Renowned businessman and Managing Director of Pankaj Cloth and Wedding Industry, Pankaj Agrawal, said that a warehouse is not merely a storage space but the real engine of any business. He underlined that a well-planned and well-facilitated warehouse plays a decisive role in business efficiency, scalability and long-term success. He was speaking at a knowledge-sharing session organised by the Vidarbha Management Association (VMA) on the topic “From Theory to Floor: Warehousing Concepts Live.” The session was held at the Chitnavis Centre, Civil Lines on Sunday. VMA member Sunil Bajaj moderated the session.

 

Agrawal stated that warehousing should be viewed as capital formation rather than an expense. He introduced the innovative concept of a “showroom-cum-warehouse” model, where around 25 per cent of the area is dedicated to product display, allowing customers to experience touch, feel and range, while the remaining 75 per cent is optimised for operations, bulk storage and speed-based systems. Though both functions are different, he stressed that they are equally important for business growth. Agrawal spoke about developing warehouses up to 40 feet in height, enabling nearly double storage capacity on the same land.

 

Vertical storage, he explained, eliminates the need for a second location and significantly reduces costs. Highlighting the importance of systems over individuals, Agrawal cautioned that dependency is a major business risk. “Your warehouse should become your best salesman without saying a word,” he remarked. He advocated for self-managed, well-labelled, professionally organised warehouses where every zone has signboards, lanes are numbered, products have defined addresses, and dedicated areas exist for stock, showroom, movement, packing, dispatch and future expansion.