When it comes to pallet racking and warehouse storage, there’s a lot to choose from. And while you may know how to run your warehouse well, you may not know what kind of pallet racking is best for your specific warehousing situation.
Every business is different, and because of that, every business’ storage requirements are different. You may think that all pallet racking is the same, and you may have adapted your business operations to suit a sub-optimal racking set up, when in fact, there’s probably a type of pallet racking specifically designed and engineered to suit your specific business and storage needs.
Let’s take a look.
Selective Pallet Racking
Selective pallet racking is what most people think of when they think pallet racking. It’s the most common type of pallet racking that Colby supplies as it has a range of applications in warehousing and storage. While standard selective pallet racking is great for a number of applications, we’re also the first to admit when there’s something more suitable out there.
But if you need a racking solution that’s easy to customise to your needs and provides good access to every pallet while not worrying about stock rotation, standard selective pallet racking may be a good option for your warehouse. The other benefit is that selective pallet racking tends to be relatively inexpensive since it’s fairly basic racking. Put simply, this is just good, standard, affordable pallet racking that’s great for a number of applications.
Drive In Pallet Racking
Drive in pallet racking is exactly what it sounds like. This is pallet racking that allows for high density, multi deep pallet storage that can be accessed via forklift. Depending on the size of your pallets, drive in pallet racking can be modified to accommodate almost any kind of forklift.
The great thing about drive in pallet racking is that, when compared to many other types of racking, drive in actually has the lowest cost per footprint. Drive in pallet racking is a great solution for very high density storage where first in, last out storage is suitable.
Double Deep Pallet Racking
If your warehouse needs a good balance between being highly selective while also have good storage density, double deep pallet racking may be suitable. Double deep pallet racking can increase storage space by up to 40% with only minimal decreases in stock selectivity.
The best application for double deep pallet racking is where stock rotation priority is relatively low and you’re storing anywhere between 2-16 pallets of the same SKU. This way the optimisation of your warehouse is not affected by the pallets at the back not being accessible.
While your forklifts will need to be fitted with double-reach mechanisms, the racking itself is relatively cost effective given the great balance between accessibility and storage space.
Narrow Aisle and Very Narrow Aisle Pallet Racking
Narrow Aisle and very narrow aisle pallet racking is a great solution if your storage facility has a high roof; here you can capitalise on all of that vertical space! With narrow aisle pallet racking, the aisle width is designed for a turret or swing reach truck, with the aisles only wide enough for pallet turning.
The main advantage of narrow aisle pallet racking is that it allows for immediate access to every pallet. Because of this, it works well for high density storage with good access. Despite this, retrieving stock can be more manual than with other types of racking, so narrow aisle pallet racking is often only applicable for stock with lower throughput.
Push Back Pallet Racking
Push back pallet racking uses an inclined roller to automatically move pallets at the back of a row to the front. With a system like this you can store pallets up to six deep. When loading push back pallet racking, a standard forklift simply pushes the pallet back on the rollers in order to load the next one.
Push back pallet racking works very well as a higher density alternative to double deep pallet racking. While access to each pallet is relatively fast since the next pallet simply rolls into place, it is a first in, last out system. This means that push back pallet racking may not be suitable for stock that needs to be rotated frequently or may spoil.
Pallet Live Storage
If you need a pallet racking solution that’s high density but also allows for first in, first out storage, pallet live storage may be a good solution for your warehouse. Pallet live storage systems are loaded from the back and move pallets to the front of the rack via inclined rails. In this way, the oldest stock is easy to pick and ship out.
Pallet live storage works well in situations where food is being stored or the stock may be perishable, as stock rotation is relatively high with this type of racking.
Cantilever Racking
While most of this article has talked about storing pallets, not everything is suitable for pallet storage. Take long items like lumber or piping, for example. For applications like this, cantilever racking is often the best solution.
Cantilever racking allows longer items to be stored horizontally. Depending on the item, the cantilever arms can be set at different angles to ensure they are secure while also maximising storage space.
Extra Large and Custom Racking Bays
Ultimately, every storage situation is different, so the standard options for pallet racking may not be suitable. Here you may need custom or extra large pallet racking.
The specific applications and designs for extra large or custom pallet racking will depend on what’s being stored and why. For example, a warehouse may only need basic selective pallet racking to be modified to accommodate furniture. Another warehouse may need custom double deep pallet racking to store sheets of plaster. Every situation is different.
That being said, Colby Dandenong likely has a solution to suit your storage needs. So get in touch and we’ll be able to give you advice for your storage needs.
