This is a bit like asking, how long is a piece of string? It depends how long you want it to be, or in the case of a WMS, what you want it to do and how many people are going to use it.

In simpler terms it could cost from a few tens of thousands of pounds to several hundreds of thousands of pounds to get installed and then there is the ongoing maintenance/support and the hardware to consider.

A summary description of a Warehouse Management System (WMS) in a sentence would be:

A WMS is a specialised system providing the management of the warehouse or distribution centre with the tools, functionality and information for the efficient operation of the warehouse and the management of its activities within the supply chain.

Sound warehouse layout and design is the basis of efficient warehousing. If order picking has slowed down, or you find you are running at or near capacity in your warehouse, you are almost certainly not be getting the most from your current layout.

There is no doubt that growth is a sign of business success. When growth exceeds available warehouse space, however, efficiency and productivity can suffer and margin reduces. If your business is experiencing any of the symptoms below, a new distribution warehouse layout may be the solution you are looking for.

Warehouse managers not only need to ensure that every aspect of their facility is effectively managed, tracked and controlled, but also that everything runs as smoothly as possible. Thankfully, there are many ways to do this with the aid of software and tools. The right software for your warehouse will be a platform that addresses areas of the most concern for you.

The layout of your warehouse is vital to the success of your business. Unless space is being used to its full potential, the productivity, inventory control, shipping and safety of your warehouse could be in jeopardy. This article explores the elements which must be in place to ensure an efficient warehouse layout.

Is everything in your warehouse accessible and in the right place? Is your warehouse team able to carry out their tasks efficiently? If the layout design of your warehouse isn’t helping to allow the productivity of your staff and reduce your overheads, your warehouse storage layout design may need to change.

In order to have the highest possible efficiency, you must ensure that every square foot is being properly used to its full potential. The first step to achieving this is to assess your space.

Your warehouse represents the hub and therefore most important link in your supply chain. Yet, up to 3,000 hours are lost per year to warehouse inefficiencies that a redesign could fix. Is your warehouse currently suffering from any of the symptoms below? If so, a change in your warehouse design may very well be beneficial to your business.

Your warehouse is the central hub of your logistics supply chain. Many of the costs and tasks associated with supply take place in and around the warehouse. Therefore, delays and inefficiencies at the warehouse level invariably have a knock-on effect. A warehouse that is well planned and set out according to the needs of your business is an invaluable asset. Therefore, it is a helpful exercise to consider the use of space in your warehouse and whether a redesign would be beneficial.

In the retail industry, effective warehouse management involves squeezing the maximum advantage from all the space you have available in your warehouse or distribution facility. Every square foot of space should be assessed in terms of its productive potential and the monetary return that comes from it. Wasted or poorly used floor or cubic space is an unproductive asset that is, in effect, costing you money.