Introduction:
Lighting plays a vital role in ensuring safety and productivity in a warehouse territory. Are you in search of information about different types of warehouse lighting? This is precisely the place where you should be!
This article will let you in on all the details you need to know about warehouse lighting. Considering all the main factors before purchasing any type of warehouse lighting is very important, so you do not invest in the wrong product.
The main things to consider are lighting controls, temperature intensity, space between the lighting fixtures, and choosing the correct types of warehouse lighting fixtures.
You are good to go if you have enough information about these aspects!
Look into the guide below to learn more about the types of warehouse lighting and choose the best lighting.
1. What is Warehouse Lighting?
Each warehouse is different from another and thus requires different lighting plans. Warehouse lighting is a vital part of carrying out any warehouse operations. The type of warehouse lighting chosen impacts the activities carried out in that space as well as impacts the visuals. The correct type of warehouse lighting enhances the experience of both the clients and the employees by affecting management efficiency, operations safety, and access to warehouse storage.
Whether you are about to open a warehouse or plan to expand or restore the area, ensure that your space has enough lighting intensity. Proper types of warehouse lighting should be the priority while planning and excavating a warehouse.
Following is a link to the guide to buying warehouse lighting:
2. Types of Warehouse Lighting
Top lighting sources for warehouse illumination are of three types. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
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High-intensity discharge lighting (HID):
High-intensity discharge lighting has been used widely in warehouse lighting for a long time. They are still used but are not so popular anymore. They are the lowest in price but have a limited range of light intensities and require frequent replacement. This type of warehouse lighting color temperature ranges between 2200 Kelvin to 2400 Kelvin. During a power surge, these lights stay off for 15 to 20 minutes as they must completely cool down before they are switched on again.
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LED Lighting:
LEDs are the most popular type of warehouse lighting fixture used nowadays. Due to the increased demand for LED lighting fixtures, the other types and availability of these lighting fixtures have increased rapidly since it was introduced. LED lights‘ lumen output is outstanding, so another type of light can match it. The energy consumed by LED lights is also shallow as of any other lighting output. The LED Bulbs can work for 50,000 to 70,000 hours and sometimes more. So the hassle of changing them frequently and spending money on light fixtures is cut down.
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Fluorescent Lighting:
Fluorescent lighting type is Budget-friendly, energy efficient, and can be used as an alternative for HID lights. The color temperature of fluorescent lights falls between 2700 Kelvin to 6500 Kelvin and is offered in various shapes and sizes to select the suitable one for your warehouse premises. However, fluorescent lights cannot be used during harsh weather and extreme cold and hot temperatures, so opting for them for warehouses with hot or cold temperatures is not a good idea. In the areas where light has to be turned on and off regularly, fluorescent lights are not recommended to be used there, as their life span is reduced by frequent on/off.
Choosing the correct type of warehouse lighting affects the productivity and performance of warehouse activities. Altho there are plenty of types of warehouse lighting fixtures in the market; however, the most popular and used fixtures in the warehouses are mentioned below:
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Round High bay lights:
High bay lights are the type of light fixture designed for high ceiling areas. They provide wide illumination that spreads throughout an extensive area, increasing visibility. These light fixtures are easy to install and work for a longer period.
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Strip lights:
Strip lights are efficient for narrow application areas. Their minimal design and bright light make them highly appropriate for warehouse applications. This type of warehouse lighting fixture can be wall mounted and suspended from the ceiling, depending on your requirements, and is usually applicated in stairways, factory areas, halls, etc.
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Troffer lights:
Large indoor spaces that require bright lighting, such as warehouses, use troffer lights widely. These are drop ceiling lights designed to be mounted on the ceiling. They have a diffuser installed to prevent causing any glare that might be dangerous for the workers. It gives out illumination that provides visual comfort.
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Linear High bay lights:
The linear High bay lighting fixtures can be tuned individually to attain the required light delivery them. This lighting fixture is highly recommended for warehouse spaces due to its efficiency. It also offers to accommodate Motor sensors to turn off when there is not enough traffic or during daylight.
3. Importance of Warehouse Lighting:
The warehouse premises can be beneficial and productive only if proper lighting. Without adequate lighting, the warehouse can be a safety hazard. Ensuring professional management, safe operational activities, and access to all the facilities can only be done if the lighting is adequate per the warehouse requirements.
The warehouse lighting also affects the business’s growth and attracts clients. The smooth working and capabilities of a business are essential and can be made sure of by opting for the correct types of warehouse lighting. The light solutions most commonly used for warehouse purposes are LED solutions.
For a longer factor of time, warehouse lighting has been a considerable investment and expense for warehouse owners. The energy consumption and high electricity bills made it difficult to handle. To cut down the extreme bills the owners used to cut down on the lighting, which brought down the productivity and increases the number of incidents that occurred. The employees’ well-being is also affected if a warehouse’s lighting is inadequate, as the risk of accidents increases. The warehouses that are operated 24 hours a day, good lighting is very crucial in those areas. Too less light is as damaging as too much light and is a health hazard.
The market has mostly converted to LED lighting to reduce the cost of high electrical bills and energy consumption. LED lights have made it a lot easier and are a cost-efficient option.
The workers in the warehouses are required to work with heavy machinery, loading, unloading, and shifting heavy parcels. To ensure the safety of the workers, lighting should be good enough to ensure that all the tasks are carried out and dealt with carefully.
Following are the key benefits of putting up good lighting in the warehouses.
1. Upgraded health and safety:
As the warehouse deals with heavy machinery and significant loadings, improved lighting helps the operators to have a clear picture so they don’t run the machines into people or workers. The risks of hazards while carrying out manual tasks also decrease as the workers can see what they are doing. Due to this, the activities are carried out efficiently without causing any damage to the people or the property.
2. Improved productivity:
Lighting plays a key role when carrying out any task. May it be in homes, offices, or warehouses. Low or inadequate lighting affects psychological, and the employees feel tired and lazy. Whereas bright and adequate lighting helps the employees work their best efficiently and adequately. Good working conditions are as important as efficient employees. By laying out ideal types of warehouse lighting, you provide your employees with a comfortable and ideal place to excel in their specialties and take up the opportunities provided to them.
3. Energy and Cost efficiency:
LED lights are well known for their lowest energy consumption compared to all the other types of lighting. LED lights help cut down the cost of electricity bills.
4. Durability:
The types of warehouse lighting widely use LED lighting. The fixtures available in the market consist of LED lights as the demand for them increases due to their advantages. The durability of LED is better than any other type of light. They can work for up to 50,000 hours. The longevity and low maintenance of LED lighting fixtures make them the best option for warehouse purposes.
5. Less to no mistakes:
If the warehouse is appropriately lit, it reduces the risks of any missed or improper tasks. The workers can get the paperwork and other physical work done quickly and without errors. Being able to see clearly in proper lighting facilities helps the employees to improve their functioning.
4. Lighting Requirements for Warehouse
The lighting requirements in a warehouse depending on the activities carried out there. Different areas of a warehouse have different lighting standards, respectfully.
| Traffic | Areas | No. of foot candles |
|
Low Activity Areas |
Store rooms |
10 – 15 foot candles |
|
high activity areas |
Loading or unloading, Inspection rooms |
40 – 50 foot candles |
|
usually active areas |
Varies depending on the size and capacity of items |
20 – 30 foot candles for oversized items
40 – 50 foot candles for small-sized items |
The lighting requirements vary depending on the length and width of the warehouse area. Calculating the exact space of a warehouse is very important to plan and consider the lighting requirements and types of warehouse lighting. The height determines the number of fixtures used, the spacing between them, and the lighting intensity.
| Ceiling Height (ft.) | Lumen Output (lm) | Power (W) | Recommended Spacing |
| 40 + ft. | 47,000 lm + | 400 W + | 30-40 ft. |
| 25 – 35 ft. | 32,000 lm – 35000 lm | 240 W – 300 W | 15-30 ft. |
| 20 – 25 ft. | 30,000 lm – 35,000 lm | 200 W – 240 W | 15-25 ft. |
| 12 – 20 ft. | 10,000 lm – 22,000 lm | 100 W – 150 W | 10-15 ft. |
Figuring out the lighting layout takes a large chunk of planning for a perfect design. Accurate information about your warehouse space eliminates any errors to have occurred and allows you to regulate the number of footcandles you need for your warehouse space. You should select the types of warehouse lighting accordingly, as there are various lighting types specially made for specific areas and purposes of the warehouse. Such as, in the garages and aisles, linear lights are designed to illuminate the space well enough to carry out the required tasks respectively. For larger open areas panel high bay lights are used as one fixture provides a large amount of illumination and covers larger areas. The type of warehouse lighting should be taught carefully for different areas.
LED lights are now considered the most popular ones in the market. Most warehouse owners consider buying that instead of fluorescent lights as LED lights help reduce energy consumption. As a result, the electricity bills are cut down to some extent. LED lights are also famous for their cost efficiency and longer working span so you do not have to worry about changing the lights now and then. Lighting requirements not only focus on the type of light but also on the intensity of the fixtures, brightness, and distribution as required for the warehouse space, respectively.
5. How to Choose Good Warehouse Lighting
Installing the correct type of lighting is a critical factor in productiveness. However, most of the constructors and owners often overlook the advantages of good lighting. That is why working with a professional company to understand all the types of lighting required and other aspects of your respective area is extremely important.
Designing a warehouse and selecting the type of warehouse lighting should be decided by keeping two main aspects in mind:
- Safe environment
- Increased productivity
Both these factors affect your business and working environment in efficiency, so you must be sure before spending on a particular type of light.
The following are the main factors to prefer when choosing suitable types of warehouse lighting.
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Avoid too much glare:
Going for the types of warehouse lighting that have a sharp glare can be a safety concern to the health of your employees, and it can affect their eyesight in the longer run. It can interfere with the workers’ vision and cause sight-related issues. So while choosing the lighting fixtures, keep this in mind so you do not end up jeopardizing the productivity and health of your employees, as good interior lighting in a warehouse affects the productivity and effectiveness of the work carried out there.
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Ideal color intensity:
As the experts and warehouse designers suggested, the color intensity for warehouses is generally rated from 4000K to 5000K. Color temperature is a crucial feature when choosing the right type of warehouse lighting, as it impacts the workers’ overall productivity and work rate. The white should not be too white and at the same time, not too yellow.
It should be balanced between blue and white as anything too different from this can cause severe eyesight strains and lead to an uncomfortable environment related to the work capacities.
The following link leads to a video describing the appropriate color intensities for warehouses:
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Equal Distribution of light:
The distribution of the light as much depends on the lighting fixtures, at the same time, depends a lot on the layout of the warehouse. The main types of distribution in warehouses are 2; I or V. Tall warehouses use the I distribution to keep the shelves areas lit with long and narrow lighting. However, the warehouses with large open spaces are better suited to V-type distribution to adequately spread light in all corners.
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Positioning of light fixtures:
Determining the positions of light fixtures in the warehouse is as important as light distribution. It is crucial to create a productive work environment. The fixtures should not be positioned too far from each other. The types of warehouse light chosen should be bright enough so that the space between two fixtures is covered and the places are not left dark. By hiring or letting experts help you, you can ensure that all parts of your warehouse are appropriately lit and that the productivity levels are high.
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Lighting controls:
One way to make your warehouse appear safe and productive is to install lighting controls. It is an energy-efficient factor that affects your total cost a lot. Motion sensors automatically switch off the lights when no movement is detected. It prevents the waste of energy as well as high electricity charges.
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Choosing the right amount of brightness:
There is no fixed amount of brightness to be chosen; however, the amount of brightness you choose significantly impacts the employees’ productivity. The brightness should be chosen depending on the work carried out in the warehouse or its purpose. The brightness should be enough to create a comfortable and safe environment. The colors of the warehouse also play a vital role in choosing the brightness level. If the walls are light in color, you may use low-lumen output lighting fixtures. However, if the walls and ceiling are darker in color, you may have to go for high lumens output.
Choosing the brightness level also means keeping the energy consumption in check. The people who own warehouses are often directed to opt light colored walls for their warehouse and, as a result, choose fixtures that consume lesser energy. Installing skylights on the roof is highly recommended.
Top 10 Warehouse Lighting Manufacturers
1. Zhejiang Yankon Lighting Company
Company Type: Lighting Manufacturing
Main products: LED Fixtures, Ceiling lights, types of warehouse lighting, and downlights.
About the company
Established in 1975, this company is one of the most popular manufacturers of LED lighting fixtures around the globe. They work to produce eco-friendly lighting products that keep the environment safe and serve for a more extended period. Their lighting products are exported to 40-plus countries.
2. Osram Lighting Company
Company Type: Lighting Manufacturing
Main products: Automotive lights, flexible warehouse lights, etc.
About the company
The main office of Osram lighting company is located in Germany, where it was established in 1995. They have a massive market throughout china and offer splendid quality products. Osram is one of the leading companies worldwide in the lighting market and falls among the two largest lighting manufacturing companies worldwide.
3. Woojong Ligjting Company Limited
Company Type: Lighting Manufacturing
Main products: types of warehouse lighting, wall packs, top quality LED lights
About the company
Woojong Lighting Company Limited is an experienced lighting manufacturing company. They produce LED lamps mainly. This company came into being in 1995 and offers excellent and reliable lighting products and types of warehouse lighting fixtures of the highest quality. The headquarters of Woojong is located in Zhejiang, China, with a manufacturing area of around 70,000 sq. Meters.
4. Topstar Lighting Company Limited
Company Type: Lighting manufacturing
Main products: Commercial, warehouse Lighting.
About the company:
Topstar lighting company has been in the lighting market since 1958. The headquarters of Xiamen Topstar Lighting Company is in Fujian. This company deals in massive manufacturing of lighting products.
5. Opple Lighting Company
Company Type: Lighting Manufacturing
Main products: Led lamps, ceiling lighting fixtures, types of warehouse lighting
About the company
Opple lighting company is a well-known lighting manufacturer and offers several types of warehousing lighting solutions. It was established in 1996, and the main headquarters of Opple lighting company is located in Shanghai, China. The company manufactures lighting products, electrical devices, appliances, and other lighting services.
6. Philips Lighting Company
Company Type: types of warehouse Lighting Manufacturing
Main products: LED tube lights, LED bulbs, and other LED fixtures
About the company:
This lighting company was founded in 1981 and presented cost-efficient and reliable incandescent lights for business purposes. Now it is a leading company, known all around the world, and offers lighting solutions for several different purposes. They have 13 factories spread around china, whereas the main offices are in Nanjing and Shenzhen, China.
7. Foshan Lighting Company
Company Type: Lighting Manufacturing
Main products: LED Bulbs, Spotlights, tubes, light packs, and other lighting fixtures.
About the company
The company ‘Foshan Lighting’ became the first joint stock lighting manufacturer company in Foshan. They have five major production factories around China with more than 200 production lines, and Foshan Limited exports its lighting products worldwide.
8. TCL Lighting Company
Company Type: Lighting Manufacturing
Main products: types of warehouse Lightings, outdoor lighting, LED fixtures
About the company
As TCL lighting company was founded in 2000, it has made its way up the lighting market in less time than other companies. The company produces energy-efficient and cost-efficient lighting solutions, such as types of warehouse lighting, outdoor areas, and LED light bulbs. They do not let down the quality of their products and comply with all the safety and quality international standards.
9. Guangdong PAK Corporation Company Limited
Company Type: Lighting Manufacturing
Main products: Types of warehouse Lighting, commercial lighting, industrial lighting
About the company
With its headquarters in Guangzhou, the Guangdong Corporation lighting company was discovered back in 1991. They are known worldwide for their energy-efficient lighting manufacturing. They provide their customers with expanded lighting professional services. The production factories of Guangdong lighting company cover over 300,000 square meters all around china.
10. Huayi Lighting Company
Company Type: lighting Manufacturing
Main products: Commercial lighting, Outdoor lighting, High bay lighting, wall-mounted lights, etc.
About the company
Huayi lighting company has a factory in an industrial area of over 200,000 square meters, out of which a large proportion is only confined to a showroom. The company provides numerous lighting options, making it a one-stop for all kinds of lighting. Several types of warehouse lighting are also produced. This company came into being in 1986 and was located in Zhongshan City, China.
Conclusions:
As a result of this article, we know which are the best lights for warehouses. And Using LEDs in a warehouse brings many benefits. Our company is VSTlighting, and we look forward to assisting you with your warehouse lighting needs.