It’s the beginning of a new year and time to decide how you’ll be spending this year’s warehouse equipment budget. Chances are there are several areas in your warehouse that could use improvement, but you’ll have to prioritize every dollar to make sure you are using it wisely. So what comes first and what can wait? RMH Systems can help you determine the best places to spend your money.
How to Decide Where Your Money is Going in Your Warehouse
Identify problem areas.
What are the pain points in your warehouse? Knowing what they are and clearly defining them can help you determine the best methods to rectifying them and what equipment will do the job. If you are running out of storage for pallets, new pallet racking might be the answer. If you are running behind on orders, look at automation or improving the pick line with better storage solutions.
Talk to your team.
Your team knows better than anyone what needs to be improved in your warehouse. Talk to them and ask them where they would invest the money if it were their own money. You might discover that your shelving is in worse shape than you thought and they are struggling to keep it patched together. Or you might find that storage isn’t an issue, but walking boxes back and forth to the docks is eating up their time. It’s a good idea to find out what they think are the pain points.
Find long-term benefits.
Investing your money in areas where it can provide the most long-term benefits is key to smart spending. Think about what warehouse equipment is going to do this for you. In many cases, warehouse equipment that allows you to automate your process is going to pay off more in the long run. That might not always be true depending on your warehouse’s specific needs. If you anticipate that your storage needs are going to continue to expand due to increased sales or expanded inventory lines, then storage might be the better option.
Work with an expert.
If you are torn between a variety of warehouse equipment options in which to invest your money, it might be time to talk to an expert. Warehouse consultants at RMH Systems can help you find the right place to put your money and help you create a long-term plan so you also know where to invest next time, too. You can get a comprehensive plan for expansion, upkeep, and maintainence to keep your warehouse going long into the future.
Our Recommendations for Warehouse Equipment Investment
- Automation. This is a good place to put your money. That’s because automation is going to become more and more of a requirement in busy warehouses. Eventually, many warehouse managers are going to find that automation isn’t so much an option as it is a requirement. Putting money here slowly over time can help prevent a huge investment of capital down the road.
- Conveyor systems. Part of your automation, this is a good place to start. If you aren’t already using conveyor systems in your warehouse, you probably should be. Conveyors are the most efficient way to cut down on the number of steps and touches it takes to get your products out the door. Look at common traffic patterns within your warehouse and eliminate trips with the introduction of a conveyor.
- Pallet rack shelving. Pallets are big, bulky, and they need to be out of the way. If your warehouse has found that storing pallet racks has become an issue, you have two options: either increase your storage capacity for pallets or optimize your current shelving to make more room. RMH Systems can help with both.
Talk to a Warehouse Equipment Expert Today
RMH Systems can help you determine where your warehouses needs to invest your money next and get you the warehouse equipment that you need to do it. Talk to our team. We’re located but work with warehouses across the United States and even in international locations. Make sure your budget is going to the right places. Give us a call or contact us through our website and speak with one of our warehouse equipment experts today.
