What if a warehouse scientist proved that the equation, we all have come to know, and love was incorrect? What if 2 + 2 didn’t equal 4. What if 2 + 2 = 5?
If you start with a bad assumption, then you start to calculate with bad data. Once you start to make errors, they will roll into more and more errors. Don’t let this happen to your operation.
The Truth is out there, the question is your company open to understanding the data, the story it tells, and how it impacts your warehouse assets? Every warehouse has 4 assets: Space, Equipment, Labor, and Control. Every operation has different constraints that must be addressed accordingly. The one consistent across all verticals, size of facilities, number of items, & people is the “Reality” is impacting your warehouse assets. With the correct data the truth will present it-self. Here are the key’s to understanding your operations “Reality” and improving your Assets.
Cube on Hand for each item = Proper sized location to managing storage space
Cube Movement = Correct size of the forward pick location to minimize the number of replenishments
The number of times an item appears on an order = Where the item should be slotted to minimize travel distance
Once you have this data, then you can look at ways to improve your current operation. Many companies leverage a system to manage all this data on daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly basis. This allows them to consistently evaluate and improve their current operation and get the most value from their investment.