What is Store-room Layout?
Storeroom layout is proper placement of materials and storeroom equipment. It may broadly include departmentalizing the stores, placing the shelves, racks or other equipment appropriately, and proper placement of materials with sufficient space for material handling and labour movement.
Example of a Storeroom Layout
Example of a typical stores layout
Objectives of efficient layout
An efficient Store-room layout should serve the following objectives:
1. Reduced investment in shelves, racks or other equipment,
2. Reduced operating expenses by minimizing the movements of materials and thereby reducing the internal transportation cost,
3. Increased flexibility,
4. Increased safety of workers and materials,
5. Easy accessibility and good housekeeping,
6. Convenience of traceability,
7. Suitability to the nature and volume of materials and
8. Maximum utilization of floor space.
Important factors in Good Store-Room Layout
While laying out a storeroom, the following factors should be given due attention:
1. Nature of materials
Heavy and bulky materials demand special attention in movement and handling and may call for their placement near the user department or near the despatch section to minimize movement and may be placed on the ground floor for easy handling.
Small, light items can easily be moved and handled and may be placed away from the despatch section and on the racks. The costly items might require closed shelves which may be locked and should be placed where proper control may be exercised and general entry may be restricted.
The fragile materials should be carefully stored. The materials which are inflammable, such as petrol, kerosene, oil, acid, etc., should be stored separately, away from the general stores.
2. The volume of materials
The space requirements depend upon the quantity and the bulky nature of materials. The storeroom should provide sufficient space on the ground and in the racks and shelves for the materials to be stored at a time. The space requirements should also take into consideration, the handling characteristics and the nature. of material handling equipment.
3. Floor and air space
While planning a layout, available floor space and ceiling space should be utilized to the maximum.
4. Scope for future expansion and flexibility
Since expansion and changes me necessary, the layout of the stores should provide for future expansion and flexibility.
5. Accessibility
The layout of the stores should also take into consideration the convenient accessibility to the stored items for quick retrieval. There should be adequate space for operating trolleys, forklifts, etc.
6. Type of storage equipment
The type of storing equipment such as shape and size of the bins, pallets, racks should also be considered in stores layout.
7. Protection
Since protection of materials is an important objective of stores-keeping, the materials should be placed in a manner that it minimizes the loss of materials against theft, pilferage, etc.
8. Proper illumination and ventilation
The stores should be properly illuminated either by natural or artificial lighting. It should be properly ventilated also.
