Warehouse Layout Design: 8 Mistakes That Slow Every Operation

Most warehouse layouts grew rather than were designed. A few small layout fixes can lift throughput by double digits with zero new staff.

The eight mistakes

1. Fast-movers buried at the back.
2. Receiving and dispatch sharing a single door.
3. Picking and packing in the same aisle.
4. No defined consolidation area.
5. Tall racking with no mid-level access.
6. Returns processed on the dispatch lane.
7. No clearly marked bin locations.
8. Quarantine stock mixed with sellable stock.

The 30-minute layout audit

Walk your warehouse with a stopwatch and a clipboard. Time five typical pick paths. Where do they cross? Where do they double back? Those crossings and doubles are your fixes.

VasKem's bin-location reports show you the worst offenders.