Types of Storage Areas for a New Warehouse

You need to know the types of storage areas for a new warehouse when designing its layout. Otherwise, you might miss some opportunities for efficient storage and broader service. For most warehouses, you should only plan for these four kinds of storage.

Ambient Storage

For lack of a better definition, this is a storage area that just holds things. It’s the standard for most storage areas. Ambient storage is a broad type that holds items at room temperature, having no extra features for preserving goods outside of regular conditions. Most warehouses use this kind of storage the most, as it holds basically everything except a few items that have special requirements.

Cold Storage

Cold storage is similar to ambient storage, except that it stores items at cooler temperatures to slow or prevent spoilage. There are many cold storage applications across a warehouse. For example, it can hold food products or cosmetics. However, it’s much more expensive than ambient storage. It needs to constantly keep a stable environment so that nothing spoils within it.

Hazardous Storage

This is a broad category for storage solutions, as it includes the systems that hold any materials that can hurt people. Hazardous storage may deal with anything from chemicals to medical supplies to flammable gases. It focuses on storing these items safely so that no accidents happen.

Record and Archive Storage

Storing papers and files can get very cumbersome for a company or business. That’s where archival storage comes in handy. Record and archive storage systems tightly pack documents and keep them organized until someone needs them again. Plenty of companies use off-site archive storage warehouses to keep their records until they can get rid of them.

These are the basic types of storage areas for a new warehouse. Each one is a potential solution you can use in your warehouse. By knowing about them, you put yourself in a better position to plan your warehouse design efficiently.