WRD Wells’ range of custom 5S shadow boards cut downtime, prevent cross contamination, and enhance warehouse safety with colour-coded tool storage.
Warehouses are busy, high-pressure environments where efficiency depends on organisation. Forklifts, pallets and racks are carefully arranged, yet the small everyday tools that keep sites clean and safe often end up misplaced.
That’s WRD Wells come in. The company, a long-standing supplier of hygiene and food safety solutions in Australia and New Zealand, offers customised 5S shadow board systems that help warehouses and production sites stay organised, compliant, and safe. These colour-coded tool stations are becoming a fixture in food factories, warehouses and freight hubs, helping operators keep equipment in order and operations running smoothly.
“Shadow boards are a really simple way to help companies stay on top of their workflow and processes,” says Christine Venables, Commercial Manager, WRD Wells. “If someone has a red broom, they know it lives on the red board. If it’s blue, it goes on the blue board. Everyone knows where things belong.”
The idea comes from the lean manufacturing “5S” framework – Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardise, Sustain. While the principles have long been applied in production lines, Christine says warehouses are now adopting them to save time and avoid disruption.
A foothold in food and beverage
According to WRD Wells General Manager, Arto Taalikka, food and beverage manufacturers have been the earliest and strongest adopters.
“The largest industry is food and beverage manufacturing. 5S systems are par for the course,” he says.
In these environments, organisation isn’t just about tidiness but food safety.
“In a standard warehouse, if tools are unorganised, you lose time. In food, you could cross contaminate – which is always a very serious issue,” Arto adds.
Supermarkets, quick-service restaurants and pharmaceutical operators have also embraced the system. Warehousing and distribution are seen as future growth sectors.
“5S in warehousing and DC’s is a definite growth area, and we see a big opportunity to offer our 5S solutions to this industry over the next 12 months,” Arto says.
Freight and retail applications
Outside manufacturing, freight operators are turning to shadow boards for everyday housekeeping. Arto says that the company has supplied freight operators in Victoria and Queensland with systems for managing everyday cleaning tools such as brooms, shovels and brushes. Bigger sites tend to get the most benefit.
“The larger the warehouse, the more interest there is in boards at both ends of an aisle. It saves time and ensures consistency,” he says.
The advantages are wide-ranging, from efficiency gains to improved safety.
“Increased efficiency is the biggest one – reducing downtime and improving workflow,” says Arto.
The tools also enhance visibility, minimise tool loss and damage, and help maintain compliance. They contribute to safety by ensuring tools are not left on the floor where they could pose a tripping hazard. Christine adds that the wasted time searching for equipment is often underestimated.
“People walking around looking for the right broom or dustpan – that’s a big killer. Studies in lean manufacturing show how much time is lost searching for tools,” she said. “You can save a lot of money just by knowing exactly where things are.”
There are maintenance benefits, too. Tools stored properly are less likely to be damaged, cutting replacement costs. For managers, the boards serve as a silent supervisor.
“The board does the talking. It tells staff where the red broom goes and ensures the right tool is used in the right area,” Christine says.
Growing adoption
The boards are built to suit different needs. Standard PVC panels weigh under 20 kilograms and can hold 15 to 20 kilograms of tools, while stainless-steel models are available for heavy-duty use. Smaller formats are also being developed for tighter spaces. Customer feedback has been consistently positive. Most start small but expand quickly.
Christine explains that most businesses start with just a couple of boards, but within six months they are often equipping entire warehouses or factories, as the cost savings quickly become clear.
“They don’t always need to be huge boards. Smaller versions, even down to A4 size, can be fitted onto racking ends or confined areas,” she says.
Arto adds that multicultural workforces benefit from the visual clarity of shadow boards, reducing language barriers in tool management.
“Many warehouses are multicultural, and when you have the image of the tool and the item code that you need to order more, it’s very easy to do,” he says. I haven’t heard any bad feedback on anyone having a shadow board – the feedback is always very positive.”
While the boards are practical by design, the next step is digital integration. Arto says that QR codes and NFC technology are the natural next step, enabling users to scan a code that links directly to an ordering portal or a maintenance log. Materials innovation is another focus. Stainless steel, polypropylene and new panel types are being tested for durability and hygiene. There is also scope for customisation.
“Why stick with plain blue? Customers could print their own branding or images directly onto the board. That opens up new opportunities,” Arto says.
At its core, the shadow board is about reducing waste – of time, effort and money. For operators under pressure to lift efficiency and maintain compliance, the simplicity is what makes it work. Christine emphasises that visual management is built on simplicity, with standardised, colour-coded, and easily accessible tools ensuring staff always know what to use and where it belongs.
“Automation doesn’t remove the need for cleaning or compliance. If anything, it makes it more important. Shadow boards scale with the business, whether it’s a food factory, a DC or a freight hub,” Arto affirms.
From food factories to freight warehouses, shadow boards are proving a small but powerful tool in keeping operations efficient, compliant and safe. What started as a lean manufacturing concept has become a fixture in modern supply chains. As the company looks ahead, the focus is on expanding into new markets and integrating digital features. But the principle remains the same: simple, standardised systems that make warehouse work easier.
“Simple systems often make the biggest difference,” says Christine. “That’s exactly what shadow boards are doing for warehouses today.”
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