If you’ve ever completed a warehouse move, you’re probably not anxious to do it again.  A warehouse move is a monumental undertaking and it requires considerable preparation.  Here are eight tips from the material handling experts at Raymond West to help your warehouse move go a little bit smoother.  

1. Make A Plan Far In Advance

Moving a warehouse is a logistical challenge to say the least. There are so many variables to consider that the planning phase should start many months before an actual move. One of you first actions should be to contact your warehouse movers to check their availability and get their help with planning.  

2. Optimize Your Inventory

Although inventory is easier to relocate than equipment, it’s going to be the bulk of what you move. For seasonal businesses, it’s a good idea to plan your move when inventory is lightest (e.g. don’t plan a move right before the holiday season). For all operations, managing orders carefully in the weeks leading up to your move can mean a reduction in items that have to be trucked to the new location.  

3. Meticulously Plan The New Warehouse

For this step, you will likely want to bring in an expert (like Raymond West) to help you lay out your racking, loading dock, AS/RS, conveyors, battery chargers, and other systems. Identify any modifications you’ll need to make to electrical, HVAC and sprinkler systems.  You’ll also need to think about seismic requirements, fire codes and other local regulatory considerations. 

4. Examine Future Expansion Options

Growth is the most common reason for a warehouse move, and it stands to reason that you may start to outgrow the space that you are moving into one day.  Develop a plan to maximize your space early on, and design your warehouse around future expansion. For example, could you reconfigure your space to accommodate additional automation, narrow aisles, deep lane storage or mezzanine systems at some point in the future? Design your space with that in mind. 

5. Check Existing Equipment In The New Space

For your new location, you’ll want to make sure that everything that is included with the building is in perfect working order.  Are all of the dock levelers and doors fully functional?  Is the lighting adequate for your layout, or will you need to make changes?  Go over every system and piece of equipment you plan to use with a fine tooth comb. Make sure to do this far enough in advance to address any serious deficiencies.   

6. Notify Your Vendors And Customers, And Then Do It Again

It’s important to notify everyone of your move well in advance, and notify them multiple times. You don’t want trucks pulling up to an abandoned loading dock at a vacant facility!  

7. Keep Your Employees In The Loop

Before you move, make sure that your employees know what is expected of them on the days leading up to the move. They should also be briefed on things like access codes, parking, and amenities in the new building. When they start work at the new location, a group orientation meeting should be set up. If new systems are being implemented, you should arrange for training well in advance of the move.  

8. Carefully Orchestrate Moving Day(s)

This is probably the most stressful part of the move. Make sure that you have the right resources available for equipment tear down, transportation and installation.  If you need to bring in outside help, get on their calendar several months in advance.  You’ll need organized staging areas for inventory and enough trucks to get the job done in a timely manner.  Give yourself enough time, preferably a few days if possible.  Many unexpected things can happen during a move and it’s good to have some extra time to deal with unforeseen problems.  

Warehouse Movers Near Me

If you’re planning a warehouse move, get in touch with Raymond West today!  We can help you with the design of your new facility, and all of the logistics for your move.