How Storage Can Benefit Your SME Business?

There’s no denying running a small or medium business can be a challenging prospect. There are many aspects to consider including managing employees, meeting customer expectations and managing costs.

Interestingly one area that most business owners tend to forget is the importance of organisation. Let’s be honest, it’s an area that’s easy to ignore until we are drowning in paperwork or there’s stock all over the floor.

It’s not a good place to be. Especially when you consider that an organised space with correct storage can provide multiple benefits to your business. Items that are easier to find will help you to run more efficiently which results in happy customers and increased profitability. On top of all that you won’t feel so stressed – we all need a bit of that, right?

In this blog, we discuss how to create the best storage system for your workspace. Even if you don’t think you have the room!

Plan your space to maximise capacity

For any SME business, juggling your actual space against what you need to store is a constant problem. You don’t always want to risk increased overheads by moving to larger premises.

So, what can you do? You may be surprised to learn that it’s often possible to create more storage in your existing space with some carefully planned, cost-effective amendments.

Have a look at the width, height and length of your space. You want shelving or racking that has the flexibility to maximise what your storage can achieve. For this you need a system available in different size units so that it fits neatly into your space. Even the most difficult corners.

If you’re struggling, get some advice on how to approach your storage and increase capacity.

Should I choose racking or shelving?

A large part of answering this question very much depends on what you are planning to store.

Generally, shelving is chosen for smaller and lighter items that you’ll pick by hand. It also tends to take up less space and is a cheaper option compared to racking. If you’re starting out, why not try our Stockrax system. This shelving is perfect for online businesses that hold lots of small boxes of stock or need a place to store paperwork.

This cost-effective solution comes in a range of shapes, sizes and styles. You can choose either the standard option, which holds up to 360kg, or heavy-duty which goes all the way up to a massive 650kg. It is also easily accessible from any side and you can add extra shelves whenever you’re ready. You could say it’s the perfect all-rounder!

Racking is essential if you need to store heavier stock. The width and depth is bigger than shelving, but the units can be stacked to a greater height. If the sales are flying out the door and you need to upgrade to a heavy-duty option, give our Apex starter kits a go. It couldn’t be easier! Designed for strength and durability these pallet racking kits include everything you need to get going. With a load weight of up to 8000kg, you’ll be able to store a whole lot more stock! Another option is our Apex Longspan which has a wider shelf that can carry heavy loads – ideal for squeezing on lots more product.

SME Storage that grows with your business

Running a small business has to be all about flexibility so that you can quickly change as your grow. The same applies to your storage. Our shelving and racking systems are modular in design and you can add additional units any time you like. No need to splash all your cash up front. When your business is ready to take the plunge, get in touch and we can supply one of our extension kits which will seamlessly slot onto your existing system.

You could also consider adding on some of our workbenches and benches which are ideal for creating additional packing space.

Another solution to increase your storage capacity is to add in some accessories. Our Stockrax shelving includes garment hanging options for storing clothes and combines with our incredibly adaptable LinBins. Made from incredibly tough plastic, LinBins stack neatly on top of each other and have a wide mouth opening that makes retrieving items fuss-free – essential when meeting deadlines to despatch orders or checking stock levels.

If it’s choice you want, consider our Euro Shelving which offers our widest range of accessories. Full or part-height shelf dividers will keep product boxes in order while bin fronts create the ideal place for all the small bits and make the picking process incredibly easy. If you need to keep paperwork to hand while packing, why not opt for a pull out shelf or store documents with a drawer or suspension file. You can mix it all up to create the ideal solution for you.

Ready to get started?

If you want help planning your storage space, get in touch with our team for a no obligation chat. They have a huge amount of experience in working with small and medium businesses and could really help your company.