60 | Sector Focus: Handling & Storage
SUMMARY
■UK warehouse space remains in short supply
■Narrow Aisle has a new warehouse planning team
■Modern warehousing is all about maximising space
CREATING SPACE
Narrow Aisle’s new storage solutions team has been established to help intralogistics professionals use their warehouse buildings in the most space, cost and throughput efficient way possible, explains the company’s Paul MacBeath
With the fallout from the pandemic and Brexit continuing to impact on manufacturing and retail supply chains, UK warehouse space remains in short supply. In fact, the lack of quality storage buildings has become so acute in some places that one leading industrial property consultancy recently forecast that parts of Britain could completely run out of vacant facilities within the next 12 months. So, warehouse managers and intralogistics professionals find themselves under tremendous pressure to utilise every cubic foot available to them in the most space, cost and throughput efficient ways possible. But it is often the case that the role that a building was originally designed to perform has changed completely and, as a result, the unit’s storage system is no longer as effective as it could be. This usually indicates that some reconfiguration of the layout of the racking and shelving is required. By redesigning a facility’s storage scheme and introducing new materials handling technology to complement it, an existing warehouse gets a whole new lease of life. In many instances this will mean that the need to outsource part or all of the storage operation to a third party can be avoided, as can the expense and disruption to the business of moving to a new building. Narrow Aisle’s new warehouse planning team works with clients to develop the best possible intralogistics solution to meet the unique needs of each application. By offering a complete service from design through to the supply and installation of storage schemes and materials handling equipment we can help warehouse operators get the most out of a new building or make real operational improvements to an existing facility.
When designing a warehouse layout – whether for a new building or as part of an upgrade at an existing site – we consider a
TTJ | July/August 2024 |
www.ttjonline.com
broad range of handling and storage solutions before deciding what system would be best for a company’s needs.
All too often companies are forced to adopt solutions from a narrow range of options because they are working with a warehouse planning partner or systems integrator that is tied to the products or services of one supplier. Indeed, time and again, I have visited sites where glaringly unsuitable products have been shoe-horned into the design for no better reason than they are the only products that the system planner has to offer.
But at Narrow Aisle we pull together the crucial operational components required to create a cohesive solution for our clients and seek out the best products for their needs. Modern warehousing is all about maximising whatever space you have available and, because we have access to a broad range of storage solutions – including wide, narrow, double deep, drive-in, powered mobile, shuttle, cantilever and push-back racking, along with a host of accessories - we can identify, design and deliver the right storage plan without being restricted by the need to incorporate a particular product type – or the materials handling equipment required to serve it.
As you would expect, we can demonstrate a detailed knowledge of racking design and safety as well as compliance with all relevant standards.
After all, building a storage scheme is a lot more complicated than putting up shelves in the garage and these complex structures need to be professionally designed to suit each particular application. ■
Top right: Narrow Aisle has access to a broad range of storage solutions
Bottom right: Narrow Aisle’s Paul MacBeath
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77
