"Spend an hour searching for goods, yet only use them for a minute? Only when the warehouse is 'visible' can it be effectively managed."

Last week, I went to help out at a friend's hardware warehouse. The owner was leaning over a shelf, rummaging through the third tier: "I remember ordering two boxes of bearings, they must be here somewhere, I just don't know where they're squished." Half an hour later, he found them in the innermost shelf - two boxes of goods, covered in a thick layer of dust. With a bitter smile, he told the truth: "Last month, I thought they were sold out, so I ordered two more boxes." This kind of scene is all too common in small and medium-sized warehouses. It's not that there's no goods, it's just that they're "out of sight".

The most expensive cost in the warehouse is "finding"

Shelves with solid wall backboards, stacked-to-the-ceiling cardboard boxes, and mixed parts boxes - all obstructed from view, inventory information can only be remembered and confirmed by rummaging through them. The time spent searching for goods is an inconspicuous hidden expense in the warehouse:

When picking a single order, a significant amount of time is spent on "finding" rather than "taking";

When goods are stored in a deep and unseen place, it is assumed that they have been sold out, leading to repeated restocking;

The overdue and backlogged goods are buried deep, and by the time they are discovered, it's already too late.

Tracing back to the root causes of issues such as repeated purchases, wastage due to expiration, and incorrect or missed deliveries, it is often found that they are largely related to the concept of "invisibility". To address this issue, the approach is not to enhance employees' memory, but to make the warehouse more "transparent".

Net shelf: Turn "rummaging through boxes and cabinets" into "glancing at a glance"

The mesh shelf is designed for this purpose. Its columns and shelves, as well as backboards and sideboards, are replaced with steel wire mesh. One can easily see what's on each shelf, how much is left, and whether there are any empty spaces just by glancing at it from the aisle - without having to approach closely, bend down, or even move boxes to confirm.

Its benefits extend beyond just being "visible":

It is ventilated, transparent, and moisture-proof. The mesh does not accumulate dust or trap moisture, making it friendly to wires, electronic components, and moisture-sensitive packaging. Even if stored for a long time, the goods are less likely to develop issues due to exposure to moisture.

The height of each layer can be adjusted at any time. From small items like screw boxes to large items like entire boxes of goods, the spacing between shelves is up to you. If the goods become taller, simply switch to a new layer, no need to buy new shelves.

Each grid corresponds to one item, with responsibility assigned to individuals. Equipped with parts boxes and label tags, everyone knows who takes and places items, making it easy for new employees to get started without relying on the "memory inheritance" from experienced workers.

Hardware and auto parts, electronic components, stationery consumables, small e-commerce warehouses - these places with "many small items and a variety of SKUs" are particularly suitable. The more types of goods there are, the more obvious the advantage of the grid becomes: it transforms warehouse management from "memory-based" to "on-site-based".

If the shelves are chosen correctly, the accounts will not be confusing

Shibang shelves also have a complete set of considerations for mesh shelves: the mesh density can be adjusted according to the size of the goods, and the column beams are made of cold-rolled steel, with surfaces treated by degreasing, acid washing, phosphating, and electrostatic spraying, which can withstand the moisture in the warehouse and daily bumps.

If you have a lot of small items in your warehouse and find it difficult to locate goods, why not first have the designers from Shippon Rack come to your site for a free measurement and provide a CAD plan? Let's see how much the mesh rack can help reduce the "invisible" losses.

The principle of warehouse management, in essence, can be summed up in two phrases: "Visible" and "Accessible". When goods are easily identifiable at a glance, one can have confidence in their location, and the accounts will be clear.