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Evidencia 2: Workshop: Understanding the distribution center layout

Mauricio Santos Maldonado

SENA Gestión Logística Ficha 2175931

Paola Gimena Plazas Vega

06 de marzo de 2022
 Workshop: Understanding the distribution center layout

Your warehouse or distribution center layout greatly affects the performance of your

business. In fact, without a properly configured warehouse layout, you could face capacity issues

and even a decrease in productivity.

Complete the following activities in order to understand the importance of the layout when

designing a Distribution Center or warehouse.

1. Getting familiar with Distribution Centers

a. Read the following description of a Distribution Center and complete it with the words
from the box.
STORAGE RECEIVING AREAS CENTERS

All distribution centers have three main AREAS__ and may have additional specialized

areas. The three main areas are the _RECEIVING__ dock, also called loading dock, the

_STORAGE_ area or cargo deck, and the shipping dock.

In small organizations it is possible for the receiving and shipping functions to occur side

by side, but in large CENTERS , separating these areas simplifies the process.

b. Read and match. Read the definition for each of the areas that a distribution center may
include and match the definition with the name of such area.
 1. LOADING DOCK A. This area controls and ships large. This
department usually includes forklift truck
2 drivers to load containers and wagons, and
man-up or combi forklift trucks to unload full
pallets from warehouse racking.
2. BULK DEPARTMENT B. This department controls orders which are
leaving the country of the distribution center.
This department is almost identical in
5 function to a bulk department; however,
workers in this department build pallets
conforming to different standards and sizes.
3. QUALITY ASSURANCE C. This area is in charge of replenishing and
DEPARTMENT storing goods in the store's backroom or
7 warehouse.

4. TRANSPORTATION D. An area reserved for inventory that is ready

AREA 6 for final assembly or transport.
5. EXPORT E. There are many types of this racking.
DEAPARTMENT However, all types allow for the storage of
8 palletized materials in horizontal rows with
multiple levels.
6. STAGING LOCATION F. This is an area of the warehouse where goods
vehicles (usually road or rail) are loaded and
unloaded. This area usually includes pallet
1 wrapping workers, conveyor belt unloaders,
forklift drivers, and
administrative staff
7. STOCKING G. Arranges and coordinates shipments in and
DEPARTMENT out of the distribution center.
4
8. PALLET RACKING H. This department performs periodic checks
of random samples of stock to check quality,
3 including from the warehouse
racking, goods in, and returned stock.

2. Describing a Distribution Center

Following, you’ll see the very basic design of any Distribution Center. Check the image

and answer the questions:

 A) According to the image, complete the following paragraph by selecting the best
preposition for each case.
While creating a layout for your warehouse or distribution center can be considered a big
task, it doesn't have to be complicated. The following tips can help you navigate the
process of laying out your warehouse and make the most out of your space.

1. Make sure you have enough pallets to store all your goods on them.
2. Organize your pallets evenly in specific racks in such way that it is easy for the
machinery –forklifts- to access them.
3. There should be enough space for your equipment or machinery to move
through the warehouse.
4. The machinery or equipment station must be CLOSE the shipping and receiving
area in order to load and unload freight trucks.
5. The offices must be located in front the warehouse racking for you to supervise
the activity within the warehouse.

Let’s check another example of a distribution center. Pay attention to the different areas

within this distribution center and answer the questions below:

B) Write sentences to describe the previous distribution center. Do not forget to use
prepositions to describe their location. Check the example:

Where is the…? Answer

- Loading area
- Value added services area
- Inventory control area
- Quality auditing area
- Order packing area
- Refrigerated specialty The refrigerated specialty products area is located
products area
- Put-to-store area
The loading area is located next to the freezer.
The Value-Added Services Area is behind
refrigerated specially products.
The inventor control area is located front the line
loading.
The quality auditing area is located between the
batch picking and order packing.
The order packing area is located by the quality
auditing.
beside the high value products.
The put to store area is located behind the
reserve logistics.

3. Critical thinking – Making decisions

A) Pros and Cons. Read the following statements about Distribution Center Design and decide
in your agree or disagree with the statement. Do some research on the topic and provide
pros and cons for each statement.

Check the example:

 Your opinion:
I disagree. I think Distribution Centers
must have a specific design that helps
the regular non-changing flow of goods.

PROS:
The layout in your warehouse must be -With flexible Distribution Centers you
flexible can ensure your facilities are ready for
anything that comes in the future.

Save space: cram as many pallet
racks into your warehouse as possible
CONS:
-Flexible Distribution Centers tends to
be more disorganized. It is hard to keep
control of the changes.
Your opinion: I disagree. when there
are space problems this is not such a
viable solution, it can help in a given
case; To be sure that the packaging of
the products does not support so much
weight when placing more pallets.

PROS: to save space, placing a

number of pallets can help us for a
certain time.
CONS: If we do not know the maximum
number of pallets, we can ruin the
packaging and even more so the
product.

Having an aisle map will help you Your opinion:

validate that the correct item is in the I agree. because an aisle map
assigned location. dynamizes the distribution operation, in
terms of speed and quality of the
process.
PROS: efficiency and effectiveness in
the packaging and setup system in the
distribution network.
CONS: It has no cons; it is worth
saying that an improvement would be
the implementation of a voice picking
system to modernize the company.
Provide for the level of automation that Your opinion:
can be cost-justified based on your I agree. automation in a supply chain is
particular operation and cost structure. to incorporate state-of-the-art
technology into the company.
PROS: the implementation of
automation to the company's
processes brings prosperity and
technology, better said profitability,
quality and competitiveness.