When a building product manufacturer moved its Minnesota warehouse from Eagan to Inver Grove Heights, the new building came in 46,500 square feet larger than the old one, and all 19 employees transferred with the operation. The company framed the relocation as a commitment to growth: faster product delivery, better Will Call access, more dock and office space, a larger training center, more efficient order picking, and enhanced warehouse safety. Its connectors, anchors, and fasteners end up in projects from tension-tie retrofits to safer deck building, so the move affects every contractor who counts on stock being on the shelf.
The move is a useful case study for any supplier planning a facility change. This article walks through the decisions behind such a relocation: how to judge when a building has run out of room, how to size the replacement, how to lay out picking and Will Call operations, and how to carry staff and service through the transition.
When a Building Product Warehouse Outgrows Its Building
The Eagan facility had served its purpose, but growth changed what the company needed from a building. Orders grew, product lines expanded, and the operation added services such as training that compete for the same floor space as inventory. The result is a familiar squeeze: aisles narrow, dock doors become a bottleneck at opening time, and picking crews cross paths in the same lanes.
Signals That the Current Facility Is the Constraint
- Dock congestion: trucks wait for doors during peak hours, and Will Call customers share bays with inbound carriers.
- Picking bottlenecks: fast-moving SKUs sit far from the shipping area, and replenishment trips eat labor hours.
- Training and office space carved out of storage: meeting rooms and counter areas shrink inventory capacity.
- Safety compromises: tight aisles force lift trucks and pedestrians into the same path.
Each signal adds cost in a different way. A facility that runs at capacity rarely fails all at once; it fails a little every day, through overtime, damaged goods, and delivery delays.
The Delivery-Speed Argument
Faster product delivery is the reason most suppliers give for moving, and it is measurable. A warehouse closer to the customer base cuts transit time per stop, and a larger building cuts restocking frequency. For a contractor, the difference between next-day and same-week delivery can decide whether a job stays on schedule. A framing crew that arrives without the right connectors waits at best, and at worst the whole sequence stalls, from the sheathing to the air barrier tie-ins.
Right-Sizing the Replacement Facility
The Minnesota project added 46,500 square feet over the previous building. That figure is not arbitrary; it tracks the gap between what the old facility could hold and what the operation needed for inventory, docks, offices, and training. Sizing starts with inventory: count SKUs, measure pallet positions, and multiply by projected growth.
Space Planning Checklist
- Count current pallet positions and aisle requirements, then project inventory growth over five years.
- Set dock door needs from daily truck volume and Will Call traffic.
- Add office, training, and break space as separate line items rather than leftovers.
- Reserve staging area near the docks for inbound put-away and outbound loading.
- Model the layout in plan view before signing the lease or breaking ground.
Shop Space and the Workbench
Warehouses are not just racking. Many building product distributors run small fabrication and assembly areas where staff cut, kit, or test products. Even a single well-built work surface changes how quickly those tasks get done, which is why shop layout reviews often start at the bench. A close look at one Simpson Strong-Tie workbench shows how a sturdy, organized assembly surface supports everything from fixture testing to kit packing.
| Function | Typical Allocation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pallet rack storage | 45-55% of floor area | Depends on rack height and aisle width |
| Aisles and circulation | 15-20% | Wide enough for lift truck turns |
| Docks and staging | 10-15% | Separate inbound and outbound when volume allows |
| Office, training, break areas | 8-12% | Grows with headcount and training programs |
| Will Call counter and pickup | 5-8% | Park next to an exterior door |
Percentages shift with product mix. A lumber-heavy operation needs more outdoor storage; a fasteners and connectors distributor can run tighter aisles because pallets are smaller. The discipline is the same: allocate every function explicitly and test the flow before committing.
Order Picking That Keeps Contractors on Schedule
Order picking is where warehouse efficiency turns into customer-visible performance. In the old facility, pickers walked longer paths and handled more touches per order. The new layout targets shorter travel distances and clearer zones.
Picking Methods Compared
- Zone picking: each picker owns a region, and orders move between zones.
- Wave picking: orders release in groups so pickers work predictable batches.
- Batch picking: a picker collects several orders in one trip and sorts at the end.
- Piece-picking cells: high-turnover small items are kitted in a dedicated area.
Most building product warehouses combine methods: zone picking for large, bulky items, batch picking for small parts, and a dedicated cell for fast movers such as screws, ties, and anchors.
The First-Year Steps That Set the Pace
A new layout pays off only if the first months are run deliberately. Slotting decisions made at start-up, when the right product lands in the right location, save labor for years. The parallel with planting is direct: just as an orchard grower follows first-year steps for a strong orchard, a warehouse manager who slots, labels, and staffs correctly in the first months avoids rework that compounds later.
Will Call Service and Contractor Pickup
Will Call is the counter where contractors pick up orders instead of waiting for delivery. It is a profit center and a loyalty builder: a crew that grabs a missing box of ties at 7 a.m. keeps working instead of shutting down. The new facility was designed with Will Call in mind, with dedicated dock access so pickup customers do not compete with inbound freight.
What Contractors Expect From a Will Call Counter
- Orders staged and labeled before arrival, with the invoice ready at the counter.
- A dedicated entrance that does not require walking through the shipping yard.
- Loading help for heavy items such as bulk fasteners or treated lumber.
- Consistent hours, published clearly, with a pickup cutoff that matches driver schedules.
Will Call and the Rest of the Supply Chain
A Will Call counter only works when the rest of the warehouse supports it. Picking must stage Will Call orders early, billing must keep pricing current, and counter staff must know the product line well enough to answer substitution questions. Done well, the counter becomes the cheapest delivery channel the company has, because the customer supplies the truck. The service model is structural: like building a strong foundation, the quality of the setup decides how much weight the relationship can carry later.
Training Centers and Warehouse Safety
The relocated facility includes a larger training center, which signals how building product suppliers differentiate themselves. Contractors do not just buy connectors; they buy installation knowledge. A distributor that teaches proper installation builds demand for the products it sells.
What a Product Training Center Should Include
- Demo stations where installers practice with actual tools and fasteners.
- A classroom sized for crews, not just individuals.
- Sample walls for products such as ties, anchors, and flashing.
- A small shop area for technique classes, including woodworking sessions where builders practice strong bent lamination projects before attempting them on site.
Safety Improvements That Come With a New Building
Traffic Separation and Floor Marking
The new facility also delivers enhanced warehouse safety, and most of it comes from design rather than policy. Separate pedestrian walkways, painted aisle lines, and designated lift truck routes keep people and machines apart. Good lighting at dock doors and rack ends removes blind spots that older buildings accept as normal.
Safety metrics worth tracking after a move include near-miss reports, damage claims, and worker compensation incidents. A cleaner, better-lit building typically improves all three in the first year, but only if staff training on the new layout happens before the first pallet arrives.
Staffing and Service Through the Transition
All 19 employees transferred to the new location, a detail that matters as much as the square footage. Warehousing knowledge is local knowledge: the staff knows the product line, the customer names, and the counter routines. Losing that team during a move would erase the efficiency gains the new building promises.
Planning the Move Sequence
- Publish the move date early and communicate the Will Call interruption window.
- Move slow-moving and seasonal stock first, then fast movers last.
- Keep a minimal picking operation running at the old site until the new racks are live.
- Re-verify inventory counts at both sites during the transfer.
- Run a full weekend of training in the new building before the first normal business day.
Service Continuity for Builders
The test of any relocation is the week after the move. Contractors building outdoor structures, from framing and supporting deck stairs to stringer connections and guardrail details, need the same products in stock at the new address that they found at the old one. A supplier that transfers staff, stock, and systems together keeps that promise; one that moves only the boxes does not.