Time to think inside the box
November 26th 2009 As SHEDA enters its 29th year, talk of ‘green shoots of recovery’ is sending ripples of optimism through the storage and materials handling industry.
When the predicted upturn does arrive it will be the “financially fittest” businesses that are around to enjoy the benefits.
SHEDA, the industry’s leading trade association for designers, suppliers and installers of storage and handling solutions, is driving forward work that can help firms take full advantage of a healthy order book.
Some of the toughest decisions to take are those made during the transition from recession to growth. Severe curbs might have been made on spending but, as order books start to fill up once again, the decision to invest in new equipment and new premises can be a worrying one.
And with cash flow still slow and a plethora of pallet and racking products on tap via internet sites, it might appear easy to delay or economise on repairs and investments. But SHEDA Council member Simon King of NSI Projects warns against false economies.
“SHEDA members work to the SEMA code of design quality and safety and they can provide independent, expert advice that can save you money by ‘sweating the cube’ – harnessing every usable cubic inch of your storage space.
“It’s a case of thinking of your building in terms of the whole box, cubic metres not square metres. So often we see companies using just half or as little as 20 per cent of the usable space in their cube. It’s fresh air from there to the ceiling.
“A little thought and use of say a jumbo stud wall divide, a doubletiered mezzanine or a dynamic pallet racking system for greater density are several ways of making your building work harder, whether we’re in a recession or not. But as orders start to pick up it could prove the difference between profit and loss.
“Once business picks up, why have the upheaval of moving to larger premises or the expense of renting additional storage capacity if you’re paying overheads for fresh air?”
Simon’s top 10 tips for ‘sweating the cube’ are highlighted opposite. Returning to growth Two of the key priorities for SHEDA as the storage and handling sector makes the transition from recession to growth are:
• Raising awareness of the SHEDA brand – a badge that represents unrivalled quality of work, best practice and knowledge of health and safety issues, crucial factors that can make or break a business
• Getting manufacturers and distributors to work even more closely together, ready to make any changes necessary to maximise future opportunities
SHEDA Vice President and President Elect 2010-11, David Camm, comments: “The industry is feeling the effects of the recession. With a lot of companies failing across the board it’s not surprising that people are less trusting and scrutinise their spending decisions far more closely.”
A SHEDA board member for four years, Australian-born David is MD of Nottinghamshire-based Trent Storage and Design, which he launched 15 years ago.
The company, which specialises in storage and interior solutions, was nominated for the Yell Gold Award for business excellence in 2003.
David says: “Raising the SHEDA profile, while strengthening the links between manufacturers and distributors, will help us to work proactively as a positive industry voice.
“We need the backing of current and new distributors to strengthen that voice even more so that we can deliver even greater benefits.” SHEDA membership is a badge of quality. Only companies meeting the strictest standards qualify for membership and all members are recommended to put their installers through the Storage Equipment Registrations Scheme (SEIRS) training.
SHEDA members are encouraged to welcome competitors into the association, as part of the SHEDA commitment to drive up industry standards, promote excellence, follow industry guidelines and share best practice. Our position as the industry’s leading trade association gives us a powerful voice with partner organisations and governing bodies.
For more information about SHEDA and its members log on to www.sheda.org.uk or ring Sharon Parker at Heathcote and Coleman on 0121 454 4141.
SHEDA top tips to make space work harder
1. Rather than focus on best use of footprint, think in terms of volume. Many businesses use just a fraction of the storage volume they are paying overheads on.
2. Install a mezzanine over an existing part of your operation, using one or more tiers. A SHEDA member can help you plan an installation tailored to your operational needs with minimum disruption.
3. Get rack repairs done NOW. Delaying essential repairs is a false economy if it means losing income from lost pallet spaces. The worst case scenario could lead to damage, injury and litigation.
4. Put your existing shelving, cabinets and lockers onto mobile bases and you can reduce your footprint by up to 50 per cent. You’ll gain usable space and a SHEDA member can advise on boosting security with lockable aisles.
5. Consider changing the configuration of your pallet racking: drive-in, drive-through, double deep, pallet live (flow racking) systems can increase volume productivity. Consult a SHEDA member and you are assured they will provide expert advice and source products from the whole range of available equipment to find the most suitable and cost-effective solution for your needs.
6. The new generation of forklifts operate in reduced-width aisles and reach higher, with less weight restrictions. Reduce the operational aisles in your racking or increase the height of your racking and you can free up valuable space. A SHEDA member can advise on a tailored solution and provide you with the essential design calculation.
7. Review your stock demand. Anything floor-based that is accessed fairly infrequently can be palletised and moved off the floor on pallet racking, making the most of your storage volume and releasing valuable footprint.
8. Save on heating costs and claim short-term rate relief or rent half your unit out by using a Jumbo wall or steel partitioning to segregate your unit. A thoughtfully planned mezzanine with separate access could achieve similar benefits.
9. Consider using flow shelving to allow deeper shelving layouts. 10. Don’t consider a move or renting additional storage units without first challenging a SHEDA member to help you maximise your existing building volume. Initial consultations are usually free. It’s simply not common sense to ask 10 companies to quote. If you select from three SHEDA members, then you will be comparing ‘apples with apples’. More articles from Storage & Handling Equipment Distrbutor Assoc (SHEDA): | 
