We understand how important it is to keep your warehouse running as smoothly as possible at all times. Often, making monetary business savings can make this considerably easier, and we’re on hand to explain to you how you can cut the costs associated with your warehouse operations.
The importance of efficient warehouse operations
It’s paramount that warehouse operations run as efficiently and as effectively as possible in order to effortlessly transport and distribute stock. In addition to increasing efficiency, it will also help to improve productivity throughout your warehouse, ensuring that operations are carried out to exceptional standards.
There are further benefits to running warehouse operations efficiently, including:
- Keeping accidents in the workplace to a minimum
- Ensures customers receive goods in a timely manner
- Helps to retain employee satisfaction
- Relieves stress and pressure on workers
- Can elongate deadlines to provide employees with more time to carry out tasks
How to reduce warehouse costs
There are many ways in which you can reduce warehouse costs without too much effort. From recycling and reusing materials where you can to reducing your energy bills, there’ll be something you can do to save money in and around your warehouse.
Maximise storage space
Maximising storage space will enable you to free up areas of your warehouse that would have otherwise been wasted. Having warehouse racking installed from the floor to the ceiling will provide you with more floor space. In turn, you’ll be able to acquire more equipment and store it all safely and responsibly.
The extra room also means that workers can navigate their way around as safely as possible, as it’ll allow for extra visibility when walking around the warehouse floor or when operating material handling equipment.
If you’re worried about not being able to reach stock located on higher shelves with the instalment of warehouse racking, then you’ll be able to rent a variety of warehouse machinery that’ll allow your employees to retrieve goods from tall shelving. Some of the equipment that’ll enable you to do this include:
- Reach trucks
- Cherry pickers
- Forklifts
- Scissor lifts
Freeing up some space will also give you the opportunity to reorganise stock, perhaps making it easier for workers to locate, particularly when they’re in a rush, therefore helping to meet tight and pressing deadlines.
In addition to that, you might even come to the realisation that you don’t actually need a warehouse of that particular size. You may well wish to downsize to a smaller premises, thus saving you even more money when it comes to renting or buying a warehouse to operate from.
Protect your inventory
Millions of pounds a year are wasted in British warehouses and that’s largely down to stock being lost or damaged. Sadly, theft is also a relatively common occurrence and it’s often hard to prevent as a warehouse or business owner. Although, there are some things you can do to mitigate the risks of goods being lost, stolen or damaged, including:
Ensuring that all employees are trained in the moving and handling of goods
Have CCTV installed throughout your premises to deter thieves
Make sure that there are practices in place when it comes to inventory control
Check to see that storage systems are in place and are being used
Recycle and reuse where possible
As more emphasis is being put on protecting the environment, more businesses than ever before are looking to be as sustainable as possible. Not only does this encourage eco-friendly practices, but it will also save your company money in the long run. There are several things you can do in a bid to be more environmentally-friendly, including:
- Placing recycling points in and around your premises
- Encourage employees to recycle and reuse things where possible
- Perhaps offer incentives in a bid to get workers to comply with sustainable practices
- Reiterate the fact that some materials can be reused so as to mitigate excessive waste
- When not in use, ensure that all equipment, lighting and machinery is switched off as opposed to being left on standby, unless they’re security lights
Focus on keeping existing customers
Believe it or not, there’s actually more cost associated with the hiring of new employees than there is when keeping the ones you already have. With that in mind, it’s important that you’re keeping your workers happy, perhaps offering rewards and incentives where you can, even if that comes in the form of a birthday present or a Christmas hamper.
Not only will you notice a marked difference in their overall happiness and job satisfaction, but you’ll also find that productivity may rise throughout the workplace, which is often the way if your workforce is content with both their work and their employers.
Reduce energy costs
This will also come hand in hand with being eco-friendly, so this is something that comes with more than one benefit. As well as making sure equipment, machinery and all lighting have been turned off, and not left on standby, unless of course you rely on security lighting, then there are a few other things you can do to reduce your energy bills, including:
- Having the warehouse properly insulated
- Invest in automatic or motion sensored lighting
- Maximise the amount of natural light that enters the premises – look into the installation of skylights or replace your windows with larger alternatives
- Make sure the warehouse is well-ventilated in order to prevent turning on air conditioning, especially in the summer months
How Hire Forklifts can help you today
Hire Forklifts has a variety of different material handling equipment available for rent in order to help improve efficiency and productivity throughout your business. Whether you’re looking for conventional forklifts or a specialist reach truck, we’ll have a solution that’ll be right for you and your business. No matter what it is you require, you’ll always be able to look to Hire Forklifts for all of your warehouse needs.
As well as a number of forklift types available for rent, including diesel, electric, LP Gas, articulated, VNA and multidirectional forklifts, you’ll also be able to hire a range of other material handling machines, including:
- Reach trucks
- Pallet trucks
- Order pickers
- Stackers
- Scissor lifts
- Cherry pickers
We have warehouse equipment available that have been expertly crafted by some of the industry’s best, most renowned manufacturers in the world. You’ll be able to choose from the following brands when hiring machinery from us here at Hire Forklifts:
- Aisle-Master
- Bendi
- Caterpillar
- CombiLift
- Heli
- Hyster
- JCB
- Linde
- Mitsubishi
- Toyota
To find out more about the material handling rental service we have available, get in touch with a member of our friendly, knowledgeable team today – we’ll always be happy to give advice and spend time talking you through your options, ensuring both your needs and budget are met.
