that the forklift operators are properly trained. Lack of knowledge can create safety risks or mistakes that impact the efficiency of the entire warehouse. These can be easily avoided with training and guidance. This will also help ensure the longevity of your forklifts as the workers will know the proper procedures to check the forklift, thereby saving you time and money. For more information, check out our post on getting a forklift certification.
Start implementing some of these tips and you should notice improved productivity in your warehouse. Fleet optimisation is crucial to ensure fewer breakdowns so that your workplace runs smoothly. We offer fleet management services in Perth, so if you are concerned that your fleet is not running at maximum productivity, get in contact!