Redesigning the Warehouse Layout to Improve Material Flow Efficiency

Warehouse layout design plays a critical role in determining the efficiency of logistics operations.”An ineffective layout can lead to increased travel distance, congestion, and reduced productivity. This study focuses on redesigning a warehouse layout to improve material flow efficiency and minimize travel distance. A quantitative and observational research approach was adopted, where travel distances between the dock area and storage locations were measured using the rectilinear method. The evaluation of the current warehouse arrangement identified issues including disorganized storage practices, physical barriers, and inefficient movement paths, internal partitions, and lack of directional flow, resulting in increased handling time and operational delays. To address these issues, multiple layout alternatives were proposed, including zonal storage, open-plan design, and directional material flow. Among these, the zonal layout combined with directional flow was found to be the most effective, significantly reducing travel distance for high-frequency operations. The study concludes that optimized warehouse layout design can enhance productivity, reduce operational costs, and improve overall supply chain performance. Keywords: Warehouse Layout, Material Flow, Travel Distance, Zonal Storage, Logistics Efficiency, Warehouse Optimization, Supply Chain Management.