Warehouse Rethink - Turning an overhead into a strategic asset and opportunity
This month, Brett Thirup, Managing Director of SSI SCHAEFER ANZ, spoke to FTD magazine about how to turn your warehouse overhead into a strategic asset.
Warehousing has often been viewed as a necessary operational expense. Brett Thirup, Managing Director of SSI SCHAEFER ANZ, suggests that in today’s environment of labour constraints, rising service expectations, and constant change, this perception needs to be reconsidered.
“We’re seeing warehouses redefined more and more now, not as overheads but as opportunities,” Thirup says. “The key is smarter design, inspired processes, scalable automation, and staged deployment.” Thirup says that a warehouse designed as a strategic asset does more than deliver efficiency. It can generate value today while remaining competitive tomorrow. Such a facility is agile and scalable, able to flex with demand, handle peaks, and support growth without being rebuilt. That adaptability applies whether the change lies in customer expectations, product profiles, or workforce availability.
CHOOSE SOLUTIONS FOR TODAY, TOMORROW
When it comes to warehouse design and automation, Thirup explains there is no one-size-fits-all answer. “Applying a cookie-cutter approach rarely delivers positive results,” he says, and every operation is unique, shaped by space, product profile, order volumes, service expectations, and workforce dynamics. Tailored solutions, built on a clear understanding of the business, are more likely to deliver long-term value. These can range from compact equipment and semi-automated picking to fully integrated high-bay systems. The key is to ensure the design addresses immediate requirements while creating a pathway to evolve as needs change.
IMPLEMENT IN STAGES, DATA GUIDED
Thirup says staged implementation as a way to balance innovation with risk management: “Starting small and scaling with confidence allows concept and design validation, assumption testing, and adaption based on real data – all before making significant capital commitments.” This staged approach enables businesses to refine operations and build maturity gradually. High-performing warehouses, in Thirup's view, rely on continuous improvement underpinned by visibility and fact-based decision making. Systems such as WMS, WCS, and advanced analytics provide transparency and control, helping to optimise processes, identify bottlenecks, and respond more quickly to change. With real-time data, decisions are guided by evidence rather than assumption.
SHIFTING PERSPECTIVE
For Thirup, the central opportunity lies in shifting how warehouses are perceived within businesses. “Remembering three things will help you unlock the real operational value of your warehouse: treat it as a strategic asset, choose solutions that match your needs now and for tomorrow, and implement in stages, guided by data,” he says.
A highly automated and technology-integrated warehouse is key, Brett Thirup says, to delivering more than just efficiency, but also a highly designed strategic asset.