Best Practices: Slotting & the Warehouse

high-bay-408222_1280If you’re not making use of proper slotting techniques, you might be missing out on an opportunity to optimize productivity at your warehouse facility. A method used to determine the best way of storing goods, slotting saves warehouses both time and money. At Outsource Equipment Company, a leader in new and used material handling equipment, we specialize in using slotting to keep goods accessible and inventory moving efficiently.

Employing Slotting in Your Warehouse

A crucial ability for warehouse operators, slotting ensures SKUs (stock-keeping units) remain accessible no matter how quickly they’re moving. Unfortunately, many material handling facilities ignore this important task in favor of getting goods out the door. By following the best practices associated with slotting, you can improve the odds of your warehouse business being a success.

Experts recommend assessing your slotting solutions on a quarterly basis, if not more frequently. After creating a list of items based on how frequently they are picked, you can determine the ideal placements for them in your facility. Along with placing heavier items on lower levels, warehouse owners should consider how far employees need to walk and whether certain items must be picked together. Additionally, warehouses should take note of the following factors before making slotting decisions:

  • Volume of goods
  • Seasonal changes
  • Upcoming equipment changes
  • Product mix changes

Benefits of Proper Slotting

Slotting offers a number of benefits for busy warehouses. Not only can facilities reduce the amount of time their employees spend traveling the floor, but they can also optimize the picking, staging, and loading functions. Finally, slotting boosts storage efficiency while reducing overall handling costs for the business.

Trust Outsource Equipment with Your Slotting Needs

If your warehouse doesn’t utilize optimal slotting techniques, you might have trouble fulfilling picking orders. A leader in slotting solutions, Outsource Equipment Company provides a number of options including vertical lift modules to make goods more accessible. Not only can you move goods faster, but you can also improve ergonomic conditions for your staff. Learn more about the advantages of correct slotting, or for more information on our new and used material handling equipment, call 877-741-6711 to speak to a member of our team. We look forward to hearing from you.