Storage Solutions Series
A comprehensive guide to designing, sourcing, and implementing the right storage system for your operation — released across ten phases, from initial needs assessment through long-term optimization.
Discovery & Needs Assessment
Profile your inventory, model your throughput, and build the business case before any design decisions are made.
Site & Building Analysis
Clear height, column grid, floor flatness, fire code, and dock configuration — the constraints that shape every decision that follows.
Storage System Selection
Selective rack, high-density systems, case pick, mezzanines, and automation — how to navigate the three-way trade-off of density, selectivity, and throughput.
System Design & Layout
Aisle widths, slotting strategy, flow design from dock to ship, seismic and load calculations, and what your AHJ will want to see.
Procurement & Project Planning
Choosing the right partner, reading a rack quote, budgeting beyond the steel, lead time sequencing, and coordinating the trades.
Installation
Installing in a live facility, what to inspect before sign-off, site prep, common pitfalls, and safety on the install site.
Commissioning & Go-Live
Slotting day one, operator training, WMS integration, ramping volume, and soft launch vs. full deployment.
Operations & Optimization
KPIs worth tracking, RMI/ANSI inspection programs, slotting cadence, damage culture, and identifying bottlenecks before they compound.
Maintenance, Repair & Modification
Repair vs. replace decisions, reconfiguring for new SKUs, adding capacity without starting over, and end-of-life planning.
Contrarian Perspective
Automation won't fix a bad layout. More storage won't solve your problem. The warehouse truths nobody leads with — but everyone eventually learns.