Storage/Staging: Mezzanine elevates storage density and productivity

Briggs & Stratton Corp., headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisc., is the world’s largest producer of gasoline engines for outdoor power equipment. To make room for additional service parts, the company recently built an addition to the primary distribution center. By using a mezzanine for vertical storage, the company was able to reduce the size of the addition while still accommodating more than 30,000 additional stock keeping units (SKUs).

The company initially considered adding as much as 225,000 square feet to its 450,000-square-foot facility. The mezzanine solution supported increased storage capacity and expedited order fulfillment with an additional 150,000 square feet.

A two-level mezzanine offers three levels of storage and was custom-designed to fit the 34-foot tall space. Mezzanine installation and construction of the addition occurred simultaneously, enabling the mezzanine’s footplates and columns to be installed below the concrete floor for added structural support. Concealing the footplates and columns also reduced above-ground obstructions for improved operations within the facility. As an added feature, a catwalk and ramp were installed to connect the new mezzanine to existing mezzanine racking and storage in the adjacent building.

Three months ahead of schedule and under budget, the addition was constructed and outfitted with the mezzanine. By providing the greatest amount of storage in the smallest footprint possible, the mezzanine reduced the square feet required for the addition, minimizing construction costs and utilities expenditures. Strategic positioning of the mezzanine also had a significant effect, as it accommodated level-to-level conveyors from the new addition to the existing building. This enabled operations to flow uninterrupted, contributing to faster order fulfillment, seamless cycle counts and greater employee productivity.

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