When choosing pallet racking, it’s important to weigh up the best solution for your particular storage needs. Different types of pallet racking have their own pros and cons, but some of this won’t matter if it’s not applicable to your business needs. A lot of higher density pallet racking, for example, only offers first in, last out storage. While this may be a detractor for some storage situations, for many others it doesn’t matter at all and is hardly seen as something bad about the racking.
When talking specifically about high density pallet racking, although each specific type of has its own benefit and disadvantage, as a group there are some commonalities. So if you’re thinking about getting high density racking, you should consider what’s in this article.
Before we begin, as already mentioned, each type of high density racking solution has its own positives and drawbacks, and there are more than a few types of high density pallet racking to choose from:
- Drive-in pallet racking is a cost effective high density solution that allows manual handling equipment (typically forklifts) to drive down rows to retrieve pallets.
- Push-back pallet racking allows for deep, high density storage with easy retrieval since pallets are pushed to the front of the row.
- Pallet live storage is a great solution for first in, first out high density pallet storage.
- The Rapid Runner satellite system is a more complex system that can achieve both first in, first out or first in, land out storage, depending on needs.
The specific pallet racking system that will be applicable for a given business will be highly dependent on the specific storage needs of that business. This could include typical stock rotation, storage capacity, amount of SKUs, selectivity, and more.
Benefits of High Density Pallet Racking
High density pallet racking is generally applicable when having high selectivity is less of a concern in a storage situation. While there are systems like narrow aisle racking that are fairly high density while still allowing for selectivity, this is less of the norm. That being said, high density pallet racking still has a number of benefits that make it practical for a variety of pallet storage situations.
High density pallet racking improves storage space utilisation. This probably goes without saying, but higher density storage leads to better utilisation of the warehouse space being used. In ordinary selective pallet racking, quite a lot of the warehouse space is used for aisles between the racking. In most higher density pallet racking, the aim is to try and reduce the size and/or the amount of aisles needed. This allows for additional pallet racks to be installed.
High density pallet racking reduces overall storage costs. Although some high density racking solutions can be more expensive than others, overall, these systems help reduce storage costs. This is because the cost per square metre of warehouse space can be quite expensive; if you’re able to store more per square metre of warehouse space than a competitor, you’re ultimately paying less for storage.
High density pallet racking is perfect for situations with many pallets of the same SKU. If your storage needs include many pallets of the same SKU, the lowering of selectivity is likely to be less of an issue. This is because you can store pallets of the same SKU in high density rows and simply retrieve them as you need.
Disadvantages of High Density Pallet Racking
Although high density pallet racking can be the ideal solution for a number of storage needs, it’s not perfect for every situation. While certain specific high density racking systems aim to overcome some of these disadvantages, not all systems are the same. However, there are often racking systems, high density or otherwise, that balance out the advantages and drawbacks and can find a solution that suits a specific situation.
Most high density pallet racking only works on a first in, last out basis. Although high density systems like pallet live storage work on a first in, first out basis, many other high density storage systems rely on a first in, last out system. This means that in situations where stock rotation is crucial, a particular high density pallet storage system may not be appropriate. However, a balance between density and stock rotation can often be achieved with many systems.
Since there can only be one SKU per row, there is a difference between actual and effective storage density. For organisational reasons, it’s important that only one SKU is stored in a particular row. This means that all the storage space of the pallet racking may not be fully utilised. For example, if you have push-back pallet racking that allows for storage that is six deep, but only have three pallets of a particular SKU, you have three pallet spaces that can’t be used. However, a higher density storage solution can be designed based on predicted pallet and SKU volumes.
Every Storage Need Is Different
Of course all of this advice is only general. Every business, even if it’s in the same industry, will have different needs and will therefore need a different storage solution. There’s never a “one size fits all” case when it comes to pallet racking and warehouse storage.
However, while we here at Colby Dandenong can provide expert advice and tailor a solution to your storage needs, we also find that an educated client has a better understanding of their unique needs. If you would like to talk to us about high density pallet racking, feel free to get in touch.
