A View from the Mezzanine: Five Advantages of Warehouse Mezzanines
A warehouse mezzanine is a quick way to triple your warehouse capacity, creating valuable space and practical storage within your existing floor space. A warehouse mezzanine is just as it is in the theater – stairs leading to a second or third-floor mid-level seating area – in this case, a storage area. Warehouse mezzanines are especially advantageous in situations where inventory doesn’t move every week. It keeps boxes up off the ground and out of the way, yet is easily accessible when needed. Here are five more advantages of installing a mezzanine:
• You don’t need to build out or re-design your warehouse space. If you have ceilings over 15 feet high, you can use some of that upward space to your advantage with a mezzanine kit. If you need more space and are thinking of moving to a new warehouse, a mezzanine would be a good transition or even a good alternative for you to stay in your current facility longer, saving money on a move. If you implement a double-tier mezzanine, you’ll enjoy twice as much space. Be careful what you put upstairs in the mezzanine, and make sure your steps and railing are sturdy and secure. You want the mezzanine to save you money, not cost you money in worker’s compensation.
• You save on heating, cooling, lighting and sprinkler systems. You can use existing HVAC systems because you’re adding up, not out. The product you store in the mezzanine will benefit from your main system. Lighting is especially important for the workers who climb to the mezzanine each day. It should not only lead the way, it should illuminate the product sufficiently. Errors in picking and packing can occur due to poor lighting. Use the mezzanine wisely and take advantage of your built-in elements.
• Mezzanines can be customized to your needs. The footprint can be designed for company growth, using expansion materials. The mezzanine material is flexible and easily expandable as your company increases its business. The mezzanines can be built along walls, around poles and equipment, or as a lengthy expanse of the warehouse floor. By using integrated panels and platforms, warehouse designers can help you choose the best plan for your needs. The mezzanines can be as tall as you’d like or as wide as you like. Just be sure you have all of the underside supports necessary to make the mezzanine a safe storage area and a safe place for workers. In addition, the materials for mezzanines offer a few choices in flooring and in racks. The most common flooring for mezzanines is corrugated metal. Depending on your needs and how the mezzanine will be used, the flooring can also be wood, metal or even cement. Wood and cement would be ideal for an office space in the mezzanine for management or conferences. A cement floor renders the mezzanine immovable, however, because of the weight. Choose the flooring that is most user-friendly for your needs.
• Inventory is better controlled. A mezzanine will help you to see more inventory, and therefore, know what you have and be aware of the product quality. By moving some existing inventory to the raised space, it will give your warehouse room to “breathe” overall. Whether you use the mezzanine for high-volume items or slow movers, you will still control your inventory and make it more accessible.
• Mezzanines can be portable or permanent. Remember, these can be custom made for you. Mezzanines are designed to be sturdy, and most can be disassembled for transport. Your existing fixtures and machinery will work with them. You can use the same fork lifts, bucket lifts and stairs with integrated warehouse mezzanines. If you choose to move the mezzanine, it can be safely dismantled, moved to another location in the warehouse and reassembled in a different configuration. The flexibility of mezzanine storage is impressive and cost-effective.
