Why VLM Storage Is the Perfect Warehouse Organization Idea
Without a proper warehouse management system or storage solution, your facility won’t be able to operate at peak efficiency. This can result in unnecessary labor costs, delays in inventory retrieval, and poorly optimized storage space, negatively impacting your business operations and hurting your bottom line. Luckily, a fool-proof warehouse organization idea exists in Modula vertical lift modules. These storage solutions are ergonomic, cost-efficient, and faster to operate than standard shelving.
Continue reading the following article to learn more about vertical lift module storage solutions and how they could be the best warehouse organization idea for your facility.
What Is a Vertical Lift Module?
Modula vertical lift modules are entirely automated storage and picking systems. These devices are highly influential within warehouses, utilizing vertical space that clears floors for more straightforward navigation and safer storage. Their sleek, flexible designs can be used in existing and new warehouses, allowing for large amounts of inventory to be stored safely and quickly retrieved as needed.
Standard shelving can quickly become cluttered, over-encumbered, and challenging to navigate, as they take up most floor space. VLM storage addresses these problems head-on to provide a more productive workflow.
The Benefits of Using VLM Storage
VLM storage is one of the best warehouse organization ideas your facility could benefit from. From additional floor space to more efficient storage systems, here are some of its most significant advantages:
Variety of Styles and Sizes
Warehouses have options when it comes to choosing an appropriate VLM for the size of their facility. These units come in multiple sizes that vary in depth, width, and height, ranging from ten to fifty feet tall. The wide range of sizes makes installation simple, whether you operate a small warehouse organization or a massive one.
Additional Floor Space
Compressing your inventory into VLM storage units opens up additional floor space within your warehouse. This makes it easier for workers to move about, adds more potential for storage or equipment, and increases productivity.
Reduced Labor Costs
Hiring additional employees to pick inventory is an unnecessary expense that can cut a company’s bottom line. Vertical lift modules reduce the required pickers, potentially saving your business hundreds of thousands—and possibly millions—of dollars over a year.
Ergonomic Retrieval
With VLM storage, the need to travel from one end of a warehouse to the other using slow aerial lifts is a thing of the past. Because these devices make retrieving items so quick and simple, your employees can save time and get more done throughout the day.
Greater Inventory Management
Vertical lift modules use inventory software to manage and accurately track items. These systems automatically pick items and provide alerts when inventory is low, ensuring that your storage systems maximize efficiency.
Increased Safety
Less clutter reduces the risk of a safety accident within a warehouse. There’s no need to use ladders or aerial lifts, tripping hazards are minimized, and injuries from retrieving heavy or awkward items are less likely. Plus, without rows of shelves to collect dust, the open space can be cleaned quickly and frequently, lowering the number of potentially sick employees.
From greater inventory management to reduced labor costs, VLM storage has an extensive range of benefits for associated warehouses. Read on to learn more.
Signs Your Warehouse Could Use VLM Storage
While the benefits of using warehouse organization ideas like vertical lift modules are clear, many companies still have reservations about adopting these storage systems. The most significant factors typically stem from the cost, a lack of familiarity, and resistance to change. However, there are a few tell-tale signs that your warehouse could greatly benefit from VLM storage:
- Your warehouse is cluttered: A cluttered warehouse makes it difficult for workers to maneuver and do their job efficiently. This can be time-consuming and pose costly safety hazards. Organizing this space with VLM storage can increase productivity, reduce workers’ stress, and open up available floor space that can be used for additional storage.
- You’re debating moving warehouses: If your warehouse has gotten overwhelming to the point that you’re considering moving to a larger facility, you could benefit from VLM storage. Adopting a more efficient system can increase available space and save you from packing up and relocating your whole operation.
- You require secure storage: Some items may require special storage that is only available to access for certain employees. This takes up additional space and time to retrieve in a standard warehouse. However, vertical lift modules provide safe areas for restricted inventory that can quickly be accessed by authorized personnel.
- Picking items is time-consuming: When you have a large warehouse with multiple rows of tall shelves, getting where you need to go can take a while. VLM storage reduces the time to obtain items with quick sorting software and less floor space to navigate.
- Wasted ceiling space: Depending on the height of your warehouse and current shelving, you may have an extensive amount of wasted space between the ceiling and top shelves. VLM storage comes in various measurements and widths to take advantage of vertical space that would otherwise be squandered.
- Notable storage errors: Human error can create messy, unorganized, and entire shelves that add unnecessary complexity to finding and retrieving the resources you need. Instead, vertical lift modules use a structured system for storage, ensuring that items are located in their intended spots and can be updated accurately when taken out.
If any of these indications are readily apparent, it’s highly encouraged that you conduct further research on the advantages of vertical lift modules. The more you understand, the more enticing these storage solutions become.
Let Southwest Material Handling Improve Your Warehouse Storage With Modula VLM
Suppose you’ve tried multiple warehouse organization ideas with little to no success. In that case, it’s time to consider upgrading to an automated storage system like VLM—and Southwest Material Handling can make that happen.
Our team has been improving the storage solutions of clients for over thirty years, always striving to provide the highest level of warehouse productivity that we possibly can. By partnering with Modula, we can do so even better. We can assess your warehouse with a detailed inspection to determine the best inventory management system within the available space. From there, we can create an efficient layout using Modula vertical lift modules. This, in turn, opens up available floor space and increases productivity.
When you’re ready to add more storage, more workspace, and more efficient systems to your warehouse, contact Southwest Material Handling. We’d be happy to help.