Getting to grips with the expansion of your manufacturing business can be expensive in more ways than just one. You will, for instance, have to take into consideration the additional costs that will be incurred by paying more rent either for an additional unit or for a much larger one than you are currently inhabiting.
Alongside this are the costs of any scheduled downtime due to moving your machinery and tools, as well as the cost of relocating it, and the continuation of paying wages during a time when your workers will not be making any money for your business.
However, there is a way in which you can save yourself this financial headache, expand your manufacturing business and proceed to make money all the way through.
Free-up onsite space
You have, for instance, the choice of freeing up space in the manufacturing unit you are currently in by changing a few important factors. Embracing modern methods of working, such as moving all of your office staff to work remotely, will certainly free up a lot of space within your business. Of course, there will be some office staff, such as engineers, that tend to go between the shop floor and the office that will need to stay close to hand – even if it is on a rota system.
This free space can be used to either expand your manufacturing area or warehouse area or to reorganize other parts of the business. Moving your manufacturing lines around so that there is less wasted space or so that they run more efficiently (for instance, moving them closer together if they are feeding one another work) would be a good idea. This thought can also be applied to your warehouse, which can be organized into goods in, bulk storage, easy pick racks, manufactured stock, goods out, and packing areas.
Increase procedures for sustainability
Of course, any changes you make will need to be adhered to, so it is important to ensure they are sustainable within your business. Any additional work that is required for this should then be converted into procedures and policies that all of your employees have to comply with. Such as tidying up certain areas or dealing with recycling unwanted boxes, for example, as and when they are emptied.
By using a baler with the correct gauge baling wire from suppliers like balingwiredirect.com, you will be able to store this in an orderly manner; it will be easy to stack and therefore become space-saving before they are taken to your local recycling center. With these in place, any changes that you have made will soon become second nature to your employees.
Final thoughts
If the reason for your expansion is space rather than product range, then there are things that you can do to either remove the need for it or at least put off the expensive move. Using your skills as an organizer of your business, you may find that there are small pockets of wasted or poorly utilized space. This space can be reused and taken advantage of, such as storage areas for recycling or the way in which your shop floor was first laid out.
