Warehouse Expansions and Operations

Warehouse Expansions and Operations

As your business grows, so does your space, warehouses are ever in demand. When do you think its time to say, it’s time to expand. Have you considered all your options for your warehouse? What are you options? Will you move your operations? Will you build a new warehouse space? Your warehouse expansions and operations could be planned to complement supply chain management efficiencies.

So, what should you do? Should you expand on your existing warehouse location or build a new? There may be advantageous to both? If space allows it, drawing on warehouse expansions may help with utilizing existing infrastructures and operations supply chain management processes that you current own than  having to broaden out and redo it all from scratch. But in the event you do not have the space for it, then yes, you may have to think of warehouse expansions for a new buildout from afar. If you have to build newly, look for land that is located adjacent to the existing land, to make it strategic and accessible, due to supply and logistical access. Your warehouse expansion should be ideally logistically viable.

Some may say, why not buy a new building rather than build a new one for your warehouse expansions. Yes, that’s an option too. Think it through. These are all viable options. Exhaust all possible avenues before you settle on the one that works best for your requirement before you make the investment, especially at a time like this, that is, a post-COVID recovering economy.

Another  consideration should be that you could opt for a third party logistics provider in the interim whilst you make a decision as you adjust. understanding the need for warehouse expansion as a core requirement should be assessed before you make the final commitment. Do a cost benefit analysis. If there are ways to improve on your warehouse expansions without moving to a new location then look into those options. For instance look at stacking, cross docking efficiencies and other means to improve loading optimization and workflow. How about automated /robotic systems for stacking? To ensure your warehouse expansions and operations are fruitful, have a sit-down with your staff and get their inputs to make sure to understand whether the intended warehouse expansions will indeed work best for your company toward improved efficiencies in supply chain management.