Warehouse storage solutions offer improved efficiency, reduced retrieval times, enhanced employee safety and a scalable framework to accommodate business growth and changing consumer demands.
We’ll explain all you need to know about different types of warehouse storage solutions and the benefits they offer, and share our automated storage solutions at Modula.
What Are Warehouse Storage Solutions?
Warehouse storage solutions are manual or automated storage systems designed to keep and organize items in a facility.
These solutions can help you optimize space, improve inventory tracking, ensure efficient material handling and enhance the safety and accessibility of stored inventory, among other benefits.
Types of Warehouse Storage Solutions
Warehousing storage solutions range from traditional storage racks to advanced automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS).
The most common types of warehouse storage solutions include:
1. Static Shelving
Static shelving, or conventional shelving, is a common warehouse storage solution that is comprised of horizontal shelves supported by vertical posts. Static shelving is usually made of galvanized steel.
As the name suggests, static shelving is designed to stay in one place. These storage solutions are ideal for storing small items and picking orders manually.
2. Mobile Shelving
Mobile shelving, also known as compact shelving or high-density shelving, is a warehouse storage solution that is designed to optimize space by reducing the number of aisles needed between shelves.
Unlike static shelving, mobile shelving can be easily moved, as it is mounted on motorized tracks or rails installed on the facility’s floor. Thanks to this system of rails, multiple rows of shelving to be condensed into a smaller footprint, by eliminating the need of fixed aisles
3. Multi-tier Racking
Multi-tier racking, also known as mezzanine racking or multi-level shelving, is a warehouse storage solution that maximizes vertical space by stacking metal shelves on multiple levels, allowing for optimized storage and easier access to items on higher tiers.
Multi-tier racking is ideal for storing lightweight, small parts.
4 Pallet Racking
Pallet racking systems, usually made of wood, metal or plastic, house and organize pallets — large platforms that carry heavy inventory.
Pallet racking systems are composed of upright frames and horizontal beams to securely store pallets in rows, across multiple levels.
5. Mezzanine
Mezzanines are warehouse storage solutions that utilize your facility’s vertical space by adding durable floors between the warehouse’s ground level and ceiling.
Mezzanines can be made of steel, wood or reinforced concrete and are often supported by steel columns.
6. Wire Partitions
Wire partitions are warehouse storage solutions that are used to protect valuable inventory and create makeshift workspaces.
Made of interwoven or welded wire mesh, wire partitions are easy to install and remove.
7. Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS)
Automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) are computer-controlled warehouse solutions that can store and retrieve inventory.
Unlike the manual storage solutions above, ASRS are automated systems that reduce manual errors caused by human intervention, such as mispicks, incorrect inventory counts and misplaced items.
Automated storage and retrieval systems can help you save space, increase picking accuracy and boost productivity.
How To Choose Warehouse Storage Systems for Your Business
Choosing the right warehouse storage systems for your business is key to ensuring efficiency maximizing space and optimizing the flow of goods.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you make the right choice:
- Assess your needs: Understanding your inventory storage needs is the first step in determining the right type of warehouse storage system for your business. Consider factors like the weight and dimensions of your inventory. Do you need a storage solution for heavy boxes? Or maybe an extra floor of storage without having to move to a bigger facility?
- Consider your existing space: Determine the total space available in your facility, considering both floor space and vertical space. For example, if you have minimal floor space but ample ceiling height, automated retrieval and storage systems can help you save 90% of floor space.
- Consider scalability: Your warehouse storage system should not only fit your current inventory, but adapt to changes in consumer demands and allow room for business growth.
- Evaluate different storage systems: Evaluating different storage systems can help you identify the most efficient solution for your inventory needs. For example, static shelving is ideal for smaller SKUs, while pallet racking systems are suitable for a larger volume of goods. On the other hand, if you need to utilize your warehouse’s vertical space and save on valuable floor space, you might consider automated retrieval and storage systems.
- Consider the system’s ability to integrate with technology: Consider systems that can be integrated with a warehouse management system (WMS) for real-time inventory tracking. For example, while you can’t integrate technology with manual storage systems, you can integrate a WMS with automated retrieval and storage systems to gain real time updates of your current stock levels, to help prevent stockouts.
- Consider the cost of each storage system: While automated storage and retrieval systems require a higher upfront budget compared to pallet racking systems, ASRS allows you to maximize storage density, reduce labor costs and increase picking accuracy, leading to long-term savings and a higher return on investment.
Benefits of Automated Warehouse Storage Systems
Automated warehouse storage solutions offer a wide variety of benefits over manual systems. Automated solutions allow you to:
- Optimize warehouse space: Instead of relocating to a pricier, bigger warehouse at an estimated $8 per square foot, automated warehouse storage systems utilize your warehouse’s existing space, boosting storage capacity more than traditional systems.
- Boost productivity: Automated warehouse storage systems speed up the picking process by delivering inventory to warehouse operators, reducing downtime.
- Improve inventory control and tracking: Automated warehouse storage systems can integrate with warehouse management systems to provide real time inventory tracking, providing clear insights into your stock levels and product movement. This allows for better stock management and accurate demand forecasting.
- Increase workplace safety: Automated warehouse storage systems minimize potential accidents by reducing or even eliminating manual tasks, such as overexertion when reaching for inventory in high or low areas. With Modula’s ASRS, items are automatically delivered to your warehouse operators with the scan of a barcode or a press of the Copilot console.
- Scale as needed: Automated warehouse storage systems can be adapted to fit different inventory sizes and shapes, allowing flexibility for changing business needs and fluctuating consumer demands.
Modula’s Automated Warehouse Storage Solutions
At Modula, we offer automated warehouse storage solutions and warehouse systems that optimize your available space, boost efficiency and picking accuracy and enhance inventory management across different industries.
Our solutions include:
Modula Vertical Lift Modules
The Modula Vertical Lift Module (VLM) is an automated warehouse storage solution that is similar to a vending machine, with adjustable internal shelves for the safe storage of goods.
This system optimizes the placement of stored inventory to maximize capacity, reducing your warehouse space needs by up to 90%.
Modula VLMs are available in three models — Modula Lift, Modula Slim and Modula OnePick. Each model takes up minimal floor space by utilizing the height of your warehouse ceiling instead.
Modula VLMs allow you to:
- Quickly and accurately process complex orders, even during peak times
- Increase order processing with a rate of up to 140 trays per hour
- Identify dimensions of inventory in real-time to maximize storage density, thanks to a height-detection system in the unit
- Reduce up to 90% of walking time in the warehouse compared to static shelving, as automated warehouse storage solutions deliver products to warehouse operators
- Monitor logins and picking operations, depending on the level of security
- Organize and modify trays for every type or size of item
- Configure trays to accommodate changes in the quantity or size of each SKU
- Secure inventory with a locking and validation feature
Modula Horizontal Carousel
If your warehouse operations are managed in a low-ceiling environment, the Modula Horizontal Carousel (HC) has you covered.
The HC has rotating bins on an oval track that deliver items to your warehouse operators. The HC cuts labor costs, boosts throughput and improves inventory accuracy in both production and distribution settings.
Modula HCs allow you to:
- Boost productivity by eliminating the need to travel in the warehouse just to pick inventory
- Quickly identify the SKU and number of items to pick
- Increase picking accuracy by up to 99%, thanks to simple visual picking aids
- Eliminate the need to carry heavy loads and reach high and low places while picking
- Monitor and document all picking operations, offering accountability of stock levels and orders in real-time
- Modify shelf spacing to store inventory of different sizes and dimensions
- Safely store heavy inventory with a 1,200 lb payload capacity
- Safeguard your warehouse operators from moving parts with an automatic safety door
- Prevent workplace accidents with 8 feet of perimeter fencing
At Modula, we provide high-quality automated warehouse storage solutions to maximize your current warehouse space, increase productivity and picking accuracy, and help you adapt to evolving consumer needs.
Reach out to our material handling specialists if you need guidance on which storage solutions are ideal for your warehouse. We’ll conduct a warehouse audit to help you find the right solutions!
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