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How to calculate the real capacity of your warehouse | Noega Systems | Storage systems
At Noega Systems, we see the same problem time and again: companies that calculate their warehouse capacity “by eye,” fill it sooner than expected, and in less than two years, find themselves at the limit again. The good news is that calculating the real capacity of a warehouse is not magic. It requires method, data, and above all, thinking not just about today, but about how your business is going to evolve.
Theoretical capacity vs. real capacity of your warehouse
The first step is to clarify two concepts that are often confused:
- Theoretical capacity: The maximum number of locations drawn on a blueprint (pallet positions, picking slots, linear meters). It is the “best-case scenario.”
- Real or useful capacity: What you can actually use while respecting aisles, maneuvering areas, safety, rotation, and preparation times.
When someone tells you “you can fit 3,000 pallets” but hasn’t looked at rotation, demand peaks, or safety stock, they are only talking about theoretical capacity, not day-to-day reality.
What you need to know before you start calculating
Before taking out the calculator, at Noega Systems we always ask for a series of basic data points. They are not a whim: without this, the calculation becomes guesswork.
| Key Element | Question you must answer | Impact on capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Facility | What is your actual surface area and clear height? | Physical limits and rack height |
| Load unit | Pallets, boxes, irregular items…? | Rack type and slot dimensions |
| Weight and measures | Maximum weight and dimensions of each unit? | Permitted load per level and per module |
| Number of SKUs | Few references with many pallets or vice-versa? | System type (selective, compact, mixed) |
| Rotation | Which products move more and which move less? | Need for direct access or not |
| Stock | What is your average, maximum, and safety stock? | Sizing for the “critical” day |
The better these points are defined, the more reliable the capacity calculation will be.
From the blueprint to pallet positions
Imagine a pallet warehouse with conventional racking. The process, simplified, usually looks like this:
- Defining aisles and non-productive zones
Not every square meter can be filled with racking: you need aisles for forklifts, reception and dispatch zones, order preparation areas, and space for returns and maneuvering. At Noega Systems, we always insist on the same thing: first, flows and aisles are designed, and then they are “filled” with racks, not the other way around. - Calculating positions per rack module
For each rack alignment, we define:- Number of load levels in height.
- Number of pallets per level.
- Number of modules in length.
From the ideal number to the real number: necessary adjustments
This is where we move from pretty blueprints to operational reality.
Reasonable occupancy, not 100%
In the real world, you will never have 100% of locations full. There are rotation gaps, reserved slots, and movements in progress. That’s why we work with an occupancy factor:
- Very dynamic warehouses with high rotation: around 80–85%.
- More static warehouses: 90–92% as a reasonable ceiling.
Filling to 100% only achieves one effect: the warehouse becomes rigid, slow, and very inflexible in the face of any work peak.
Locations that are not fully utilized
There are also less visible losses:
- Pallets lower than expected that “give away” wasted centimeters between levels.
- Lightweight products that do not allow filling the slot due to internal regulations.
- Zones where maximum weight is limited at certain levels.
This is why it is key that load height definitions are made by reviewing your actual product catalog and not just applying standard measurements.
The great forgotten: picking and special zones
Many capacity calculations fail because they only look at “I can fit X pallets” without considering that a warehouse is not a storage room; it is an order preparation machine.
In almost all projects we develop at Noega Systems, we incorporate:
- Specific zones for case picking.
- Space for consolidation, packaging, and labeling.
- Areas for returns and incidents, which always end up appearing.
All of this reduces the space available for pallet racks, but increases the real capacity of your warehouse to do what it has to do: move goods with order and speed.
Sizing for today… and for 2 years from now
The title of this article is about exactly this: how to avoid falling short when your business grows? At Noega Systems, we almost always work with scenarios:
- Current scenario: Real situation today, with your stock and rotation data.
- 12-month scenario: Forecast of reasonable growth in volume and references.
- 24-month scenario: Demanding scenario, including new clients, product lines, or market changes.
The design is contrasted against these three scenarios. As a practical reference, we usually recommend an additional capacity margin of between 20 and 30% over current needs. That margin is the “cushion” that will prevent you from having to redo the warehouse in two years.
Typical errors we see in saturated warehouses
After many projects, there are repeating patterns:
- Calculating only in square meters, without utilizing the clear height or properly defining aisles.
- Designing based on today’s snapshot, without considering the number of references or their future rotation.
- Not differentiating between average stock, maximum stock, and safety stock.
- “Squeezing” the design so everything fits, leaving zero margin for operations.
- Under-sizing picking zones: they end up invading aisles and pallet slots.
The consequence is always the same: chaos, loss of time in every movement, and the feeling that the facility has “become too small” much sooner than expected.
Calculating your warehouse capacity correctly is not just a matter of numbers: it is a strategic decision that affects your service, your costs, and the peace of mind with which you can grow. If you are considering redesigning your warehouse or setting up a new one and want to truly know how much capacity you need, at Noega Systems, storage systems, we can help you put clear figures and plans on the table before you fall short in two years.
