Knowing when it’s the right time to upgrade your business storage
| June 29, 2015
The demand for more storage space grows Vis-a’-vis your business growth. The more your business grows the more your demand for storage grows. The common storage systems include storage cabinets, pallet storage and mezzanine storage systems. In many occasions, quick fix solution may serve the purpose. However, in the long run, you may start seeing tell-tale signs that you inevitably have to upgrade your business storage. These signs include;
- Change in the nature of stored goods
Different types of goods demand different types of storage systems. For instance, the storage of food materials requires a different type of storage system compared to hazardous material. Due to the growth of your business you might be wanting to diversify your product base. Diversification of product base translates into diversification in the kind of stock stored and hence the kind of storage systems required. This means that if you have been using racks for example, you may need to upgrade to pallet system of storage so that you can accommodate the demands of the new product.
It’s therefore prudent to first consult storage specialists for the ideal storage system for your new product before actually indulging in it. The specialists will then advise you accordingly on the kind of upgrades you should undertake on your existing infrastructure.
- Signs of underperformance or overstretching of current infrastructure
Very few businesses ever bother to evaluate the performance of their facilities. The performance of any storage facility can be measured through considering the cubic feet of inventory per square foot of storage space. Every type of good has its set standard limit of cubic feet per foot of storage. If you are currently operating below the minimum or beyond maximum, then there is dire need to upgrade in order to optimize you capacity without underutilizing or overstretching your current infrastructure.
- Change in regulations
Storage of certain products is tightly governed by certain laws and regulations. These products include food material, flammable materials and hazardous products. These laws and regulations keep changing to ensure better standards. This means that as the laws change, you might also have to upgrade. In such situations you might not really have an option. Early consultation with experts could be very helpful in giving offering insight into the upgrades you need to makes to conform to the new laws.
- Increase in clutter
If despite of you expanding you infrastructure, you still notice a lot of clutter dotting everywhere in your storage space, it is a big sign you really need to upgrade. It means that you current storage systems can no longer handle your capacity. You really need thorough upgrades.
- Increased wastage and spoilage
If you indulge in the food industry, and the spoilage of the stored food is spiraling, then it is a very sure sign that you really need to upgrade. It means that your current storage system is either over-stretched or inappropriate for your current product. Upgrading is most definitely inevitable.