Do you adapt, build or buy when your warehouse is too small?

Most businesses want to expand, but expansion can create problems. If a business sells products, as it grows, the existing warehouse may be too small. The issue is then whether the warehouse can be adapted to fit more in, or should a new warehouse be built, purchased or rented?

Buying or renting a new warehouse may be a good choice, but according to CBRE, the real estate services firm, warehouse property is in high demand and short supply. Finding the right building in the desired location may not be possible. Building a new warehouse means that it can be built to the exact specifications required for the present and future use. However, this is an expensive option requiring a large investment.

The other option is to refit the existing warehouse to hold more stock and to be more efficient. Warehouse equipment manufacturers can help with a number of shelving and racking options, and can supply manual handling equipment.

Technology can help too. A warehouse management system can manage stock levels and help pickers locate items quickly. Robots can pick items, but these are expensive and not affordable for many small to medium businesses. A system that combines conveyors, vertical lifts and carousels with workers using manual handling equipment is a good solution.

Faced with a choice of renting a new warehouse, building one, or refitting an existing building, reorganising an old warehouse to maximise the space, and using automated systems, can make more economic sense.

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