We talk about pallet racking a lot – it’s our business and a serious investment. Choosing the right racking systems is essential for your warehouse, there are many different forms of pallet racking and we want to guide you through each system. This will help you make the most informed decision about the racking systems that most suit your requirements. All that being said, we are always here to help you.
Let us start by outlining what pallet racking is:
A material handling storage aid system designed to store materials on pallets (or “skids”). Although there are many varieties of pallet racking, all types allow for the storage of palletised materials in horizontal rows with multiple levels. Forklift trucks are usually required to place the loaded pallets onto the racks for storage. Since the Second World War, pallet racks have become a ubiquitous element of most modern warehouses, manufacturing facilities, retail centres and distribution facilities. All types of pallet racking increase the storage density of the stored goods.
Configurations and competencies of each form of pallet racking can become complicated so understanding your operational requirements is really important, familiarising yourself with each variation of pallet racking will help to make your decision less stressful in the long run.
Standard wide aisle racking systems:
This is the most common and traditionally used racking system and is used across many types of industries, it is a very simple system of alternated rows and broad aisles which promote easy navigation and use, it is also easily adaptable. As well as supporting many industries it also supports countless inventory types, when inventory is changeable. Standard wide aisle racking systems can be adapted in terms of beam levels, system heights and lengths to suit the changing needs of the business inventory.
The main components of wide aisle racking consist of uprights and beams that’s pretty much it! Because there are no complicated components to this system, it is very economical – decking is an additional optional feature that can be added to the system that will store varying pallet sizes safely. This will stop smaller units from falling between beam levels. We will always suggest that you consider some form of protection for your racking system and advise that the system when installed includes upright protection and end barriers which help to protect the system from potential forklift truck accidents or collisions.
To increase the capacity of wide aisle pallet racking systems you can use double-deep racking configuration to increase the racking depth giving you double the storage space.
Narrow or Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) racking system
The narrow or very narrow aisle racking system is ideal if your warehouse has a high ceiling or if your floor space is very limited and your business inventory levels are high. This system has the same configuration as wide aisle racking but the aisles are narrower and the racks much taller – as the name would suggest. It is a great solution to support many inventory types and is particularly good for high value or delicate stock as they can be stored up high keeping them safe from harm and adding increased security. It is also the perfect solution for seasonal goods storage as the higher racks can be used to store products that are less frequently picked.
Due to the particularly high racks and very narrow aisles, it is necessary to add safety features and equipment to ensure the racks are safe and functional – to prevent or eliminate forklift truck collisions. It is important that the narrow or very narrow aisle (VNA) racking system has guide rails or is wired guided to help guide the forklift truck.
The forklift truck used in these situations is extremely specialist as it is narrower in width, has high reaching capabilities and makes in-aisle navigation easy and swift but beyond the narrow aisle, they are less effective. Standard forklift trucks are a more effective solution for loading and unloading HGVs and generally have better-unrestricted movement.
The initial investment of narrow or very narrow aisle racking systems are higher as there is a need for specialist equipment for installation, however, increased productivity within your warehouse will bring a greater return on investment so the system will pay for itself in no time.
Drive-In/Drive-Through racking system
For space-saving systems drive-in racking makes an ideal solution, it provides an excellent method of condensing storage. The vertical upright frames and horizontal support rails of drive-in pallet racking allow pallets to be supported vertically and in multiple depths. Support rails allow forklift trucks to enter the rack and create an efficient bulk storage system. Drive-through racking is a slightly different set-up to drive-in racking as the configuration has two aisles on either side rather than just one.
With two aisles, drive-through racking allows access from both directions increasing speed and works on a first pallet in, first pallet out (FIFO). Drive-in systems on the other hand work on a first pallet in, last pallet out system (FILO) which is ideal for storing seasonal products where large quantities of limited stock items are held. It also offers more storage capacity than the drive-through system which is a great solution if space utilisation needs to be prioritised over stock rotation. It is often used in temperature-controlled environments as it can reduce energy consumption by storing goods compactly.
It is important to have backstops placed on the back of this type of racking system to ensure pallets are not accidentally pushed through the back of the racks. A standard forklift truck works efficiently within this set-up but it would be more effective to use a side seated stacker which provides better visibility while operating within this set-up.
The Pallet Live And Push Back Racking Systems
These systems both work on a semi-automatic basis and offer compact storage – pallet live racking is designed to offer assisted stock rotation by using the FIFO method and push back racking is designed on the FILO method. Push back racking effectively utilises floor and cubic space and is amongst the most space and time-efficient pallet storage systems available. Pallets are loaded in sequence onto a carrier, this is pushed back along an inclined bed of rollers to utilise the full depth of the racking.
These racking systems are highly versatile and can be used in a range of industries but they are especially suited to high turnover inventory and are like drive-in/drive-through racking, a great option for cold storage or frozen chambers.
The racking systems work on rollers that are fitted to the base of each tilted lane running the length of the rack allowing the pallet to move independently, the systems also have braking systems within the rollers to prevent the pallets from gaining speed, an angle beam is then installed at the front to stop the pallet.
Mobile Racking System
A fairly self-explanatory solution! A mobile base is fitted with pallet racks making each row moveable, the rows are closed together to save space which increases storage capacity. On access, an aisle is created as the gaps open up between the runs allowing you to retrieve your inventory. A great solution for high volume, low turn-over inventory, it works extremely well in cold stores where it can help keep your running costs down. It also works well for the storage of highly sensitive products or products with high value as when closed the configuration offers high security.
Mobile racking has rails fitted to the floor to help guide the base, it can be operated manually or electronically by a control mechanism that is fitted to ensure the racks move. This solution, depending on your requirements is one of the most efficient solutions as it ticks many boxes. It is cost-effective, reduces labour, is energy-efficient, highly compact, FILO/FIFO options, is highly secure and saves up to 90% floor space.
Considering your operational requirements is essential when making your pallet racking solution, things to consider include:
If your goods are perishable, stock rotation management is a priority for you, a FIFO racking system can help with this without much effort and saves you time and money.
If your inventory requires temperature-controlled storage, this is far more demanding on your business – cold chain products range from a variety of goods from medicines to perishables, all of these products require quality maintenance throughout their journey therefore it is essential that you preserve the product in the way it should be. Frozen storage in warehouses use a significant amount of energy so when considering a solution for you a compact storage configuration would be the most efficient and cost-effective solution. Compact storage systems use less space to store the same or higher number of pallets which results in lower energy consumption and money savings.
The speed of your inventory no matter how quickly or slowly things come in or out of your warehouse means it is critical that you chose a racking solution that will support your operation, inadequate speed could have serious consequences to your business.
If you have high volumes of inventory, think about a racking solution that would best suit your space, it could be that double deep racking has higher storage capacity so you can store every pallet easily or it could be that wide aisle racking is the best solution as it gives you direct access to all your pallets.
Your racking choice may be based on your inventory variations and SKU numbers, wide aisle racking would be a great solution in this case as it allows access to each different product type – if high-density storage is a priority in this case then your operation would benefit from push-back racking as an alternative to wide aisle racking.
Your choice of pallet racking solution will be determined by the available space you have within your warehouse – pallet racking can take up a large amount of space but it will ultimately give you more capacity in the long run. At STS we have over 40 years of experience within the industry and we are here to assist you every step of the way. We take time to understand your business and work with you to determine the best racking system to help your warehouse be more efficient. If you would like to book a free site survey, please book an appointment here
