BWU2: Taking care of business
Photo: Fence around the Inventory Cage where the fit out inventory items are stored.
In March 2021, NPSG Australia embarked on an ambitious project which culminated in the January 2022 launch of BWU2, the largest warehouse in the Southern Hemisphere. Spanning a colossal 200 thousand square meters and spanning four levels, BWU2 has redefined the logistics and storage landscape. However, as vast as its footprint is, the challenges of managing the fitout inventory required within such a massive structure have been almost as big.
"Managing the fitout inventory at BWU2 was a monumental task," says NPSG’s Travis Jemmeson. "The sheer volume of items, ranging from large shelving units to tiny data cables, required meticulous tracking and space management."
Inventory in this context refers to components of the project fitout. “One of our major responsibilities,” says Travis, “is to receive all of the post construction project materials.
“We manage them, store them and then deploy them. Examples include workstations, warehouse flooring, bin boxes, floor markings, guard rails, signage, and IT components among other items.
He says BWU2's vast size demanded a significant amount of product and componentry to fit out the space. "The inventory needed to fit out this warehouse was immense," Travis explains. "Keeping track of all the items and their locations was a considerable challenge."
He says the warehouse housed products of all sizes, from large-scale shelving and racking to IT equipment and even small items like USBs and data cables. “Each item had to be assigned a specific location, including pallet numbers and, for smaller items, even box numbers, to ensure they could be easily found.”
One of the most significant challenges was space management. Despite BWU2's huge area, space became a premium commodity as various vendors, including construction teams, material handling experts, and robotics teams, required storage space for their equipment and materials. "Ensuring we had enough space to store items was a specific challenge we faced," says Travis. "Space quickly became an issue, and we had to work closely with all vendors on-site to secure more space."
The impact of the pandemic further complicated the project. The site faced shutdowns and strict limitations on the number of staff for each vendor, which delayed the project's completion and restricted space availability. "COVID-19 had a significant impact on our ability to secure space," says Travis. "We had to consolidate all deliveries into the smallest space possible and deploy large items in the spaces we were allowed."
"We had to work with all vendors on-site to secure more space to house our inventory." The NPSG inventory team had to consolidate deliveries and deploy large items in available spaces to manage the shortage effectively.
Despite the scale and complexity of the project, the fitout inventory management system at BWU2 was surprisingly straightforward. "We used an Excel spreadsheet to track all purchase orders and ensure all items ordered had been delivered," Travis explains. "Each item's location on-site was added to the spreadsheet to ensure accurate tracking." While it might seem rudimentary, this simple system was indispensable in managing the vast amount of inventory at BWU2. "It was a simple system, but without it, managing the inventory would have been near impossible," he adds.
Maintaining accuracy and efficiency in tracking such a vast amount of inventory required diligence and hard work. "With deliveries coming in daily, sometimes as much as four full containers of inventory a day, you cannot allow yourself to fall behind," says Travis. "Working hard with your team to ensure everything from that day is checked off via the invoice and stored with a specific location is essential."
The process of moving materials upon arrival was a well-coordinated effort involving forklifts and pallet jacks. "Forklifts are used to unload the material and bring it to the inventory cage," he explains. From there, the material was moved using pallet jacks to its designated location within the warehouse.
"Managing inventory at BWU2 was a monumental task, but it was also an incredibly rewarding experience," Travis adds. "It demonstrated the power of teamwork, the importance of meticulous planning, and the ability to adapt and overcome challenges."
Travis recently completed the BSB50820 Diploma of Project Management and has been promoted to Assistant Project Manager. He continues to support other NPSG Australia staff members who have moved into Inventory management roles, putting the experience gained as part of the wider BWU2 team to good use.
Photo: Fence around the Inventory Cage where the fit out inventory items are stored.