Factors to Look at When Designing Distribution Centres

Distribution centre or warehouse is the foundation for every business. It is where set of products are stocked for distribution to retailers, wholesalers, or directly to consumers. 

Since warehouses are home to huge number of inventories; their design is of prime importance. For instance, if you are storing perishable material at a distribution centre; it should be designed in a way that it has sufficient conditions to keep the perishable goods safe. 

Additionally, today; distribution centres are not merely looked at as storehouses but also provide support and service facilities to companies. For this purpose, they need to be designed impeccably such that they can fulfil current needs and adapt to future requirements. 

So, let’s delve deeper and talk about 4 important factors to look at when designing a distribution centre. 

1] Product

First and foremost, the product that is going to be stored in the space needs to be taken into consideration since that is the primary purpose of distribution centres. One needs to get well acquainted with the load unit used, maximum-minimum weights, dimensions, types, sensitivity to temperature or other environmental factors etc. Based on these; storage systems that can be installed at the centre, and the design they will follow can be determined rightfully. 

2] Space 

The dimensions and characteristics of distribution centre infrastructure can influence the choice of shelves, their design, their location and so on. You need to look out for windows, power lines, columns etc. 

3] Flow and rotation 

To design the most efficient installations, it’s vital to define the needs of the project. Detecting the flow and rotation which includes order preparation process, dispatch and other logistical operations will contribute significantly to this. 

4] Equipment 

No warehouse simply begins with empty space. There are equipment that are essential for smooth functioning of the distribution centre.  These should be analyzed and their adaptability should be taken into account when giving a design proposal.

Since these many factors and many more are to be considered when designing a distribution centre; it is always better to hire professionals who are experienced in the field. 

Firms like architecte centre de distribution Stendel + Reich can provide you with high quality architecture alternatives and design perfectly in accordance to your description and needs.  

The design of the premises can greatly impact the efficiency, provide maximum functionality, optimize distribution and overall, augment the procedure; so, hire proficient architects and get started!