Launching a new business venture is a journey made of many smaller steps, and starting a small warehousing business is no exception to this. Let’s take a look at some of the main factors required for a warehouse, helping you ensure your new company will grow and thrive.
What is a Warehousing Business?
A warehouse is an area used for the storage of goods for small businesses, transporters, wholesalers, distribution, retailers, manufacturers or other companies that are required to store products in bulk.
Getting Your Warehouse Business Up and Running
Though all warehouses are different, most will have some features in common. Some of the key components of any warehouse business include:
- Administrative Office: Warehouses often need an administrative area to handle paperwork, clients, phone calls, marketing, payroll, meetings and any other behind-the-scenes work. A mezzanine floor is a perfect option for creating an office space.
- Reception: This will be your clientele’s first point of contact when they enter your warehouse.
- Loading Area: A dedicated area where heavy items are loaded onto trolleys or forklifts and moved to their storage area.
- Packaging: Certain products and orders will need to be packaged in a specific way for transportation, and a packaging area will provide a dedicated area for this.
- Storage: The key reason for having a warehouse is storage. The layout, choice of shelving and your overall warehouse management are all vital to the everyday success of your business.
- Dispatch Area: This is where products are taken for shipping.
- Technical Area: You’ll need somewhere to store large equipment like trolleys when they’re not in use, and a technical area provides this.
3 Key Considerations Before Starting Your Small Warehouse Business
1. What kind of business am I establishing?
Understanding what exactly your company is all about will play a vital role in figuring out what your needs are. It’ll help you work out details like the size of the location, building requirements, necessary storage space, types of shelving you’ll need and what kind of layout will best suit your needs. For example, if your business deals with food, it’ll have different requirements to a business that deals primarily with fabrics and materials.
2. What will I be storing in the warehouse?
Knowing the type of products you’ll be storing helps with the design of your shelves, pallet stacking and overall layout. Part of your planning should also include inventory management and constantly finding ways to improve your efficiency. This will lead to a better use of your resources and costs, helping your warehousing business grow and flourish in the long run.
3. What type of customer will I be aiming to attract?
It should be a key part of any business plan, but it can be surprisingly difficult to determine who your ideal customer base is. Knowing who you’re aiming to attract will help you work out the logistics of your business. A key thing to consider is whether you plan on people outside your business visiting your warehouse or if it is simply for storage and warehouse operations.
Finding a Space for Your Warehousing Business
The key thing to remember is you’re not just looking for warehouse space, you’re looking for a space for your warehouse business. The space you choose needs to be able to accommodate whatever your business requires. Not enough space is the last thing you want, but a space that is too big means you’re wasting valuable profits. There are companies like UTenant that can help you find locations for your warehouse. You’ll also need to look into whether you’ll need specific licenses for what you’re selling and/or producing.
Buying Equipment for Your Warehousing Business
Choosing the right equipment for your warehouse is critical for the overall efficiency of your warehouse. Advanced Warehouse Solutions has a wide range of smarter storage solutions that can be custom-made to suit your space. These include:
- Mezzanine floors: Perfect for offices or extra storage space.
- Shelving: These can be specifically designed for your warehouse space and the products you stock.
- Pallet Racking: Another storage option that will save you valuable space.
Staffing: Choosing The Right Employees
Your team is the backbone of your business, and for a warehouse, you’ll have a few slots to fill. Depending on your warehouse size, you need staff for the warehouse house floor, packaging, supervision, bookkeeping, cleaning, data collection, marketing and more. You’ll also need to determine whether you’ll be hiring on a casual, part-time or full-time basis and your pay rates.
Warehousing and the Law
The warehousing industry has regulations and codes you’ll need to follow, including getting a warehouse license and rental agreement and following workplace health and safety guidelines. Some legal considerations for your warehouse business include:
- Getting a warehouse license
- Your rental agreement/certificate of title
- Any other licenses you’ll need to operate your business
- Health and safety guidelines and code
- Local council regulations
- Employment contracts, superannuation and employee rights
- Employee wages
- Insurance.
FAQs
Do I need a warehouse license?
Yes. We recommend getting in touch with your local council or authority for more information on the guidelines and regulations you’ll need to follow.
Is there a way to create more warehouse space in a rented building?
Absolutely. A mezzanine is a fantastic way to add an extra floor to an existing area and can be used for offices, extra storage or a meeting room for staff and clients. Most warehouses have high ceilings, which can be used to your advantage with shelving, a mezzanine and some pallet racks.
Do I have to install a mezzanine myself?
No, our team offer installation services in a variety of areas. We will not only design the perfect storage solution for you but install it in your warehouse. A professional installation not only saves you time but also gives you peace of mind that the job has been done right.
Successful Business Warehousing Solutions Done Right
If you’re looking to start a warehousing business, get in touch with the team from Advanced Warehouse Solutions. We have decades of experience in designing, manufacturing and installing a wide range of high-quality storage solutions, including mezzanine floors, mezzanine offices, shelving and more. With our help, you’ll have the ideal warehouse to give your new business a running start.