How to Improve Warehouse Efficiency with a Goods Lift
Looking for ways to improve performance across your warehouse or factory? Whether you’re managing fast-moving stock, dealing with multiple floors, or working within a tight footprint, efficiency is key to keeping operations running smoothly.
The good news is that even small changes can go a long way. From layout adjustments to reducing manual handling, there are plenty of practical ways to boost productivity and cut downtime.
In this guide, we’ll cover the most effective strategies for streamlining operations and take a closer look at one specific solution: the warehouse goods lift. If you’re focused on how to improve warehouse efficiency, a well-chosen service lift could be exactly what you need.
Move more, lift safely, and streamline your operations.
Penny Engineering designs and installs warehouse and factory goods lifts that reduce manual handling, maximise vertical space, and keep your team moving efficiently.
How to Improve Warehouse Operations
Every facility is different, but there are a few consistent areas that can have a big impact on how efficiently your team works:
Review Your Layout
A well-thought-out layout is the foundation of efficient warehouse design. Take the time to check whether your current setup helps or hinders your workflow. Changes to racking, item locations, or work zones can lead to smoother movement and fewer delays.
Use Your Space Wisely
Got height to spare? Adding storage vertically – such as with mezzanines or high-level shelving – can increase capacity without needing more floor space. You just need to make sure it’s easily accessible, which is where equipment like goods lifts can play a valuable role.
Reduce Manual Handling
Manual handling is one of the biggest causes of fatigue, injury, and downtime. Where possible, swap heavy lifting for mechanical help – for example, using a factory goods lift to move stock between levels. This supports both factory efficiency and staff wellbeing.
Streamline Internal Movement
If you’re regularly moving stock or equipment between zones or floors, make that process faster. Avoid long detours, traffic build-up, or reliance on forklifts for short internal runs. In many cases, a heavy lifting warehouse solution – like a goods lift – speeds up movement and reduces delays.
What Is a Goods Lift & Why Are They Important?
Goods lifts are essential for any multi-level facility that handles heavy goods. We’ve already covered offered the efficiency, safety, and operational savings they offer. Whether improving workflow in a warehouse or safely transporting materials on a construction site, goods lifts play a crucial role in modern logistics and infrastructure.
So what exactly is a warehouse goods lift, and how can it fit into your operations?
A warehouse goods lift, also known as a factory goods lift or service lift, is a platform lift designed to carry goods between floors safely and efficiently. It’s engineered for goods (not passengers) and built to handle the pace and demands of busy industrial settings.
- Suitable for warehouses, production facilities, logistics centres, and more
- Reduces manual handling risks and speeds up internal processes
- Can be installed in new builds or retrofitted into existing premises
Benefits of a Goods Lift for Factory or Warehouse Use
1. Maximise Vertical Space
If your warehouse has height, you should be using it. A goods lift makes mezzanine storage practical and accessible, allowing you to increase capacity without extending your footprint. It’s a smart step towards more efficient warehouse design, especially where space is tight or expansion isn’t an option.
2. Reduce Manual Handling Risks
Manually lifting or carrying heavy items, particularly on stairs, slows productivity and increases the chance of injury. A warehouse or factory goods lift helps reduce this risk by mechanising vertical movement, improving staff working conditions and helping you stay compliant with health and safety regulations.
3. Improve Productivity
Goods lifts reduce delays, speed up movement between floors, and keep stock flowing smoothly through your building. That can help you fulfil orders faster, restock more efficiently, and respond more effectively to demand – all key if you’re working to improve warehouse operations or boost factory efficiency.
4. Support Accurate & Faster Picking
A clear, uninterrupted route between storage zones (including mezzanines) supports more accurate and timely order picking. If you’re focused on how to improve warehouse picking speed and accuracy, a goods lift can help by streamlining movement and reducing handling errors.
5. Easy to Operate
At Penny Engineering, our warehouse and factory goods lifts are designed to be straightforward for staff to operate, even in busy environments. With clear controls, robust construction, and integrated safety features as standard, they’re a reliable part of your daily workflow.
6. Designed to Support Compliance
Health and safety compliance isn’t optional. Penny Engineering goods lifts are specified and installed in line with UK safety regulations, including LOLER and The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations. That means fewer risks and a clearer path to compliance.
Types of Goods Lifts for Warehouses & Factories
Different sites have different needs, so the right service lift will depend on your layout, access points, and daily operations. Below are three of the most common lift types used in industrial settings – all of which can be custom-built by Penny Engineering to suit your requirements.
Mezzanine Goods Lifts
Ideal for: Multi-level storage, mezzanine floors, internal warehouse movement.
Mezzanine goods lifts are widely chosen for industrial settings, built to move goods safely between ground and mezzanine levels. Whether you’re storing parts, materials, or packaged goods, a mezzanine lift increases usable space and streamlines flow across your facility.
Lightwell Lifts
Ideal for: Tight footprints, compact warehouses, outdoor installations.
Lightwell lifts are designed to sit neatly within an enclosed vertical shaft or lightwell, making them a smart choice for retrofitting into existing structures or on the outside of the building. They’re discreet, easy to operate, and engineered for straightforward goods-only use.
Loading Bay Lifts
Ideal for: Ground-level delivery areas, loading docks, external movement.
Loading bay lifts provide easy access between your loading dock and ground floor, helping to move pallets, bins and deliveries without the need for forklifts or ramps. They’re rugged, weather-resistant, and built to withstand heavy-duty industrial use.
What to Consider When Choosing a Goods Lift
Once you know which type of goods lift might suit your space, it’s important to think through the practical details. Here are a few key things to factor in when planning your installation:
- The maximum size and weight of goods being moved
- The location of the lift and how it integrates with your existing layout
- The number of floor levels and the distance the lift needs to travel
- The type of equipment used to load and unload, such as pallet trucks or trolleys
- The ease of use for your team and any training requirements
- The available power supply and any building alteration needs
- Compliance with LOLER and other safety regulations
Why Penny Engineering for Factory & Warehouse Goods Lifts?
Penny Engineering designs, supplies, and installs goods lifts for factory and warehouse settings across the UK. Our solutions are built to last, tailored to your site, and delivered with minimal disruption to your operations. We can also move your Goods Lift between sites if you change premises. There is no need for a lift pit so this is an easy process.
Wondering how to improve warehouse operations with a bespoke goods lift? Explore our factory and warehouse Goods Lift Range. Alternatively, try our configurator or get in touch for a tailored product recommendation.
FAQs About Warehouse Goods Lifts
Goods lifts are commonly used in warehousing, distribution, manufacturing, food and beverage, pharmaceutical storage, and packaging – anywhere goods need to be transported between levels quickly and safely.
This varies depending on your requirements. Penny Engineering offers models ranging from light-duty to high-capacity heavy lifting warehouse solutions (up to 1000kg).
That depends on your building and how you operate. We can help plan the best location to support efficient warehouse design and smooth movement between zones.