Your storage area and the narrow aisles you can deal with

Storage space within a warehouse environment is a constant battle. With businesses struggling to keep up with ever-increasing rental costs, it is becoming more difficult to move into a larger warehouse space without significantly increasing your overheads. With company budgets in mind, alternative solutions need to be established to maximise the current storage.

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More and more companies are bulk-buying products to meet demand or to keep purchasing costs to a minimum and therefore need more storage. Industrial shelving now offers very narrow shelves to create more space in an existing warehouse. A standard racking aisle measures at least 12 feet or more; however, a very narrow racking system could reduce this by around half. These six-foot wide racks will give you up to 50 per cent more storage space within the same square footage.

Although narrow racking creates a solution to storage issues, it can be harder to gain access to these narrow areas. Below we look at two ways in which your storage space can be maximised without having to invest in new premises.

clean
It is important when you have such little space to keep it tidy and clean constantly as it could affect productivity and also could cause staff illness if it gets really dirty.  If you have a space that needs cleaning from floors to walls why not ask an office cleaning Cheltenham company at websites including intocleaning.co.uk. They can come and help with any cleaning problems you may have and help with solutions.

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Forklifts for narrow aisles

The standard forklifts that are generally used within a warehouse environment tend to be bulky and only move in two directions: forwards and backwards. This means the forklift needs a large turning circle to pick things from the shelves. The Aisle-Master for narrows spaces enables the forklift component to rotate 180 degrees to move between the racks of a warehouse. The main body of the forklift remains stationary, meaning the turning circle is dramatically reduced. The aisle width can therefore be narrower, allowing for more storage space and shelving.

Pallet jacks/walkie stackers

There are some warehouses in which a large forklift is unnecessary; however, assistance is still required with storage. Pallet jacks and an apparatus called a walkie stacker are units that have a feature involving an aisle assist function. This function is especially useful for health and safety purposes, as it enables operators to have an unimpeded view of the forklift prongs. This aids the operator in their job and creates a more efficient working environment.

Narrow shelving and a new forklift will enable a vast amount of extra storage without having to move premises or spend an excessive amount of your business’s budget.