Top 4 Warehouse Inventory Management Tips for Winter
These days, it is hard to predict what the weather will be like during certain seasons, and winter is one of them. Some years, snowfall may be minimal, and temperatures may not significantly drop. However, other winters may come with week-long wild snowstorms and temperatures well below freezing. In this post will give you some inventory tips for winter.
Unfortunately, you never know what you will get, so it is always important to prepare for the worst.
For this reason, when winter comes around, it can be a particularly stressful time of year in the commerce industry. Bitter cold weather in the winter brings various challenges that interfere with the logistics of storing inventory. Especially when it comes to storing certain temperature-sensitive items.
On top of these matters, the rises in demand with the holiday season bring about several other obstacles.
How to Stay on Top of Inventory Management in the Winter
Unfortunately, winter’s challenges to inventory management can be overwhelming, especially when the challenges come from all directions at once. To have a positive and productive season you have to put the right effort and attention into planning ahead.
Inventory Tips for Winter
The following are the most important factors to survive the challenges of inventory management in the winter:
1. Preparing for Daylight Changes
One of the biggest obstacles known to pose warehousing problems yearly is the loss of daylight hours. It usually begins in the fall but gets significantly worse in the winter.
Warehouse operations are always the most efficient during daylight hours. Why? Because the warehouse and loading docks are well-lit, and everyone is cheerful.
Since those hours are shorter in the winter, this may affect operations. You will want to prepare for that ahead of time.
It does not mean that, for an entire season, everything needs to get done before sunset. But, you should do light-dependent tasks during the day. Ensure your warehouse is also equipped with ample lighting. This way, things can proceed as usual, even after dark.
2. Turning Up the Heat
Of course, cutting costs where possible is always an essential part of warehouse management. But, the comfort of warehouse employees must be an even bigger priority. Not only will workers suffer in the cold, warehouse electronics and various types of inventory will be impacted.
That is why it is super important to turn up the heat in your warehouse when temperatures start to fall. At least when it is operating and workers are inside.
When it comes time to crank the heat, you might also want to check for leaks around the warehouse’s doors and windows. You want to ensure hot air does not escape.
An environment that is a comfortable temperature boosts workers’ efficiency. Efficiency that is needed to organize inventory and prepare it for shipping.
3. Taking Other Climate Control Measures
Beyond turning up the heat in the winter, there are other ways to help control the climate in a warehouse.
For instance, it could also help to invest in high-volume, low-speed fans. Such fans help re-distribute warmer air from the ceiling to the warehouse floor, preventing extreme temperature shifts.
Rearrange the warehouse in the winter to counteract temperature shifts. Consider looking into ways to rearrange the warehouse layout to maximize airflow. Store temperature-sensitive inventory closer to the centre of the warehouse and off the ground.
4. Adding Additional Mats Near Entrances
Unfortunately, snow, ice, and salt can all pose safety hazards when they collect on the warehouse floor. Slip, trip and fall hazards to be exact.
It may be challenging to keep up with constant mopping throughout the season. So, add a bunch of extra walk-off mats by every warehouse entrance. Fortunately, these mats lock in moisture from people’s footwear, making the warehouse much safer during the winter.
In addition to the extra mats, it makes sense to implement a winter policy. Require all employees to bring an extra pair of indoor shoes. Keep outdoor footwear in one part of the warehouse, it will help guarantee that slippery floors are not a problem.
Inventory Tips for Winter
How Wills Transfer Limited Can Help You Get Through This Winter’s Inventory Management
If you require storage warehousing this winter, Wills Transfer Limited can undoubtedly provide the warehousing solutions you need.
With over 75 years of industry experience and seven distribution centres across Eastern Ontario, we are well-equipped to handle inventories of any type or size.
When you work with us, you do not have to worry about the safety of your inventory. We take every measure to keep safe.
In addition to protecting your inventory throughout the challenging winter months, allow us to help boost the efficiency and effectiveness of your overall product fulfillment operation through our various services.
We offer everything from order fulfillment to pick and pack services to kitting, asset tagging, container de-stuffing, cross-docking, and inventory management. Through these services, we can help your business grow and become more successful.
Hope you enjoyed this Inventory Tips for Winter post.
For more information about our approach to storage warehousing or to learn more about how we can help you through our other warehousing services, call Wills Transfer Limited at 613-704-7549 or contact us here.
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