5 Manufacturing Storage Solutions To Consider

Manufacturing storage solutions allow you to manage materials, finished products, and supplies. They should consider your space, available labor, material flow, cost, and the types of products being stored. At Ready-Made Plastic Trays, we can design custom trays to help you keep supplies and products organized and secure during storage and transport. 

1. Pallet Racking

Pallet rack systems are a very common manufacturing storage solution. Pallet racks allow you to stack products directly on pallets, which allows for maximum storage in a minimal amount of space and provides easy access to the pallets they contain. They can be arranged in several ways. 

Drive-through configurations minimize aisles, but may also reduce product access. As its name implies, push-back or front-load racking utilizes a front-loading system. It provides easy access to all pallets on the rack, but may not be the best solution for facilities where space is at a premium. Some manufacturing facilities that use a first-in, first-out inventory system may also choose pallet flow racks that use conveyors to move pallets. 

2. Custom Packaging Trays

Packaging trays are an excellent choice for smaller products or components as well as for those that you store and ship in set quantities. They are lightweight and durable, making them perfect for repeated use in storage facilities. Multiple compartments help keep products neat and organized. 

Plastic trays work well combined with other manufacturing storage solutions, such as shelving or rack bins. Because they offer a high level of protection, plastic trays are also well-suited for packaging and shipping shipping. 

3. Shelving 

Some manufacturers choose to store smaller products and materials on shelving. This is also an excellent choice for parts and tools. Like pallet racks, shelves are a vertical manufacturing storage solution that maximizes floor space. They tend to be affordable and, when installed to your specifications, can help provide the required storage space. 

Many industrial shelving units have several shelf positioning options, allowing for flexibility. However, once they are set, they tend to remain that way. Others are fixed so that shelves cannot move. There are also mobile shelving units that you can move around the manufacturing facility or warehouse. 

4. Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems

Automated manufacturing storage solutions are an efficient choice for large manufacturing operations. They automate the storage and retrieval of products and materials, making it easy to track locations. ASRS maximizes space and increases order accuracy. 

5. Warehouse Bins

Warehouse bins come in small and large sizes, so they accommodate a variety of items. Bulk bins are a great solution for manufacturing facilities with oversized or loose products. They can hold items based on type, final location, or stage of manufacture. However, manufacturers should use caution with fragile items that might get damaged in large warehouse bins. 

For those situations, smaller rack bins can help keep things secure. Fitting them with storage trays is an excellent way to protect and organize smaller products. 

Find Durable Manufacturing Storage Solutions

At Ready-Made, we manufacture lightweight, durable, and sustainably sourced plastic trays. They are an ideal manufacturing storage solution for manufacturers who want to keep products and supplies organized and secure. They also work well for shipping finished products. Contact us to request a free sample.