Designing an industrial warehouse correctly can be the difference between a smoothly-running operation and absolute chaos. Small details can have a big impact on how a warehouse actually operates. Knowing these details, and examples of warehouse design done right, will set you up for success on your next industrial warehouse project.

How to Design an Industrial Warehouse

As with many things in life, designing an industrial warehouse first starts with careful planning. Why are you building a warehouse in the first place? How much product will the warehouse need to store and how quickly will it move through the facility? It’s important to take the time to truly understand the needs of the project before you get down to doing the actual design work.

Map Out the Entire Facility, Including Doors and Office Spaces

Once you’ve carefully defined the requirements of your industrial warehouse, it’s time to put pen to paper. Sketch out the entire layout and don’t leave anything out. Include doors, office spaces, restrooms, water fountains, loading zones, reception areas, and picking areas.

Factor In Space Optimization

Space optimization is very important to remember when designing an industrial warehouse. Typically, only 22% to 27% of a warehouse’s under roof space is actually used for storage. This may seem low but a properly functioning warehouse needs plenty of room to operate. If you’ve ever been in an overcrowded warehouse, you know how difficult and inefficient it can be to work in those environments.

Test the Plan and Consider the Results

Once you’ve sketched it out and feel good about the layout, test out the critical areas. Mark out these high traffic spaces or potential bottlenecks and have people simulate what it will be like to work in those areas. If forklifts, pallet jacks, or other equipment will be in operation, bring that equipment into your test plan. Making adjustments to the plan now can save crucial time and money down the road.

Industrial Warehouse Design Considerations

When designing industrial warehouses, there are a few key design considerations you’ll want to be aware of. Keeping these pitfalls front of mind will help make sure your project is a success.

Provide Enough Space for Loading and Unloading Zones

Loading and unloading zones are the key to getting product into and out of your warehouse. If you shrink these zones, you’re effectively limiting the potential throughput of your warehouse. Space is key and will prevent unnecessary traffic jams.

Create Separate Reception and Picking Areas

Reception and picking areas are some of the easiest spaces to shrink on paper. Functionally, however, having enough space for reception and picking are critical. Without enough space, you will have overflow. When this overflow extends into pathways or storage areas, you have confusion and inefficiency. Allot the proper space for these zones in the beginning and you will thank yourself later.

Thoughtfully Organize the Storage Area

Make sure you have some method to your storage area madness. Both clustering and aisles are good strategies to use for designing storage, but you need to have a clear plan. Regardless of how you will store products, make sure the people and equipment in your warehouse will be able to move around and operate. It can be tempting to shrink aisle size on paper but this only leads to accidents and reduced efficiency.

3 Examples of Industrial Warehouse Done Right

One of the best ways to ensure success is to model your project off of others who have done it successfully. Let’s take a look at three great examples of industrial warehouses done right:

1. Eagle Villa Development, Statesboro, Georgia

This 60,000 square foot warehouse was built in Statesboro, Georgia and is a testament to proper industrial warehouse design. Built for Eagle Villa Development, the warehouse had to be completed on an aggressive timeline. Even with supply chain issues during a global pandemic, the project was a huge success due to Allied Steel Building’s prefab system. The contractor on the job said it was the fastest building unload he’d ever done.

When designing the industrial warehouse for Eagle Villa Development, Allied ensured that construction would hit the project’s timeline. Through careful engineering and attention to detail, Allied was able to reduce the amount of part numbers and allow certain parts to play a more flexible role. For the contractor, this made logistics much easier and reduced the amount of rework needed.

2. Baker Hughes Supercenter, Guyana

By using a metal building design, this Baker Hughes supercenter at Land of Canaan, Guyana perfectly fit the company’s needs. The supercenter houses a workshop, warehouse, storage space, and maintenance facilities. More than 100 people are able to efficiently work in the supercenter to support Baker Hughes customers in Guyana and Suriname.

Even with steel in short supply, Allied was able to rely on their robust network of vendors to get the job done. This massive superstructure was built in only eight months with Allied handling every aspect from concept to delivery.

3. Orion Industrial Park, El Salvador

When it comes to large buildings, Allied Steel Buildings knows how to build them. The Orion Industrial Park in San Salvador, El Salvador is the largest warehouse in Central America. Built using Allied prefabricated steel, the Orion Industrial Park has a massive 666,252 square foot footprint. Over one dozen football fields could fit inside this steel building!

Through Allied Steel Buildings’ robust network of suppliers and vendors, they were able to meet the project’s timeline and make a positive impression on another international market. For this project, the panels were produced in Allied’s factory in Spain and shipped to El Salvador. Over 120 containers were required to ship this massive building. After just six months, the building was completed.

Choose Allied Steel Buildings for the Best in Industrial Warehouse Design

When deciding how to build your industrial warehouse, turn to the experts. The team at Allied Steel Buildings can guide you from concept to completion, saving you time and headaches along the way. Contact us today to learn more.