Good news: an array of warehouse-hacking pallet storage solutions exist to turn your facility into an organized and profitable picking machine. Bad news: without underpinning your precise needs the options for racks can be a little difficult to sift through.
Before your company spends significant chunks of the budget for a system that isn’t a true solution, get clear on the following:
From there you’ll have the basics you need to approach the following pallet solutions from an informed place. We’ve also listed some pro/con factors for quick reference:
Maximizing space is top-priority in any warehouse operation. When storing lengthy, over-dimensional products like tubing or lumber it becomes positively critical. Structural or Roll-Formed Cantilever Racking offers compact and adaptable storage that differs from standard, less flexible pallet racking.
An absence of front columns means bulky or oddly shaped items like furniture can easily take up residence across an entire row without impacting your limited space. These racks also accommodate substantial handling clearance for larger, over-length items like piping or carpet rolls thanks to the increased horizontal space.
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High-density warehouse spaces that accommodate products with long shelf lives are always in need of more storage capacity. Cost-effective drive-in pallet racks can help increase storage by up to 75%. They’re especially great for Last in, first out (LIFO) or First in, first out configurations (FIFO) where products don’t always require immediate accessibility.
The decreased aisle space reduces the square footage requirement and simplifies forklift paths by making the entry and exit point at each opposite end the same.
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Push back racks are often the front-runner solution for warehouses challenged by limited space. That’s because they offer as much as 90% more product storage than selective rack systems by eliminating the need for multiple loading/unloading aisles.
Push back racks work similar to a vending machine. Once a product is selected, subsequent pallet carts to roll forward. The mechanism consists of a series of nesting carts that move along steel rails. This provides easy access to an array of products and SKU’s that can each be stored at different levels. Not unlike a drive-in pallet rack, the system uses an LIFO inventory control approach. However in this system, the fork trucks needn’t enter the rack.
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High volume and fast moving product is a unique combo that requires a special solution to stay on top of picking. A high-quality gravity-fed pallet flow rack system is just the solution to help cut costs while saving on valuable space.
Inclined shelves use gravity’s natural force to naturally draw palletized loads forward to the designated picking position. Deep pallets save on square footage by acting as substitutes for aisles. Product is loaded from one side and picked from the opposite side.
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If your warehouse could benefit from additional floor space and increased storage, these pallet storage options can help. Though it’s important to understand the pros and cons of each before you settle on a solution. Having trouble getting a feel for how these racks would work in your space? Contact one of our solution design team members and ask about our warehouse design and AutoCAD drawing services.
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