Innovative storage solutions aren't just for large warehouses and distribution centers. They can also benefit much smaller warehouse operations such as the one at Lakehead Motors in Thunder Bay, Ontario. It recently installed shelving, drawers, cabinets and other manual storage equipment. It now stores the same parts in 60% less floor space at the car dealership. Worker productivity is higher too.

"I knew there was space being wasted at our facility," says Lakehead Motors President Michael Comuzzi. "But I had no idea to what extent."

The storage renovation took place in the dealership's parts department, which services the mechanical shop and parts store. The overhaul required replacing old, wood shelving with a more efficient system of metal cabinets, counter-top areas, drawers, mini-racks and shelf-supported mezzanine.

Mini-racking combines bulky or heavy item storage with conventional storage. It also combines beams, shelves and modular drawers within the same unit. Drawers can be added or moved around. Shelving adjusts by the inch. These features make the system flexible and easy to meet the company's changing business needs.

More importantly, the new storage system allows employees to find needed parts faster and more accurately. Mechanical service technicians turnaround orders quicker, improving service to customers.

In addition, production suffered no downtime from installation of the new equipment. Fully loaded shelving was simply jacked up and wheeled to other parts of the dealership while the new storage products were being installed.

"The gain in parts storage has eliminated the need for facility expansion and created a better work environment," Comuzzi says.