Before planning your move to your new warehouse, you must consider whether you need to invest in new equipment.
It may even be that your move to a new warehouse is motivated by a need to use more updated equipment to improve efficiency.
In this chapter, we’ll look at the different types of equipment you should consider when moving a warehouse and the best practices you should follow.
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What Equipment Does My New Warehouse Need?
If you are an already established e-commerce company, you probably already have much of what you need, though there may be some specific piece of equipment you might need to invest in.
Alternatively, if this is the first warehouse you’ve ever owned, you will need to invest in quite a lot of equipment.
If you plan to move to a more modern facility (or one bigger where you can better use modern tools), some things may be new.
If you don’t consider what equipment you need, you could find yourself unprepared when you move. You may miss things or find that what you currently have is unsuitable.
Furthermore, large machines like conveyor belts, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) need significant space.
Conversely, if you don’t want to disrupt too many processes when moving from one warehouse to another, you might not want to invest in too much equipment and have to train employees, as it will be time-consuming.
The types of equipment your warehouse will need can be broken down into several categories.
Material Handling (Lifting) Equipment
This is the equipment you need to move inventory around your warehouse.
Pallet Carts
Not to be confused with pallet jacks, pallet carts are electric carts that slide under the pallet. All an employee needs to do is press a button, and they can pull it along.
Pallet carts are good to have because no labor is required by the operator. They move on their own, and workers don’t have to exert force; some can even be ridden.
There is less strain on workers, and they can do more, and if the battery runs out, the carts can be pulled manually.
Pallet Jacks
Also known as a ‘high lift’ and various other names, pallet jacks make moving pallets significantly easier.
Again, pallet jacks may be something that you already have in your current warehouse. However, if you have never owned a warehouse, pallet jacks are invaluable.
You may need to invest in new pallet jacks if you need them to be more maneuverable, particularly if the space in your new warehouse is tighter than the previous location.
Forklifts
Forklifts are often one of the first things you think of when you think of warehouse equipment.
If you’re moving from a small warehouse or office where there is limited storage space, you will need to invest in one to reach items high up on racks.
You may need to invest in new forklifts if your current warehouse has higher ceilings or they are not maneuverable enough for your new location.
As mentioned in Chapter 2, you should ensure you have a dedicated space for charging electric forklifts.
Docking Equipment
Docking equipment is important for incoming and outgoing docks. Most docking equipment helps stabilize trucks or trailers as they dock at your warehouse or makes accessing the moving stock easier.
Docking equipment keeps employees safe, making receiving and shipping orders without accidents easier.
You might not be able to take all your docking equipment from your previous location and need to invest as some of it will be built into the docks of the warehouse or worn out from use.
Wheel Chocks
Blocks that sandwich truck wheels into place so they don’t roll by themselves.
Truck Restraints
Truck restraints hold a truck or trailer at the loading dock to prevent accidental movement during loading or unloading. They typically use a hook or metal arm that engages the trailer’s rear impact guard.
Dock Boards and/or Dock Plates
Dock boards and plates bridge the gap between a loading dock and a truck.
Do note the difference between the two: dock plates are used for lighter loads and can handle the weight of equipment like pallet jacks, while dock boards are more suitable for heavier loads and equipment, such as forklifts.
Depending on the weight of your inventory, you should ensure you have the right one to prevent damaging inventory and harming employees.
Dock Bumpers
Dock bumpers are bumpers on the edges of the dock to protect the truck (and warehouse dock) as it backs into the dock.
Safety Equipment
Warehouse equipment is not just about efficiency, it’s also about keeping employees safe. That said, keeping employees safe also directly affects efficiency—injured employees can’t work.
Some will be obvious. However, some lesser-known ones could be useful in preventing accidents.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Consider if you’ll need:
- Hard hats.
- High vis clothing.
- Safety gloves.
- Steel-toed boots.
- Hearing protection.
If your business works with hazardous materials, you will likely need to invest in more heavy-duty safety equipment.
Fire Safety Equipment
Even if you don’t handle flammable materials, you must invest in fire safety equipment.
- Fire extinguishers.
- Smoke detectors.
- Sprinkler systems.
- Fire alarms.
First Aid Kits
They should be in practical and easy-to-reach locations and contain comprehensive kits containing bandages, antiseptics, burn creams, and other emergency first-aid materials.
Spill Control Kits
If your business handles items (or soon will) that can spill, such as liquids, powders, or that have many small pieces, spill kits are very useful to have.
Spill control kits are most important for businesses that work with chemicals and hazardous materials.
They prevent slips, exposure to dangerous chemicals, and damage to other products in the warehouse and typically include absorbent materials, gloves, and tools for safely handling different types of spills.
Emergency Eyewash Stations and Showers
If you will be dealing with hazardous materials, consider if you will need to invest in eyewash stations and showers.
If the previous owners were in a similar industry and handled similar materials, emergency eyewash stations and showers may already be built into your new warehouse.
However, it is worth considering if they are in the most practical location and need upgrading.
Electronic Equipment
Electronic equipment plays an increasingly large role in warehouse management operations, and that’s only likely to grow in the future.
Computers, Monitors, and Peripherals
You will need computers to use your e-commerce solution, like Sellercloud and its suite of tools.
If your warehouse is larger, you may need to invest in more computers, or if you want to have more shipping stations or start utilizing tech for certain processes.
For example, you will need a computer to leverage your shipping software, like Shipbridge, for the shipping station, and you will also need a computer if you are using a sorting solution like Skublox.
Scanners and/or Mobile Devices
Most modern WMSs (Warehouse Management Systems) like Skustack use mobile scanners and/or devices that can be carried around the warehouse floor.
Packing Equipment
Packing equipment is used to prepare and pack orders before shipping.
Product Label Printer
A printer specifically designed to print labels for packages.
Packing Tools
Packing tools can include a wide range of things like tape dispensers and box cutters.
Void Fill Machines
Depending on the types of products you will be packaging, you may want to invest in a void fill machine, which is used to produce packing materials, like air pillows or paper, to cushion and protect items inside packages.
Shipping Equipment
All the equipment you will need to ship products once they have been packed.
Scales
It is worth considering investing in a smart scale, like the 4D Scale, which weighs and measures packages simultaneously and can send the dimensions to your shipping solution automatically.
This saves you time from manually entering the information and reduces human error. Furthermore, dimensions can be saved and reused.
The 4D Scale has three varieties—the standard 4D Scale, the 4D Scale mini (ideal for desktops), and the 4D Scale micro, a device that can connect to any scale and turn it into a smart scale.
Shipping Label Printer
Another printer specifically designed for printing shipping labels.
Your shipping label printer should be different from your product label printer, so employees don’t have to go back and forth to print things.
Best Practices for Warehouse Equipment?
There are many things to remember when planning what equipment you need at your new location.
Have at Least Two Forklifts and Shipping Label Printers
Things break, so it’s vital to always have a backup. Having at least two forklifts in your warehouse means that if one breaks, you can still fulfill orders with the other.
The same is true if you only have one shipping label printer—if it breaks, you can’t ship anything out. Some sellers even say you should have at least three label printers in your warehouse.
The same rule applies to any other integral warehouse equipment likely to break.
Ensure Everything Is Properly Labeled
When you move into your new warehouse and start using your new equipment, employees must learn where everything is and how to use it if it works differently. Because of this, you should ensure all equipment is properly labeled.
Labeling will also make it easier to onboard new employees (you may have new employees in your new location).
Ensure You Have Appropriate Wi-Fi Coverage
As mentioned in Chapter 1, a good internet connection is vital in a modern warehouse.
On top of ensuring you have access to a good internet connection, you must invest in the infrastructure to ensure it is accessible throughout the warehouse.
A good Wi-Fi connection is vital to many of the tools you will use, especially digital tools.
This is especially true if you use a WMS system like Sellercloud’s Skustack, as mobile devices on the warehouse floor need to be able to connect to the internet.
Dead spots could be in places where you have inventory, and if a worker tries to pick a product, they can’t update the order or inventory because there is no connection.
Security cameras will also need a reliable Wi-Fi connection.
Key Points
You’re now a pro on warehouse equipment! Remember these key points.
- Consider what equipment you need in your new warehouse because it will impact the available space.
- You may need to invest in new equipment if the dimensions of your new warehouse are different, if you will be working with different materials, or are planning changes to your processes.
- What kinds of warehouse equipment you invest in depends on the products you sell. Some equipment typically reserved for hazardous materials is not necessary for all sellers.
- Your e-commerce solution will impact some of the warehouse equipment you need.
In the final chapter, we’ll cover how to make the actual move from one warehouse to another.