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Actividad de aprendizaje 9

Evidencia 2: Workshop: Understanding the distribution center layout

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.

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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
2. BULK DEPARTMENT
3. QUALITY ASSURANCE
DEPARTMENT
4. TRANSPORTATION
AREA
5. EXPORT DEAPARTMENT 8
6. STAGING LOCATION
7. STOCKING
DEPARTMENT
8. PALLET RACKING
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2 A. This area controls and ships large. This
department usually includes forklift truck
drivers to load containers and wagons, and
man-up or combi forklift trucks to unload full
pallets from warehouse racking.
5 B. This department controls orders which are
leaving the country of the distribution
center. This department is almost identical
in function to a bulk department; however,
workers in this department build pallets
conforming to different standards and sizes.
7 C. This area is in charge of replenishing and
storing goods in the store's backroom or
warehouse.
6 D. An area reserved for inventory that is ready
for final assembly or transport.
E. There are many types of this racking.
However, all types allow for the storage of
palletized materials in horizontal rows with
multiple levels.
1 F. This is an area of the warehouse where
goods vehicles (usually road or rail) are
loaded and unloaded. This area usually
includes pallet wrapping workers, conveyor
belt unloaders, forklift drivers, and
administrative staff
4 G. Arranges and coordinates shipments in and
out of the distribution center.
3 H. This department performs periodic checks
of random samples of stock to check
quality, including from the warehouse
racking, goods in, and returned stock.
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2. Describing a Distribution Center

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

Fuente: SENA

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

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machinery to move through the warehouse.

4. The machinery or equipment station must be far the shipping
and receiving area in order to load and unload freight trucks.
5. The offices must be located in front of 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:

Fuente: SENA

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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 The loading area is located next to the
freezer.
- Value added services area The Value added services area is in front
of the line loading
- Inventory control area The Inventory control area is next to line
loading
- Quality auditing area Quality auditing area is within Inventory
control area
- Order packing area The Order packing area is Opposite the
Put-to-store
- Refrigerated specialty The Refrigerated specialty products area is
products area Among the Value added services area and
high value products area
- Put-to-store area The Put-to-store area is next to reverse
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.

The layout in your warehouse

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

CONS:

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-Flexible Distribution Centers tends to

be more disorganized. It is hard to keep
control of the changes.
Save space: cram as many Your opinion: Before putting more
pallet racks into your pallets and racks is to optimize space
warehouse as possible looking for better cost more money.
PROS: Efficiency in spaces greater
money gain.
CONS: It implies a constant control
over the type of product, behavior of
rotation.

Having an aisle map will help Your opinion: The signage is important
you validate that the correct for security, location, guidance for the
item is in the assigned location. actors involved.
PROS: The aisle maps not only
facilitates the location of the article, but
also to propose ideas for a new
organization.
CONS: It demands an efficient design,
implementation that needs resources
time to invest in standardization.
Provide for the level of Your opinion: It is necessary to identify
automation that can be cost- critical points in the logistic process,
justified based on your see which ones can be automated and
particular operation and cost which should be manual by ensuring
structure. their quality in the process.
PROS: Gain time for other processes
that are more critical and make the
operation efficient.
CONS: Investigation of the process and
high investment.

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4. Sharing your opinion

The design of a logistics center implies knowing the current regulations in the
economic areas, security regulations, environmental management, and customs
labor.
The location inside the center, optimizing spaces, avoiding long displacements
from storage to unloading and reception area, avoiding the transit of personnel of
support processes, reinforcing security with security demarcations, optimizing
spaces and having a design of process that allows to identify the critical activities
to evaluate which can be automated.
The optimization of storage spaces based on volume, rotation and value of the
product will allow minimizing risks, greater renability and better control of them.

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