Running a warehouse is a tough job. There are many areas that must function properly in order to perform efficiently and retain profitability. Warehouses require well-trained employees and functioning equipment. Running an operation such as this can get costly. Check out these tips to cut costs in a warehouse without negatively affecting efficiency.
Make the jump to automation
Your workers are essential to your operation, but if you can alleviate some of their physical and mental stress while also improving the cost-effectiveness of your operation with automation, it’s a great idea. One of the best areas to incorporate automaton in is secondary packaging. Secondary packaging is a strenuous physical task. Wrapping pallets by hand can cause back injuries and tire workers out quickly. Investing in an automatic pallet wrapper can quickly cut costs. Though it does require an initial investment, the return profit is huge. Not only will you wrap pallets much faster and more efficiently, but you won’t use as much stretch wrap, your products will be less subject to damage during shipment, and you can save a significant amount of money on labor costs.
Let the machines come to the workers
When a warehouse is running more efficiently, it typically minimizes costs. Workers who spend less time walking around the warehouse, navigating from area to area, have more time to get their work done. When you station your secondary packaging in one fixed location, workers from all areas have to waste time traveling to use the machines. Investing in a portable stretch wrapper is a great way to cut down on wasted time, thus cutting costs. You can move portable stretch wrappers to any area, allowing you the flexibility to stretch wrap your loads in the place that makes the most sense for your operation. This reduces labor costs by saving time on repetitive tasks.
Reallocate your workforce
As you make some jumps to automation within your facility, you will most likely have a few workers with slightly emptier workloads. Reallocating these workers to areas that could use some extra manpower is a great way to cut costs in a warehouse. You will no longer be paying wages for workers who have nothing to do, and your other areas that may be suffering from overworked associates can finally receive some aid. This may even allow you to lessen the number of workers you need to keep your operation running smoothly, thereby slashing your labor costs.
For all your automation needs, check out Robopac USA’s selection of automatic pallet wrappers, portable pallet wrappers, and more. Our machines are equipped with Cube technology that will save you time, resources, and labor every day.
