Warehouses remain at the heart of all logistics processes. With an increasingly complex range of solutions being brought to market, it can be confusing trying to work out which ones might be most beneficial in terms of increasing efficiency. Here, we explore a few of the main pointers that you should be looking out for, from ongoing employee training to an interrogation of all available data.

Train your employees

While the solutions that we’ll go into below tend to dramatically decrease reliance on manual labour in warehouse environments, they arguably make it more essential that the remaining workers know exactly what they’re doing.

You need to make sure that you train all employees properly to use the new systems that you implement, ensuring that they can maximise the benefits associated with these investments in a safe and controlled manner. This will likely require ongoing training, as new systems are updated and as fresh employees are brought in.

Integrate automated loading solutions

One of the most effective ways that warehouses can be optimised is through the integration of fully automated loading solutions. Developed to specifically cater to a range of different loading needs by companies such as Joloda Hydraroll, these kinds of loading solutions can dramatically speed up the loading process compared to ‘traditional’ solutions. They can require a substantial initial investment, but due to increased efficiency and the elimination of manual labour-intensive roles, you’ll likely see a complete ROI in just a few years.

Adopt loading optimisation software

You don’t just want to be able to throw items into lorries as quickly as possible – they need to be loaded in the most efficient manner. Load optimisation software solutions are an easy way of ensuring that the items are distributed properly throughout the container they’re placed in, taking into consideration important factors such as weight and the order in which the items will be unpacked at their destinations. These solutions can take a lot of time out of the planning process, freeing up employees for other important logistics tasks.

Constantly interrogate available data

Simply adopting the solutions listed above isn’t enough to ensure an increase in efficiency. You also need to make sure that you’re constantly collecting and interrogating a wide range of data, to ensure that the solutions you’re implementing are having the desired effect.

A slight increase in efficiency from integrating an automated loading solution is obviously a good thing, for example, but it might just be the tip of the iceberg in terms of what’s possible. By comparing your data with other publicly available datasets, you can make sure that you’re not missing out on any critical advantages that could otherwise slip by.

The potential rewards you can reap from these changes are impossible to overstate. From reducing the number of employees you need, to allowing for fewer loading docks, it’s important to consider which potential benefits could be most impactful in your situation. By implementing a range of different changes, you can create a system that’s perfectly adapted to your specific loading needs.