Best Warehouse Layouts for Faster Order Fulfillment

Why Layout Is the Hidden Key to Warehouse Efficiency

In Western Canada’s competitive supply chain environment, the speed and accuracy of your order fulfillment can make or break your bottom line. Your warehouse layout is about how goods move, how staff work, how technology integrates, and how safe and adaptable your operations are.

At Westbow Systems, we specialize in designing custom storage layouts that fit your products, workflow, and building. We look at what you store, how often you access it, and how it moves through your facility, then create a racking and shelving plan that supports speed, safety, and future growth.

Three Common Storage Layout Models

Every warehouse has its own flow, and your storage system needs to complement it. Westbow Systems helps clients choose the best storage arrangement for their layout type:

• U-Shaped Layout Storage

  With shipping and receiving close together, we design racking that keeps high-velocity SKUs near the center and bulk or reserve stock in the outer zones. This reduces travel and handling.

• I-Shaped Layout Storage

  When product moves in a straight line from one end to the other, we set up long, uninterrupted racking runs with logical slotting to match picking sequences, keeping aisles clear for high-volume throughput.

• L-Shaped Layout Storage

  In facilities where space constraints dictate an L shape, Westbow Systems optimizes racking placement to separate inbound and outbound inventory while maintaining clear, safe traffic lanes.

Our approach ensures your shelving, pallet racking, and specialty storage systems are placed to match your workflow and your floor plan.

Strategic Slotting and Inventory Placement

Even the best racking won’t improve efficiency unless the right items are in the right place. Westbow Systems designs storage systems around strategic slotting principles:

• High-Velocity Items in Prime Locations 

  Placing your fastest-moving products closest to packing and shipping zones to reduce travel time.

• Group-Based Storage 

  Storing items frequently ordered together near each other to cut unnecessary walking.

• Vertical Optimization 

  Using tall racking, mezzanines, or vertical lift modules to add capacity without expanding the building, while keeping your most-accessed SKUs in ergonomic “golden zones.”

Modern Storage Innovations

Advancements in storage technology mean you can fit more product into the same footprint without sacrificing accessibility. Westbow Systems helps clients integrate:

• High-Density Pallet Racking 

  Including push-back, drive-in, and pallet flow systems to reduce aisle space.

• Dynamic Shelving 

  Mobile aisle systems that open only where needed, maximizing usable square footage.

• Vertical Carousels and Lifts 

  Automated storage that brings items to the operator, cutting retrieval times.

We use layout modeling tools to test these options before installation, ensuring every rack and shelf location is working to its full potential.

Storage Systems That Support Picking Efficiency

While we don’t manage your picking process, we make sure your storage layout supports it. For example:

• Batch and Zone Picking Support 

  Configuring racking so pickers in different zones have minimal overlap and travel.

• Clear Flow Paths 

  Aligning racking aisles with natural product movement to avoid backtracking.

• Staging Areas 

  Incorporating short-term storage near shipping for faster loadout.

These details save seconds on every pick, which adds up to hours saved over a week.

Safety and Accessibility Built Into Storage Design

Well-planned storage is about protecting your team and your inventory. Systems ensures:

• Adequate aisle widths for forklifts and pedestrians.

• Proper rack anchoring, load rating, and spacing.

• Placement of heavy or high-pick items within safe reach to reduce strain injuries.

• Clear labeling and signage for faster product identification.

By designing safety into your storage from the start, we help you reduce downtime and costly accidents.

Storage That Adapts As You Grow

Your SKU mix and order volumes won’t stay the same forever. Westbow Systems designs storage layouts with adaptability in mind:

• Modular Racking 

  Easily adjustable to fit changing product dimensions.

• Expandable Systems 

  Ready to grow vertically or horizontally as demand increases.

• Data-Driven Adjustments 

  We can help analyze your storage use over time to suggest re-slotting or system upgrades.

This means you won’t need a complete overhaul every time your business evolves.

Let’s Build the Storage System That Works for You

The right storage layout can speed up fulfillment, free up valuable floor space, and make your warehouse safer and easier to navigate. But the “right” design depends entirely on your products, building, and workflow.

Westbow Systems has been helping Western Canadian warehouses make the most of their space for years. We’ll walk your facility, assess your needs, and deliver a custom storage solution that works now, and grows with you.

Contact Westbow Systems today to book your warehouse storage assessment and see how much more your space can do for you.