How to optimize your warehouse and boost productivity – without renovating
Most companies believe that more warehouse productivity requires more space, more hands, or a new building. That is rarely true. Warehouse optimization is about getting more out of what you already have – and the companies that do it best work on three levers at once: space, ROI, and ergonomics.
In this article, we look at how the three levers connect, and what three different companies – Sinful, SkatePro, and Kvik A/S – have actually achieved by treating warehouse optimization as one strategy that combines space, ROI, and ergonomics.
What does warehouse optimization actually mean?
Warehouse optimization is often confused with saving space. But real warehouse optimization is broader than that: it's the overall improvement of how your warehouse uses space, capital, and people. A warehouse can take up less room without becoming more productive. And it can become faster without becoming a better place to work.
The most effective warehouse optimization hits all three areas at once:
Space – how much floor area do you use per item handled?
ROI – how quickly does the investment pay for itself, and what does it cost to run afterward?
Ergonomics – how do your workflows affect your employees' physical strain, error rate, and wellbeing?
→ Read: Five simple steps to effective warehouse optimization
Space optimization: How to free up floor space without renovating
Traditional shelving systems use only part of a warehouse's total volume. Goods are stacked at eye level, while meter after meter of ceiling height sits unused – and that's expensive, unused space, because you pay rent for it regardless.
With a vertical warehouse automat like EFFIMAT 4, you can reduce floor space needs by up to 75 percent compared to manual shelving, because storage is consolidated and makes full use of the ceiling height. E/Classic goes a step further on space savings, using height efficiency of up to 85 percent – particularly suited when goods are large or heavy.
Case: Sinful goes from 2,500 m² to under 100 m²
Sinful, Scandinavia's largest online retailer of erotic toys, handles around 6,000 SKUs and up to 7,500 order lines daily with 45 warehouse employees. With a solution of 6 x EFFIMAT 4 and 4 x E/Classic, Sinful managed to downsize its picking warehouse from 2,500 m² to under 100 m² – a 25-times improvement in space utilization. At the same time, picking speed increased 5-fold, and the working environment improved compared to the previous manual handling.
"The investment in the storage and picking solution from EFFIMAT takes us from Sinful 1.0 to Sinful 3.0."
— Ibrahim Kara, Director of Logistics & Warehouse, Sinful
The freed-up area is now used to scale other functions in the business – without Sinful having to move to larger premises.
→ Read: Optimize your picking process for maximum efficiency
ROI from warehouse optimization: What can you expect to save?
The direct cost of limited space is easy to put a number on – square meters that don't work for you. The indirect cost is harder to see in the accounts: slower order processing, higher error rates, and employee hours spent searching for goods and walking long routes.
EFFIMAT 4 delivers up to 320 trays per hour with up to 5 trays per presentation, which directly reduces the time each order requires. The improved capacity and reduced error rate are what drive the ROI calculation for most of EFFIMAT's customers.
Case: SkatePro expects a 2.5-year payback period
SkatePro, one of Europe's leading online retailers in action sports with more than 100 employees, faced major space challenges and chose a solution with 4 x EFFIMAT 4 and 5 x E/Classic. The solution makes optimal use of a 6-meter ceiling height and has delivered 300 percent more storage space in the same area. Picking speed has tripled, and today 27 percent of all orders run through the EFFIMAT solution, with a target of 40 percent. The expected payback period is 2.5 years.
"The collaboration with EFFIMAT was good. I thought: This is something we do together."
— Carsten Schmidt, CEO, SkatePro
→ Calculate your own estimate · Read: ROI in warehouse automation
Ergonomics – the overlooked gain from warehouse optimization
Most conversations about warehouse optimization focus on space and money. But ergonomics matter just as much – and are often the factor that determines whether employees stay with the solution long-term, and whether error rates stay low.
With a fixed picking station, the classic strain points of a traditional warehouse are eliminated: bending and heavy lifting from floor level, reaching above shoulder height, and repeated walking routes with heavy picking carts. Goods are instead presented at a height designed for correct working posture.
Case: Kvik A/S frees up 220 picking locations and triples picking speed
Kvik A/S, one of Europe's leading manufacturers of kitchen, bathroom, and wardrobe solutions with around 180 stores across 12 countries, was experiencing growing strain on its warehouse staff. Before implementation, goods were stored in a pallet warehouse with 230 floor-level locations, meaning pickers often had to work at awkward heights.
With a solution of 2 x EFFIMAT 4 and 2 x E/Classic, all picking is now consolidated at an ergonomic station. The result: picking speed has tripled, error margins have decreased, and 220 picking locations have been freed up from the regular pallet warehouse.
"With EFFIMAT, we've freed up 220 picking locations in our regular pallet warehouse."
— Mathias Andersen, Supply Chain Specialist, Kvik A/S
How to get started with your own warehouse optimization
Approaching warehouse optimization as a combined strategy doesn't require a rebuild. It requires a clear starting point in what matters most for your business – space, ROI, or ergonomics, or all three.
Most of EFFIMAT's customers start down one of two paths:
A no-obligation walkthrough, where we map your current warehouse flow and product profile, and point to where the biggest gains lie.
A concrete price estimate, where you rank your goals yourself – in three minutes – and get a realistic starting point for the investment.
Whichever path you choose, it doesn't start with picking a product. It starts with a conversation about your space, flow, and daily operations.
→ Read: The warehouse of the future – faster, smarter and more flexible
Does warehouse optimization fit your existing flow?
A common concern is that warehouse optimization requires overhauling the entire warehouse flow at once. That's rarely the case. Both EFFIMAT 4 and E/Classic can run stand-alone from day one and be integrated into your existing WMS when you're ready.
EFFIMAT 4 can also be delivered with automatic infeed and outfeed to conveyor belts or AMR robots, so trays move on through the warehouse flow without manual steps. That means you can start by optimizing one area of the warehouse – for example, the SKUs that take up the most space or require the most walking – and expand the solution as needs grow.
That approach is shared by all three cases in this article: Sinful, SkatePro, and Kvik A/S all started with one specific, defined challenge, not a full warehouse overhaul.
Frequently asked questions about warehouse optimization
Does warehouse optimization require us to renovate or expand the warehouse?
No. Both EFFIMAT 4 and E/Classic make use of the ceiling height you already have and don't require new square meters or building permits. Sinful went from 2,500 m² to under 100 m² within the same four walls.
How long does it take before the investment pays for itself?
It depends on your volume and product types. SkatePro expects a payback period of 2.5 years. The most precise way to your own estimate is the price calculator or a no-obligation walkthrough with EFFIMAT.
Can a small or medium-sized business also optimize its warehouse this way?
Yes. The solutions are modular, and you can start with one unit and expand later. Kvik A/S started with a defined solution of two EFFIMAT 4 and two E/Classic, tailored to their specific pallet warehouse.
Does space optimization come at the expense of employee ergonomics?
Quite the opposite. At Kvik A/S and SkatePro, space optimization went hand in hand with a more ergonomic working posture, because goods are now presented to employees at a fixed, correct working height instead of floor level or tall shelving.
Ready to optimize your warehouse?
Sinful went from 2,500 m² to under 100 m². SkatePro tripled its storage area and expects a 2.5-year payback period. Kvik A/S freed up 220 picking locations and tripled its picking speed. That's not three coincidences – it's what happens when warehouse optimization is approached as space, ROI, and ergonomics at the same time.
👉 Book a no-obligation walkthrough – and find out what's possible in your warehouse.
📊 Try the price calculator – get a concrete estimate in three minutes.
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