8 Factors to Fix a
Dysfunctional Storeroom
© Life Cycle Engineering

Even with great people and processes, without
a well-controlled and well-managed storeroom
you’ll experience inefficiencies and other
potential pitfalls that will contribute to high
maintenance costs and low productivity.
© Life Cycle Engineering

There are 8 variables you must
control if you want to master the
Materials Management process.
© Life Cycle Engineering

1. Infrastructure
© Life Cycle Engineering

Many times the “warehouse” is nothing more than a
building that was recently cleaned out or even abandoned.
There may be holes in the roof, broken windows, missing
doors, poor lighting, and faulty or nonexistent humidity
controls. Storing materials in these conditions isn’t a
whole lot better than just leaving them completely
unprotected out in the open environment.
© Life Cycle Engineering

2. Location
© Life Cycle Engineering

Just because space is available somewhere
doesn’t mean it’s a great idea to utilize it for
stocking material. Having too great a distance
between the storeroom and where parts are
needed can introduce inherent delays.
© Life Cycle Engineering

3. Accessibility
© Life Cycle Engineering

If anyone can get into your
storeroom whenever they want,
then you probably don’t have the
necessary controls in place to
ensure that materials are properly
handled, effectively managed and
accurately checked out.
© Life Cycle Engineering

4. Physical Layout
© Life Cycle Engineering

Does material move quickly
between areas (i.e. from the
Receiving dock to Incoming
Inspection to Stores to Kitting
to Shipping)? Does material
move efficiently within each
individual area? In other words,
is there adequate aisle space for
people and handling equipment;
are there a lot of dead ends;
have obstacles been removed?
© Life Cycle Engineering

5. Logical Layout
© Life Cycle Engineering

To be fair, few storerooms are ever
intentionally designed with puzzling
identification schemes. It happens
over time, generally as a result of
limited space, wholesale relocation of
material, or lack of resources to make
mass changes in the system when
storage media are rearranged.
© Life Cycle Engineering

6. Visual Management
© Life Cycle Engineering

Providing large visible signage to guide people
around can be a helpful tool. It may be as simple as
row identifiers (“A,” “B,” “C,” etc.). It may be arrows
pointing to specific sections of the storeroom
(e.g. “Free Issue,” “Consignment,” or “VMI”).
© Life Cycle Engineering

7. Space Utilization
© Life Cycle Engineering

One of the most common laments heard from
warehouse managers and storeroom personnel
is, “We’re out of room!” Frequently, “lack of space”
is a perception rather than reality, and has nothing
to do with space at all. What it really involves is
inventory control, or lack thereof.
© Life Cycle Engineering

8. Handling Equipment
© Life Cycle Engineering

Last but not least, make sure all of your
material handling equipment and supplies
are maintained properly. This stuff isn’t
cheap, and neither is keeping it all in good
working condition, but the alternative can
be much more time-consuming and costly.
© Life Cycle Engineering

If you don’t proactively manage
your storeroom, your storeroom
will eventually manage you!
© Life Cycle Engineering

Need to Know More
About Managing an
Effective Storeroom?
Download our FAQ Series:
Materials Management Resource.
In this compilation of frequently asked
questions, our Materials Management
experts address some of the most
common challenges that our clients
experience in meeting these
seemingly conflicting objectives.
Click Here to Download Now
For more resources and to learn more about Life Cycle Engineering visit: www.LCE.com

About Life Cycle Engineering
Life Cycle Engineering (LCE) provides consulting, engineering, applied technology and
education solutions that deliver lasting results for private industry, the Department of Defense
and other government organizations. The quality, expertise and dedication of our employees
enable Life Cycle Engineering to serve as a trusted resource that helps people and
organizations to achieve their full potential. Founded in 1976, LCE is headquartered in
Charleston, South Carolina with offices across North America and experience around the globe.
The Life Cycle Institute’s Materials Management course will help you
manage your storeroom in a way that successfully balances the needs of
operations and maintenance while optimizing your inventory and carrying
costs. Learn more.
Life Cycle Engineering's experts have written serveral articles on
Materials Management. Learn more.
Life Cycle Engineering offers MRO Best Practices Assessment and
Coaching. Learn more.
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