October 16, 2021

Improving Warehouse Efficiency

Over the past year or so, many businesses across the UK have begun to rely heavily on their e-commerce stores, more so than brick and mortar shops. As a result, the demand for increased warehouse space and improved warehouse efficiency has increased massively. From more inventory, a wider range of

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What will help Norilsk become the global center of the Arctic

The Russian city of Norilsk, located in the Arctic, has the status of the most populous city in this climatic zone in the world. However, the city does not have points of attraction for the international community. The city authorities took care of this issue and announced a competition for

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Issue 323 : Dec 2024

October 16, 2021

Improving Warehouse Efficiency

Over the past year or so, many businesses across the UK have begun to rely heavily on their e-commerce stores, more so than brick and mortar shops. As a result, the demand for increased warehouse space and improved warehouse efficiency has increased massively. From more inventory, a wider range of goods for sale and expanding businesses, a lot of organisations have had to adapt their way of working to accommodate the increase in demand for goods purchased online. There are lots of tips available for getting the most out of your warehouse storage. Warehouse management is a key component in running a successful retail business, no matter what kind of consumer goods you are selling. Whether it is food, clothing, household appliances, books or all of the above, setting up a great warehouse that can adapt, evolve and grow with your business is key to running a successful online store. So, if you’re running a warehouse as part of your business, keep reading this article to learn how to improve warehouse efficiency. Warehouse Equipment When setting up your warehouse, it is important to invest time in finding the layout and processes that work best for your business. Developing a logical floor plan with the most in-demand goods within easy access will ensure efficiency. Wide walkways and clear guidance around the warehouse floor also help with the movement of goods, as well as improve safety for workers. For the movement of inventory, warehouse machinery such as electric pallet trucks, hoists and conveyor belts make it safe and easy for employees to ship goods in and out of the warehouse. Other equipment that can help improve warehouse efficiency includes the following: Indeed, proper warehouse equipment can be essential in improving the efficiency of warehouse operations. But on top of this equipment, good quality racks and shelving play a crucial role in organizing a warehouse system. For example, the Stackit Industrial Shelving and other similar products can effectively increase warehouse storage capacity and provide quick access to commodities, hence improving product safety. As a result, warehouse managers and operators can improve the efficiency of their overall warehouse operations. However, boosting warehouse efficiency isn’t only about investing in the right warehouse equipment. This year, there has been a big increase in artificial intelligence used in warehouse logistics. Computers and robots are being used to improve speed and efficiency, as well as reduce error rate, across areas such as labelling and sorting. With order processing techniques such as pick to light, artificial intelligence holds a lot of potential for repetitive warehouse tasks. AI generally helps to reduce the amount of tedious, repetitive tasks which employees prefer not to do. Many are of the opinion that the future of storage is in warehouse automation. This is a worthwhile area to research for anyone looking to grow their retail business over the long term. But aside from automation and warehouse improvement, you can also improve warehouse efficiency by conducting a thorough employee training process. Remember that without well-trained employees, you may be unable to operate your warehouse operations more efficiently.  Hence, invest in a good training process to ensure they know how to receive goods, maintain inventory, and quickly fulfill orders safely. Also, ensure your employees are trained in using specific warehouse technology to ensure enhanced warehouse productivity. Lastly, your employees should be familiar with the company procedures and policies and updated with the changes or new practices implemented in the warehouse industry.  The Best Pallet Racks Choosing the best equipment for your particular industry is important. Businesses also evolve over time and it is worth reviewing your warehouse processes at least twice a year. The type of goods you stock may change, or your product range may expand or decline, depending on demand. At peak times such as Christmas and Easter, you may need additional inventory and your warehouse will need to be able to handle this. Warehouse pallet racks need to be adaptable. Take a look at our tips to choose the correct pallet rack for a warehouse and research the best option for your business. That way, you can have peace of mind knowing your pallet racks are adaptable and durable enough to handle additional inventory in the warehouse. That way, you can have peace of mind knowing your pallet racks are adaptable and durable enough to handle additional inventory in the warehouse. Investing in top-quality warehouse equipment and ensuring that your storage facility is set up to run smoothly will mean goods get shipped quickly and without error. This in turn will result in happy customers. Great customer service is a cornerstone of a successful business and getting orders out on time is crucial for customer retention. Find the best warehouse machinery for your business today and put smooth work processes in place – it is one of the best investments of time and money for any retail organisation. It will pay off in the long run and will help boost the growth of your business long into the future.

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What will help Norilsk become the global center of the Arctic

The Russian city of Norilsk, located in the Arctic, has the status of the most populous city in this climatic zone in the world. However, the city does not have points of attraction for the international community. The city authorities took care of this issue and announced a competition for the redevelopment of the urban space and functional environment. What will help Norilsk get the title of the global center of the Arctic? Kees Donkers is a leading urban designer in the city of Eindhoven (Netherlands). A person known far beyond the borders of his country. At the scientific-practical conference “Development of the Arctic: nature, city, people”, which took place in Norilsk, he spoke with a sore subject for an industrial city: he told how to turn abandoned factory buildings and non-residential buildings into actual public spaces. Kees Donkers himself is known for the fact that he and his team managed to give a second life to the city of Eindhoven. Earlier the giant Philips left the city. Like Norilsk and many other Russian monocities, Eindhoven was the city of one city-forming company. But in the 1990s, Philips moved production to China, and managing team to Amsterdam. “When the industrialists left, our city became one of the ugliest in Holland,” recalls Kees Donkers. – What is called a crisis happened. It was in the nineties. We lost the industry, but started developing design. And already in 2012 they competed with Helsinki for the title of the world design capital ”. With the support of the Mayor of Eindhoven, it was possible to unite the efforts of the municipality, business, the Technical University and all interested citizens in order to find new ways of developing the city. Under the leadership of Case Donkers, a plan was developed to revitalize the five industrial spaces on which Philips was based. In particular, the project brought together the De Witte Dame (White Lady) lamp factory, the most famous building previously owned by Philips, with the city center. Now the former factory building is a popular and visited place. The Municipal Library, Eindhoven Design Academy and shopping districts are located inside. To finance a large-scale “reboot” of the entire look of Eindhoven, Kees Donkers created a special fund. In 2010, the city authorities stopped subsidizing it, but Donkers continued the business on his own.Eindhoven today has an ultra-modern look. The city, which depended on the one company, has transformed in literally 20 years, turning into a beautiful independent place. On tourist sites, former abandoned buildings are now included in the list of city attractions. At the conference held in Norilsk, another foreign expert, soil scientist Graham Spiers, clearly showed how it is possible to restore nature after anthropogenic destruction. He shared his experience in reclamation of the Canadian city of Sudbury, which is also in many ways similar to Norilsk. The experience of two foreign cities, Eindhoven and Sudbury, is consonant with what Norilsk is already doing, says Maxim Mironov, a representative of the city development organization. “In April, together with the Urbanika Institute for Spatial Planning, we presented the Norilsk master plan. Along with other conclusions and suggestions, the analysis of the situation showed the lack of high-quality closed public spaces. To solve this problem, the agency, with the support of the city and the production company Norilsk Nickel, is working to create an urban public space in the building of the former technical library. The second project is the opening of a modern digital education center. The future “IT-club” will create a basis for solving urgent technological problems of the territory, will contribute to high-quality digital education for children and youth, ”said Maxim Mironov.

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