Disruptions in the supply chain had a considerable effect on global trade when the pandemic started. The situation resulted in shortages of components necessary to manufacture some products in different parts of the world. This compelled some industries to make adjustments to ensure the smooth flow of products in the market.
And with the improvement of the health situation, companies should work on enhancing efficiency to meet the demand in the market. This is particularly true for the port of Singapore, which is the second busiest port in the world in terms of container volume.
Here are the ways for Singaporean companies to increase the efficiency of their warehouse operations.
Optimize Available Space
Real estate prices in Singapore are among the highest in the world. Due to this, expanding the space of a warehouse by buying real estate is costly. Instead of expanding, companies should optimize available space in their warehouses.
They can achieve this by using taller storage units. And with taller storage units, the warehouse should also look for companies offering forklifts for sale. Acquiring the equipment allows them to put products in the upper levels of the storage units with ease. It also facilitates the retrieval of the same products when it’s necessary to pull them out of storage.
Companies should also use uniform storage bins to ensure the proper storage of all products in the warehouse. They should also organize the floor plan of the warehouse to optimize workflow. Aside from increasing efficiency in the warehouse, optimizing workflow also makes the warehouse safer for the employees.
Perform Regular Equipment Maintenance
To ensure the efficiency of warehouse operations, companies should facilitate the proper maintenance of all their equipment. If they do not prioritize maintenance, the equipment will break down and result in an unplanned downtime in the warehouse. So, companies should follow the maintenance schedules set by the manufacturers of the equipment.
Aside from ensuring efficiency in their operations, regular equipment maintenance also ensures the safety of the employees. Well-maintained equipment reduces workplace hazards and prevents accidents from happening. It promotes safer working conditions and reduces instances of work stoppages in the warehouse.
Use the Latest Warehousing Technologies
Companies should also use the latest technologies in warehousing. These technologies improve efficiency since they reduce pick-up errors in the warehouse. Radio frequency identification (RFID) and barcode readers also facilitate inventory. It allows the company to know the inventory level of some products stored in the warehouse.
A reliable warehouse management system also allows employees to know the exact location of products stored in the warehouse. In this situation, they do not have to go around the warehouse to look for the products they have to pull out. Additionally, the system gives companies data that they can use to enhance operations in the future.
Adopt Lean Inventory
The manufacturing sector uses a lean manufacturing system to reduce waste in its production processes. Warehouses should also adopt the system to ensure the optimal use of storage space. Lean inventory also allows warehouses to avoid overstocking products that will stay in storage for a long time. Additionally, lean warehouse management also simplifies operations in the warehouse.
Implementing a lean inventory system requires companies to streamline operations to eliminate unnecessary processes that affect operations. The system also makes it necessary to standardize procedures to ensure all employees know what to do while working in the warehouse.
Organize the Workstations
An organized workstation promotes productivity among employees. So, warehouses should organize their employees’ workstations to reduce the need to look for the tools and equipment they need for work. They should remove all clutter in the workstation and encourage employees to focus on their work.
The warehouse should also use signage and labels to ensure efficient workflow. The signage and labels facilitate the proper storage of products in the warehouse. It also reduces delays in work since the employees will know where to go when they pull out products in the warehouse. Providing maps of the warehouse also ensures new employees will not get lost when they go around a huge warehouse.
Monitor Storage Capacity
Warehouses should monitor storage capacity in real-time to ensure they have an idea if they still have available space for products. With the economy starting to recover, warehouses should expect more products requiring storage. This is particularly true with the increasing demand for products around the world.
In this situation, they should have real-time information on the space available for these products. The information allows them to ensure they avoid overstocking products that can affect the efficiency of their employees.
Improving warehouse management processes is crucial in improving efficiency in the operations of these businesses in Singapore.