Advanced Warehouse Technology: 4 Actionable Equipment Strategies

Warehouse technology is constantly advancing. From robotics to AI, there seems to always be a tech-based solution to meet the dynamic and diverse needs of warehouses worldwide. But putting this equipment to good use can be its own challenge. 

For many business owners, the drive to optimize for efficiency and productivity means new warehouse technology can be quite an attractive option. The trick is understanding where new solutions make sense and building out systems that can most benefit from new equipment implementation.

To help you better understand how warehouse technology might fit into your operation, here are four actionable equipment-based strategies that can transform your warehouse floor.

What is Warehouse Technology?

Before diving deep into strategies you can use to inject additional efficiency into your business, let’s explore the term warehouse technology. First, as a quick note, it’s a general phrase used to describe a whole host of tech, not a single type of equipment:

• Automation and robotics
• Warehouse management systems (WMS)
• Material handling equipment
• Wearable technologies
• Identification and tracking tools
• Data analytics and prediction

Essentially, everything from everyday metal shelves to advanced AI systems used for prediction falls under the warehouse technology umbrella. These days, though, when the industry talks about warehouse tech, it’s usually around the trending topic of Industry 4.0 or the further integration of digital technologies into manufacturing and industrial processes. 

Four Warehouse Technology-Based Solutions

There is a lot that separates a fully automated warehouse from a business that just wants to add some additional equipment or implement data-driven strategies to help with everyday needs. The best solutions fill an essential demand and do it well. Technology, for technology’s sake, can end up harming more than it helps. In the spirit of practical uses of warehouse technology, let’s explore some actionable solutions your team can easily investigate.

The best solutions fill an essential demand and do it well. Technology, for technology’s sake, can end up harming more than it helps.

1. Compact Storage with a Vertical Lift Module

First on our list is a storage solution that leverages vertical space and advanced software to optimize picking needs. A vertical lift module, or VLM, is an enclosed conveyor system of shelves with an extractor perfect for storing everything from small parts and tools to medical equipment and other supplies. They can add extra speed to your picking operation, reduce human errors, and help your team work safer with items delivered at an ergonomic height.

VLMs use the “goods-to-person” principle, bringing items to the selector and eliminating unnecessary walking and searching. Since they leverage vertical space, they can save up to 85% more floor space than traditional shelves and aisles. This automatic storage and retrieval system provides intelligent, adaptable inventory management to maximize density and increase productivity.

2. In-Plant Offices for Fast and Fuss-Free Expansion

As your business grows, so do your needs. A facility often requires additional space for supervisors, quality control stations, clean rooms, and much more. Unfortunately, traditional construction isn’t always the best option. It can be:

• Costly
• Time-consuming
• Disruption for the workday

The solution? In-plant offices. These are prefabricated units delivered and assembled within a warehouse. They leverage prefab wall sections that go up in minutes with minimal tooling or experience required. Moreover, in-plant offices are customizable in size, layout, and features (walls, windows, HVAC, electrical) to suit specific needs.

An in-plant office uses modular construction technology to provide a cost-effective solution that can easily add an office structure to your facility’s floor with little downtime or site disruption. They’re also relocatable, so as your needs evolve, your warehouse floor can too.

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3. Pick Modules to Level Up Picking Operations

A pick module is more than a single piece of equipment; it’s a system that leverages several warehouse technologies to optimize the picking and packing process. It concentrates high-volume SKUs, required equipment, and packing stations into a compact zone, putting everything your team needs to move out orders within reasonable reach.

How do they work? Here are a couple of ways warehouse tech integrates into a pick module system:

• Shelving or pallet racking for fast-moving items
• Conveyor systems to move picked items to packing/shipping
• Integrated packing stations with supplies
• Ergonomic workspaces for pickers

Adding a pick module to your warehouse floor is a great way to increase order accuracy and throughput while reducing worker travel time to help your team make the most efficient use of their time. If your business deals with high order volumes, SKUs that require individual picking, or just limited floor space, a pick module can be a great solution.

4. Warehouse Slotting That Optimizes Every-Day Workflows

What is warehouse slotting? It’s strategic inventory placement within a warehouse based on careful data analysis. While equipment like shelving, pallet racking, and other options make up the physical aspects of slotting, software, in this case, a WMS or slotting-specific software, does most of the work. It goes beyond simply finding space for items and seeks to optimize overall efficiency.

Here is how it works based on the different software choices:

• Warehouse Management Systems (WMS): Collect data on order history, item dimensions, etc., to make informed slotting decisions.
• Slotting Optimization Software: This may be integrated with a WMS or standalone, using algorithms for advanced slotting analysis.

Using machine learning and data analysis, warehouse slotting presents the most efficient way to organize and design your facility’s layout to maximize your existing operation. But it’s not a one-size-fits-all strategy. Not only should the initial slotting plan fit your warehouse’s exact needs, but the approach should evolve as seasonal demand or product changes influence daily operations.

Get the Warehouse Technology You Need

While this list of actionable strategies for implementing warehouse technology into your facility presents some practical applications of common equipment choices, it’s only scratching the surface. Even now, new and experimental solutions are being adopted in warehouses worldwide. But you don’t need to jump in head first to start integrating this tech into your facility. Find cost-effective and strategic solutions that meet your needs first. 

Small changes can significantly impact efficiency and productivity, whether it’s a simple reboot of your layout using slotting or adding a pick module to your operation.

If you’re looking for the equipment to fit your growth plans, East Coast Storage Equipment is your go-to partner for used and new warehouse technology. We stock everything from industry-leading VLMs to customized pick module systems. Get in touch today to learn more about your options.