How to Layout a Warehouse or Distribution Center

Multi-Story Distribution Centers

When we work In Japan, Europe, Singapore, and in parts of Australia, multi-level distribution centers are quite common. It's because large tracts of land are scarce, expensive, and especially so in urban areas. In fact, in Japan, DCs with 5, 6, or 7 levels are not atypical. In those multi-level DCs, they stack processes on top of one another, instead of adjacent to one another. It's very difficult to design those DCs, because connecting those spaces vertically, is much more complex than connecting them horizontally. It's a bit like playing chess in three dimensions. As a result, the optimization design and associated simulations are even more critical components of DC design. As urban logistics becomes increasingly common in the United States, we will see more multi-story DCs and will need more sophisticated DC planning and optimization capability. RightChain Warehousing design for Scroll Corporation, a Japanese e-fulfillment company.

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