Organizing a warehouse is a mammoth task – but the right industrial storage solutions often make the difference between a profitable operation, and a warehouse that becomes a money hole. However, in our experience, one of the best ways to organize a warehouse is also one of the oldest ways!
The \”Five S\” methodology was first developed in 16th Century Japan, and to this day, it\’s one of the most sensible ways of handling warehouse logistics. Here are the basics.
Great Industrial Storage Solutions Follow the Five S Methodology
1. Sort
When is the last time you\’ve done a full inventory, with an eye towards removing clutter? This is the beginning of the Five S system. Don\’t hold onto old stock, or old equipment, in hopes you might one day find a way to profit on it. Discard anything that doesn\’t have immediate value.
2. Set in Order
Without unnecessary clutter and old stock, you\’ll have a lot more space to optimize and organize your warehouse. This is your opportunity to implement a new system for finding and distributing stock. Better organization should also help reduce \”lossage\” as well!
3. Shine
Warehouses benefit from cleaning, and this is an excellent time to do it. Clean the warehouse from top to bottom, including all shelves, tools, and machinery. This will significantly reduce potential safety hazards and ensure everything is functioning properly.
4. Standardize your System
Your workforce should understand the methodology behind your warehouse reorganization, as well as how they fit into the system. This should be codified and clearly explained to everyone in the operation, no matter their level of involvement. Keeping a warehouse running at peak efficiency is genuinely a team effort.
5. Sustain
Once you have a strong new organizational system in place, it will be upon you – the leaders – to ensure it continues to operate smoothly in the future. Stay on top of your workforce, your system, and your cleaning. Don\’t let standards slip. If necessary, create new schedules of work orders specifically to ensure your standards remain high.
Turn to Material Flow Technologies for The Latest in Industrial Storage Solutions
Our business is helping your business run more smoothly. We specialize in warehouse management, storage solutions, and other ways to streamline your operations. To learn more about our full portfolio of services, please contact us.