How To Improve Warehouse Storage and Efficiencies
Many customers ask how improving the operations of their warehouse would create better efficiency, but also increase your company’s profitability. We thought it would be helpful to provide tips to improve warehouse storage. Here are a few warehouse efficiency ideas for you to consider.
Understanding the metrics
Having the right metrics with you can help you greatly in the long run. Whether it’s average shipping costs or measuring business critical KPIs, the right numbers helps put your company’s operations into a better picture. This would also enable you to pay attention to what needs to change within your warehouse.
Improve your warehouse storage
Online shopping has been growing rapidly over the past few years. With increasing demand for a wide variety of products, come increasing inventory. Accounting for such changing inventory may be a challenge for your warehouse storage. As such, optimizing your warehouse will mitigate these issues and improve overall efficiency.
This could be adding a cantilever racking system creating alternating one-way aisles instead of two-way aisles. An alternating one-way isle not only gives you more warehouse storage, it also improves the stow and pick process.
Upgrade technology to mobile
Upgrading existing technologies can make a massive difference in company operations. This is particularly true for warehouses. Mobile technology for warehouses goes beyond typical barcode scanners. For example, a reliable Warehouse Management System (WMS) can make notable improvements with receiving orders and picking routes. Adding mobile devices with touchscreens, cameras and RFID scanners would further enhance the existing processes within warehouses.
Compared to the traditional manual procedures, upgrading to technology would ensure a far less error rate, faster operations, and reduced costs, making it an ideal warehouse storage efficiency idea.
Employ workflow audits
It goes without saying that your warehouse operations should have an established workflow. This applies from the arrival to departure of products/material and everything in between. But even if workflows have been standardized, there may be various bottlenecks that would cause problems. Audits can help identify these specific issues accurately and help with applying fixes.
It’s also important to remember that these workflows revolve around your employees. Thereby, effective communication with your employees regarding existing workflows would help achieve that operational efficiency at the warehouse.
Integrate Automation
Automation is another area you could consider. As businesses grow, manual processes become inefficient in dealing with larger volumes and workloads. Automation can optimize these to significantly improve productivity. Implementation can range from simply automated workflows to the picking process within your warehouse.
For example, automated workflows would enable standardized workflows to be implemented across the entire workforce in warehouses. Similarly, automating the picking process would translate to faster pick rates and efficient movement of inventory within the warehouse.
Conclusion
You can employ many tips for adding efficiencies to your operations. From having the right metrics to integrating technology. Taking the time to think through these warehouse storage strategies can pay off in the long run. To speak to one of our technical representatives, please call 216-229-9300.
A Glimpse at the History of Pallet Racks
By: Larry Rausch – Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Over the years we are often asked about the history of pallet racks. Questions like who invented them to when did they become mainstream? We thought it might be an interesting topic to explore. Following World War I, pallet racking came around to give warehouses the ability to store pallets vertically. When warehouses have this ability it will double or triple the storage capacity. Happy reading.
It all started in the early 1900s when companies had to start looking for an easier and cheaper way to package their products. Corrugated packaging was born. This style of packaging was widely accepted by rail and road freight authorities. The boxes were cheap to produce and easy to pack. Although the boxes were convenient for price, the labor cost were not. Each box had to be moved by hand. If products were heavy they had to make sure the packaging remained small for ease of carrying. Something needed to be created to help move products quicker.
By 1915 a device had been created: The forklift. Forklifts became an important piece that helped the entire warehouse system function. With the forklift, pallets of products could be moved no matter the weight. This helped speed up the loading and unloading process. The forklift was changed to lift pallets several feet in the air. This feature gave way for the use of pallet rack.
Once the late 1920s hit, the first pallet rack system came about for vertical storage. Warehouses could grow upward instead of out. This way of storage proved to be much more cost effective. As time went on warehouses went from storing one layer of pallets per level to being able to design systems to hold more weight when distributed correctly. This introduced multilevel pallet racks.
Pallet racks have proven to be useful for all industry types and have become an industry all their own. Every year the number goes up for items being produced and shipped which brings the need for more pallet rack systems. Companies spend millions of dollars on warehousing every year and a good amount of that is spent on pallet rack storage systems. The main market driver for this growth is increasing warehouse space optimization. If you see your company exceeding the storage capacity of your warehouse, don’t wait for it to decrease the productivity level of your warehouse.
Conclusion
Pallet racks have been around for a long time. It all started with the advent of corrugated packaging and the forklift industry. With these inventions, industry soon realized that going vertical would expand storage capability and make moving product from place to place more efficient. To speak to one of our technical representatives, please call 1-216-229-9300. And thank you for reading our post.
The Keys To Warehouse Best Practices
By: Larry Rausch – Vice President of Sales and Marketing
What’s important to remember is there is not one right answer for optimizing warehouse operations. What is best for one company, one warehouse or even one product within a warehouse, is not necessarily best for another. This post is intended to provide you with warehouse best practices tips that can help you leverage your operational efficiencies.
Position the talent you already have
You have very talented people, but you may not have them positioned so they can contribute the most to your operations. Determine your optimal personnel placement and position your people accordingly. This will not only make your operations more efficient, but your people will be more successful, which elevates morale.
Measure. Measure. Measure.
Develop adequate baseline measurements for each process creating benchmarks to measure against as you improve your processes. Remember, you cannot improve what you do not measure. To effectively solve a problem, leaders must first understand the current condition. This can only be accomplished through the use of data and facts.
Use scorecards to guide your operational adjustment
You need to have measures for productivity, cost, quality, service, morale, and safety. You need to balance your operational scorecard so if you improve one measure, it doesn’t come at the expense of another. These are the vital signs of your operation and understanding them is of high importance to the leader. An organization that has 15-20 or more “key” measures lacks clarity and focus. Re-examine your scorecard and make sure you are measuring the vital few.
Knowing your profile is key
You need to understand the mix of products coming in and out of your building, the number of pallets, the product mix, etc. As your profile changes your labor requirements, processes, and systems change as well. A manager who doesn’t know his profile doesn’t know his business.
Standardize your processes
All major repetitive activities need standardized processes so they are consistently repeatable. Most importantly, repeatable processes allow work standards to be created and labor management and planning to occur. Without standard processes, Quality and Safety cannot sustain any improvement.
Inspect what you expect
Leaders should witness for themselves the current state of the operation. Many times, leaders use opinion and feelings to make important decisions. Worse, they make many decisions sitting behind a desk looking at a computer screen or a long spreadsheet. This type of interaction is dangerous to an organization. If a leaders states he/she doesn’t have time to visit the operation, then they should reevaluate their priorities. If people are indeed our greatest asset, shouldn’t we be spending most of our time with them developing their capabilities?
Improve your processes
Once you have standard, repeatable processes in place — as well as baseline measurements for all your processes — you need to continuously evaluate and improve them to be competitive in the marketplace. Your competition isn’t resting on its laurels and you can’t either. Always strive to improve your processes, whether it is through incremental or transformational change.
Onboard the right talent.
Not all talent is the same and not all industries need the same talent. Companies often create one profile for a position and use it for all industry verticals. Develop specific profiles, for specific roles, in each industry vertical (e.g. consumer goods, healthcare, food) and review those profiles regularly — especially as the market changes.
Conclusion
From continually improving your processes to paying attention to on-going oversight, using the above warehouse best practices will help you identify the greatest opportunities within your organization, continuously improve operations and stay competitive in the market place. To speak with one of our technical experts, please call 1-216-229-9300. And thank you for reading our post.
Most Popular Types of Industrial Shelving
By: Larry Rausch – Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Navigating through all the different types of industrial shelving can be a daunting task. We are often asked to recommend the most popular types of industrial shelving. This post is intended to provide our view of the most popular types and the best uses of each as it pertains to your specific application
First off, there are several things you must consider when looking at the various types of industrial shelves currently available. Some of these include:
- What are your floor space requirements?
- What is the weight of the material to be stored?
- Are the items breakable?
- Is the shelving for longterm use?
- Will you need to add and remove items on an ongoing basis?
- Are aesthetics important?
- How will the items be placed and removed?
- Will items be forklifted or rolled on?
Whether there are less expensive shelves available or not, buying the right ones the first time is far more likely to provide you with the best possible return on your investment. Given these considerations, based on our experience, the following are the most popular types of industrial shelving.
Wire Racks
Many industries believe wire racks to be the most attractive form of industrial shelving. They are perfect for use in a wide range of commercial and industrial applications. Not only does this type of industrial shelves offer you better product visibility, it also offers better airflow than steel shelving. It easily allows you access from both sides of the shelving section. While it is not quite as durable as steel shelving, it can still hold a significant amount of weight and take a reasonable amount of abuse. It is fast and easy to assemble and ideal for smaller or larger applications.
Wire racks do not collect dust and in the event of a fire will not hinder the water spray from a fire sprinkler system. These shelves are available as stationary units, mobile units, and for bin storage, making them extremely versatile. The shelves themselves are relatively light weight and are resistant to issues such as mold
Pallet Racking Systems
If your business or industrial facility receives inventory or stores it on pallets, you need somewhere to store everything off the floor in an easy to access format. Pallet racking is the answer and they let you make better use of vertical space. Pallet storage racks feature a heavy-duty frame along with heavy duty beam levels.
The entire shelving system frame is assembled using nuts and bolts or welding to ensure it stays firmly put together. Using bolts to anchor the racking system to the floor also helps to ensure the shelves are not accidentally knocked over by the forks of the forklift. You can adjust each individual shelf height to suit the palletized items you need to store. There is a wide range of accessories available designed to let you customize your shelving to meet your varied storage needs.
Steel Shelving
Steel shelving is among the most commonly used shelving in most industrial applications. Not only is this type of shelving relatively inexpensive, it is very robust in design, providing you with many years of service. Steel shelving has the advantage of being able to take on the brunt of your storage needs and can handle varying amounts of weight depending on the gauge of the steel, the design of the shelves, and their support system. There are two different styles of this type of shelving:
Open Steel Shelving – Instead of steel panels, these shelves use braces to provide the necessary stability. The design allows employees to access products from all four sides. It is possible to join multiple shelving units together with longer support braces to create long shelving runs. The open-air design may also be useful in certain instances where constant air flow is necessary.
Bulk Storage Racks
Industrial storage racks come in an incredibly wide array of sizes intended to let you decide the best possible configuration for your specific application. One of the more common varieties of this type of industrial shelving is the wide span shelf. These shelves feature heavy duty uprights and cross braces made to handle a load. Depending on the type of shelving you order, a single shelf may be able to hold several hundred pounds.
In most cases, the shelves are made from 1/2-inch or thicker plywood that can be easily replaced should it become damaged. However, you can also buy galvanized steel shelving panels for those items that cannot, for one reason or another, be stored on a wood shelf. This may include chemicals, certain foods, and items that are simply too heavy for a wood shelf to handle.
Rivet Shelving
Rivet shelving is considered to be the most economical form of industrial shelving available. It tends to be strong, durable and can provide exceptionally easy access to both sides of the shelving section. The rivet design entails affixing a rivet-like head to either the corners of the shelves or on the steel framework at specific intervals.
Assembling rivet shelving requires no more than sliding the rivets of each beam into slots on the frame at the desired height, then tapping with a rubber mallet to lock into place. Another term used for these types of industrial shelves made by companies like Interlake Racks is boltless shelves as they require absolutely no bolts to assemble them. They can be used in warehouses, stock rooms, and for a wide range of industrial applications.
Conclusion
We recommend that you take into account many different considerations when purchasing your industrial shelving. Based on this, the most popular shelving can include wire racks, pallet racks, bulk storage racks and rivet shelving.
We hope this post provided you helpful information as it relates to understanding the most popular types of industrial shelving systems. To speak with one of our technical experts, please call 1-216-229-9300. And thank you for reading our post.
Myths About Inventory Management
By: Larry Rausch – Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Inventory management can be very tricky. Many clients often ask us our thoughts on the best practices and the common myths when it comes to inventory management. This post will weigh in on our suggestions as to key considerations when you’re looking at this aspect of your operation.
The Myths About Inventory Management
Local Management Is Better
Some operators believe that using local warehouses are the best way to store products. That way of thinking isn’t always the most effective. When deciding where to store your stock, it will serve you better to consider where the customers are located. Which location is going to help you get products to the customers the quickest way, while providing greater order fulfillment services? Even if you fulfill the orders yourself, it may be worth it to research a hybrid fulfillment operation. When profit margins are low, saving a few dollars on shipping can be worth outsourcing to certain parts of the country.
Having More Stock Is Better
Preventing stock shortages is important. It keeps customers happy and prevents bad reviews and loss of sales. But, that doesn’t mean you should keep more stock on-hand.
When you have too much stock, you not only have your capital tied up in products sitting on shelves. Plus, you must keep in mind that trends change, customers can be fickle, and product packaging changes all the time, not to mention the shelf life of products.
You don’t want to be stuck with a surplus of products that you can’t sell.
Inventory Management Isn’t Necessary For Forecasting.
Many operators believe they can accurately forecast future sales with only past sales data. That isn’t true. Effective and accurate inventory management will help you maintain the right quantities of stock, follow trends, calculate lead time for restocking, and most importantly, know what is no longer selling and should be removed from your inventory.
Inventory Management Can Be Implemented Post Launch
Many companies try to get their business underway and then organize the inventory management later down the track. Unfortunately, this can lead to delays and complications with your product. It’s extremely important that inventory management is set up before you get started. This way when goods and materials start coming in, you are already organized. If you try to implement a system after you already have a stack of inventory, it can be chaotic and inefficient.
Inventory Management Is Separate From Sales Forecasting
When predicting consumer demand, inventory management needs to be factored into the equation. With the right tools, you can look back on previous sales and inventory history. You can derive patterns with this information and use it to sculpt your forecasting. Misconceptions and myths about inventory management can cause negative impacts on business operations. With the right software, your business can remain competitive, profitable and very informed.
Conclusion
Applying best practices to managing your inventory is key in leveraging efficiencies and lowering your overall costs. From analyzing sales history to having more stock on hand, using best practices in inventory management will save you time, money and reduce your headaches.
We hope this post provided you helpful information as it relates to understanding how best to manage your overall warehouse space. To speak with one of our technical experts, please call 1-216-229-9300. And thank you for reading our post.
Tips On How Pallet Racks Can Improve Profits
By: Larry Rausch – Vice President of Sales and Marketing
In this post on how pallet racks can improve profits, we will explore the changing landscape of plant operations and the best way to select racking to help improve profits. Many customers don’t consider the impact increased efficiencies can affect costs and profits. Pallet rack purchasing is not a simple and easy project. Much thought should be given to this process if you want the end-product to be as efficient as possible. This post is intended to provide facility managers with the correct pathways when considering the purchase of pallet racking systems to impact profit.
If you’re in charge of a plant, you know the importance of keeping everything running smoothly to maintain your production schedule and minimize downtime. Unplanned downtime leads to lost revenue and should be avoided at all costs.
Selecting the right pallet-racking system can make a big difference in your bottom line, especially when labor is scarce and the price of warehouse space continues to increase.
Pallet racking also makes warehouses clean and tidy, which improves efficiency and helps to prevent misplaced items. Furthermore, consistent use of warehouse pallet racks for storage increases pick and put-away time and improves the flexibility of existing space.
Types of Pallet-Racking Systems
There are many types of warehouse pallet-racking systems available, each one designed for different applications and facility types—some offer dense storage capacity while others offer easier access to stored loads. Some of the most common systems include selective, drive-in, push-back, pallet flow, and double-deep.
Push-Back
Push-back pallet racking is an alternative method that is nearly identical to drive-in and continuing to grow in popularity. This system can go two to six pallets deep and uses the first in, last out product flow system in any given lane. Push-back pallet racks tend to give building owners/operators more flexibility than other systems.
Selective
Selective pallet racking is the most popular and versatile system in the industry and maintains the lowest upfront cost per pallet position compared to other systems. Additionally, ease of adjustability, full selectivity, and direct access to a diverse stock-keeping unit (SKU) count provides ease of scalability, especially as the market grows and more pallet racking is required.
Drive-In
For cost-effective, high-density storage, drive-in pallet racking is often the best choice. Requiring fewer aisles and providing better space utilization than standard selective pallet racks, drive-in racking allows you to store up to 75 percent more pallets. Drive-in pallet racking allows forklifts to drive directly into the rack to allow storage of two or more pallets deep.
Pallet Flow
Commonly used for storing a large number of pallets of the same product or SKU, pallet flow racks provide a space-saving, high-density solution to your storage needs. Utilizing the first in, first out methodology, these racks get inventory moving—pallets are loaded from one side and picked from the other while the rest of the work is done by durable, high-performance wheels. This has the potential to save both time and labor.
Double-Deep
Double-deep pallet-racking systems use 11-foot aisles but include a double-deep access system. This is achieved by placing two sections of pallet rack back-to-back, effectively increasing storage capacity while maintaining one access aisle.
A Little More About Racks
Pallet racks are the lifeblood of most distribution centers and warehouse facilities. Warehouse pallet-racking systems are most effective when they fit your product and inventory management model and are compatible with your lift equipment.
A properly designed and installed pallet-racking system can increase productivity and maximize storage in your warehouse, especially when expansion isn’t an option. If you have any additional questions about types of pallet racks, pallet-racking installation, or how the right pallet racking can improve your bottom line, refer to our blog on “Questions to ask your pallet rack installer.”
In Conclusion
Pallet racking systems are the backbone of an industrial warehouse. From understanding capacity, space and storage, to the different types of racking systems, your next pallet racking purchase will be as efficient and cost effective as possible.
We hope this post provided you helpful information as it relates to best practices in warehouse design and management. To speak with one of our technical experts, please call 1-216-229-9300. And thank you for reading our post.
What is the Best Racking System for Your Warehouse?
By: Larry Rausch – Vice President of Sales and Marketing
We are often asked the age old question as to which racking system is best for certain warehouse operations. This may seem obvious enough, but there is more to it than one would think. Like other similar blogs we have posted, this information is designed to help you work through the anwers to this age of question.
First off, if you’re in charge of a plant, you know the importance of keeping everything running smoothly to maintain your production schedule and minimize downtime. Unplanned downtime leads to lost revenue and should be avoided at all costs. Selecting the right racking system can make a big difference in your bottom line, especially when labor is scarce and the price of warehouse space continues to increase.
Why Warehouse Racking?
Making the most of your space is essential. Racking systems improve the efficiency of warehouse operations by enabling more effective use of available space. Racking systems help plant managers make better use of vertical space because they can safely store materials on high shelves without risk.
Racking systems also allow warehouses to be clean and tidy, which improves efficiency and helps to prevent misplaced items. Furthermore, consistent use of these warehouse systems for storage increases pick and put-away time and improves the flexibility of existing space.
As you search for storage systems for your warehouse, it’s important to order the type of racking that will best suit the needs of your space, your product, and most importantly your workers.
Look for providers who offer several options that can be tailored to your specific warehouse space’s needs. Below are some of the most popular racking and storage systems available on the market.
Pallet Racking
There’s a reason why pallet racking is one of the most popular racking solutions on the market. This single or multi-level storage system is utilized to support high stacking or pallet loads in your warehouse. Often built from strong materials like steel, pallet racks also allow quick access to your stored materials. There are several pallet racking variations to best optimize your warehouse space for the type of storage solution you need, some of which are included below!
Carton Flow Racks
If you need even more flexibility and movement to your racking, then consider carton flow racking. They’re a type of shelving that uses gravity to its advantage for inclined runways that are loaded in the rear, with first-in-first-out access to your product. They offer strategically placed beams for creating optimal slopes for the included flock tracks and rollers. Smaller than its sibling the pallet flow system, the carton flow racks are an excellent option for lighter load cases.
Drive In Racking
If your priority is high-density storage with forklift accessibility, then look to drive in pallet racking. This cost-effective solution is cost-effective with its deep lane storage focus and removal of access aisles. Products are stored on a first-in last-out basis and can be several pallets deep depending on how much storage is needed in your warehouse.
Selective Racking
If your team requires immediate access to products and quick loading and unloading time, then the versatility of selective pallet racking will do the trick! Directly access loads without moving every other pallet thanks to its custom build in either structural steel or roll form steel. With its
high-capacity beams for ultimate stability, it’s no wonder why these are one of the most favored racking options on the market.
Cantilever Racking
Not all products that need to be stored are uniform or convenient in shape or weight. For longer, bulkier items like lumber, piping, and more, look to cantilever racking for heavy-duty storage shelving. They’re easy to install and space-efficient for those who need a quick solution to the unconventional products, whether you plan to use them inside your warehouse or for outdoor, these systems are an ideal choice for many operations.
Conclusion
There are many options when it comes to racking and storage solutions available for your operation. From pallet racking to cantilever racking, undertanding which solution is best for your facility will save you time and money in the long run.
We hope this post provided you helpful information as it relates to racking system selection. To speak with one of our technical experts, please call 1-216-229-9300. And thank you for reading our post.
Shelving Guide For Those Just Starting Out
By: Larry Rausch – Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Many customers who are just starting out in the inventory management business are confronted with a whole host of questions that can be quite confusing. This post is intended to be a high level guide as to what to think through if you are an inventory management beginner.
First, if bulk storage is your business, finding the ideal shelving solution begins by investigating your options. Think about how much space you have to work with and the types of items you plan to shelve. If you frequently find yourself needing to re-arrange the layout of your warehouse, metal clip-type shelving that replaces semi-permanent nuts and bolts in favor of compression clips allows for easy installation and greater flexibility when storing bulkier packages.
There is no limit to the features you can have when it comes to shelving. As a guide to help you understand the basics of industrial shelving, below are some other configurations for your consideration.
- Closed Unit– When storing sensitive items like food and other perishables, Closed Unit shelving can prevent hazards like open-air contamination from dust particles and temperature shifts. On a smaller scale, closed units make great in-office additions since they can be customized to match surrounding decor.
- Multilevel– This type of system expands the capacity of your warehouse with minimal overhead cost. Multilevel systems are best known for their ability to help you utilize unused overhead space. If you’re planning an expansion of your current space or weighing the costs of a pricey facility move, they’re a great cost effective alternative. These units also have a specially engineered design that surpasses OSHA safety requirements
- Open Unit– For the products in your warehouse with especially high volume, like new tech devices or seasonal items, open unit shelving is designed to aid re-stocking and retrieval. Sway braces also add a layer of stability to bulky, boxed, or packaged items.
- Bin Unit– When storing intricate pieces and parts associated with the same order, organization and separation are top priority. Bin shelving units are complete with adjustable dividers that allow for a wide variety of configurations. Ideal for varying organizations including mechanics shops or hardware stores.
If easy assembly and stability are your top priorities, boltless shelving, otherwise known as rivet shelving or particle board shelving, could be the way to go.
Whether your operation is temporary or you’re looking for a quick stopgap solution, it’s great when you need a light-duty option. The unit arrives in a compact bundle that requires little more than a rubber mallet to affix the unit together. With nuts, bolts, and fasteners removed from the equation, it’s ready to help you get organized in a snap.
Depending on what type of application you require there are different types of boltless shelving that can help meet your needs:
- Low Profile Shelving- This unit gets its name due to its ability to effectively store items with minimal use of space. Its ability to play well with mobile and mezzanine systems make this multipurpose shelving an ideal choice for an array of applications. Similar in ability to steel and metal shelving units, but with a much more economical price tag.
- Long Span Shelving-Ideal for retail and other types of manual storage that require a high capacity system, these tough yet functional units are a highly economical solution that offer versatility and adaptability.
- Z Beam Shelving-To get the benefits of both long span and low profile shelving Z Beam is the way to go. These units form a system that’s capable of handling your high capacity loads with a low-profile beam. Also perfect in the offices or backroom areas where space is the main concern.
Ultimately, even if you know the benefits and ways industrial shelving can improve your picking processes or overall organization, it can be difficult to know which options are right for your operation. Let this guide serve as a jumping off point and help to get your business moving forward.
Conclusion
If you are new to the industrial shelving segment, the options, types and applications can be a bit confusing. From closed and open unit to multi-unit and bin unit storage, selecting the right system for your application is key to saving you time and money.
We hope this guide has provided you a high-level understanding when it comes to industrial shelving. For more answers to your shelving questions, please call one of our technical experts at 1-216-229-9300. And thank you for reading our post.
Tips On How Pallet Racks Can Improve Profits
By: Larry Rausch – Vice President of Sales and Marketing
In this post on how pallet racks can improve profits, we will explore the changing landscape of plant operations and the best way to select racking to help improve profits. Many customers don’t consider the impact increased efficiencies can affect costs and profits. Pallet rack purchasing is not a simple and easy project. Much thought should be given to this process if you want the end-product to be as efficient as possible. This post is intended to provide facility managers with the correct pathways when considering the purchase of pallet racking systems to impact profit.
If you’re in charge of a plant, you know the importance of keeping everything running smoothly to maintain your production schedule and minimize downtime. Unplanned downtime leads to lost revenue and should be avoided at all costs.
Selecting the right pallet-racking system can make a big difference in your bottom line, especially when labor is scarce and the price of warehouse space continues to increase.
Pallet racking also makes warehouses clean and tidy, which improves efficiency and helps to prevent misplaced items. Furthermore, consistent use of warehouse pallet racks for storage increases pick and put-away time and improves the flexibility of existing space.
Types of Pallet-Racking Systems
There are many types of warehouse pallet-racking systems available, each one designed for different applications and facility types—some offer dense storage capacity while others offer
easier access to stored loads. Some of the most common systems include selective, drive-in, push-back, pallet flow, and double-deep.
Push-Back
Push-back pallet racking is an alternative method that is nearly identical to drive-in and continuing to grow in popularity. This system can go two to six pallets deep and uses the first in, last out product flow system in any given lane. Push-back pallet racks tend to give building owners/operators more flexibility than other systems.
Selective
Selective pallet racking is the most popular and versatile system in the industry and maintains the lowest upfront cost per pallet position compared to other systems. Additionally, ease of adjustability, full selectivity, and direct access to a diverse stock-keeping unit (SKU) count provides ease of scalability, especially as the market grows and more pallet racking is required.
Drive-In
For cost-effective, high-density storage, drive-in pallet racking is often the best choice. Requiring fewer aisles and providing better space utilization than standard selective pallet racks, drive-in racking allows you to store up to 75 percent more pallets. Drive-in pallet racking allows forklifts to drive directly into the rack to allow storage of two or more pallets deep.
Pallet Flow
Commonly used for storing a large number of pallets of the same product or SKU, pallet flow racks provide a space-saving, high-density solution to your storage needs. Utilizing the first in, first out methodology, these racks get inventory moving—pallets are loaded from one side and picked from the other while the rest of the work is done by durable, high-performance wheels. This has the potential to save both time and labor.
Double-Deep
Double-deep pallet-racking systems use 11-foot aisles but include a double-deep access system. This is achieved by placing two sections of pallet rack back-to-back, effectively increasing storage capacity while maintaining one access aisle.
A Little More About Racks
Pallet racks are the lifeblood of most distribution centers and warehouse facilities. Warehouse pallet-racking systems are most effective when they fit your product and inventory management model and are compatible with your lift equipment.
A properly designed and installed pallet-racking system can increase productivity and maximize storage in your warehouse, especially when expansion isn’t an option. If you have any additional questions about types of pallet racks, pallet-racking installation, or how the right pallet racking can improve your bottom line, refer to our blog on “Questions to ask your pallet rack installer.”
In Conclusion
Pallet racking systems are the backbone of an industrial warehouse. From understanding capacity, space and storage, to the different types of racking systems, your next pallet racking purchase will be as efficient and cost effective as possible.
We hope this post provided you helpful information as it relates to best practices in warehouse design and management. To speak with one of our technical experts, please call 1-216-229-9300. And thank you for reading our post.
Putting Safety First With Your Pallet Rack Safety
By: Larry Rausch – Vice President of Sales and Marketing
We can’t talk enough about safety. That’s why you will find many posts on our blog regarding the subject. This post is intended to provide more useful tips on best practices when it comes to pallet rack safety. You can score an A+ safety record by following these simple five tips.
The safety of your warehouse workers should be of the utmost importance to you, and one area of safety you should always keep in mind is pallet racking safety. Your storage equipment is the essence of your warehouse, and it is what takes up most of the space in your warehouse. To ensure workers’ safety, annual rack safety inspections performed by rack safety experts are not enough. Internal inspections should be done on more regular intervals such as every week, every other week, or every month. Check for damage to the racks and be sure your workers are following the safety protocols you have put in place. Here are some tips to help employees adhere to safety guidelines.
Train Your Forklift Operators
There are many reasons why pallet racks may fail and cause damage; however, one common reason is untrained forklift operators. Operating machinery can be difficult since it usually involves making tight turns and carries the risk of bumping into nearby racks. OSHA mandates that all forklift operators be trained, and that is exactly what needs to happen if you want to keep your warehouse safe and accident-free.
Pay Attention To Your Warehouse Layout
It is important that the warehouse aisles are wide enough to safely navigate with any necessary machinery. While it’s tempting to make aisles small so that the warehouse can hold more merchandise, this can result in serious trouble when it makes it impossible to avoid bumping into pallets and pallet racking systems with equipment.
Properly Placed Loads
Pallet racks are like any other piece of equipment and should be used properly at all times. This includes placing loads on pallet racks in the proper way to ensure maximum safety and function. Items which have been placed on pallet racks should be properly secured to prevent them from moving and potentially causing damage or injury. Again, it is important to know the rack’s holding capacity so it is not overloaded—especially on the upper levels. Workers also need to know how to account for the dimensions and shape of the load they are taking to be stored. They should know which types of loads go on which types of racks and how they affect the rack’s load capacity.
Label Everything Correctly
If you walk away with only one thought from this post, this is it and we put in bold…..be sure each pallet rack is labeled with its correct weight capacity. Knowing capacity of the rack is critical. It is easy for racks to become overloaded and unstable. With the correct labeling, employees know how they should position loads and how many items they can place on any given rack. Labels give warehouse workers the vital information they need to know at a glance. Make sure the labels you are using are just as durable as the racks themselves. The weight capacity of a rack will not change over time, so make sure the label lasts the lifetime of the rack.
Inspection. Inspection. Inspection.
When conducting an inspection, each individual component of the rack should be taken into account. Front and rear posts, uprights, baseplates, beams, and braces can all sustain damage from forklifts. Put together a checklist of all areas which need to be regularly checked to ensure that nothing is overlooked. Even the smallest compromised area can be disastrous when it finally gives out.
Conclusion
Applying best practices to managing your warehouse pallet racks is key to ensuring worker safety and reducing your down time. Pay attention to warehouse layout, inspections and labeling. to mention a few. Ensuring your pallet rack safety protocols are being adhered to will maximize your uptime and reduce your headaches.
We hope this post provided you helpful information as it relates to pallet rack safety guidelines. To speak with one of our technical experts, please call 1-216-229-9300. And thank you for reading our post.