How to Choose warehouse pallet racking?

A quality pallet racking system can enhance your warehouse's operational efficiency and space utilization. Many key factors impact the best option for your unique layout and processes. You will need to be thoughtful about your decision to ensure you choose the ideal configuration to match the needs of your facility and enhance daily workflows.

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Below are several practical tips for selecting the right pallet rack for your warehouse.

1. Assess Your Available Warehouse Space

When selecting the right pallet rack for a warehouse, consider the available warehouse space ' it will determine the type of rack you choose and its dimensions. 

Consider both the floor and vertical space your racks can occupy. You can maximize storage in your facility by investing in taller racking systems.

Assess the general layout of your warehouse to get a precise idea of the aisle width, height limitations, and ideal shelving levels to ensure seamless movement of goods and equipment. Working with a professional to design an efficient warehouse layout will help bring into focus the proper rack type and overall warehouse design.

2. Account for Equipment Movement

The pallet racking system you choose should accommodate your equipment. Warehouses rely on machines such as forklifts and aerial equipment to retrieve and move goods around the aisles. You should factor in the specifications and limitations of your equipment when choosing a racking system.

As you analyze the specifications of your material handling equipment, be certain to confirm they will be compatible with your planned racking layout. Key considerations to ensure you accommodate your warehouse fleet in pallet rack design include aisle width, lifting capacity, maneuverability and reach height.

You want to account for enough aisle width for equipment like forklifts based on the machine's turning radius. Your warehouse setup should accommodate safe, efficient navigation through each aisle to minimize potential accidents and mishaps. 

3. Determine Your Budget

Research different systems to get an idea of average pricing. Factors such as rack components, accessories, size, installation and type will impact your final costs. System maintenance should also be considered when determining your budget.

When selecting the right pallet rack for a warehouse ' work with a trusted provider to ensure you are getting the right system at the best price. A professional can help you select a system within your budget that will safely and effectively fulfill your storage needs. 

4. Evaluate Different Pallet Rack Design Options

Pallet racking systems come in multiple designs to meet varying warehouse needs. You do not need to be a design expert to find the perfect setup for your space. Again, it cannot be overstated, working with a warehouse professional will help you determine which type is best for your warehouse. They can answer your questions, make recommendations for things you may not have considered, and ensure you stay on the right path towards selecting a final solution that truly enhance your daily operations.

Here are a few of the various racking systems to consider:

• Selective: Selective racking is a common design with a single deep storage space. Its design makes access to each pallet fast and easy.
• Double-deep: Similar to selective racking, double-deep racking provides two rows of pallet positions, which increases storage depth.
• Drive-through: This robust storage system allows forklifts to enter the racking structure through the open ends, which offers more dense storage.
• Push-back: The push-back system uses carts to store up to five deep pallets, providing dense storage without requiring the lift operator to enter the system.
• Cantilever: The system utilizes a straightforward design ideal for storing long or irregular goods. Since the design is filled with rows but lacks front-facing columns, it provides easy product access.
• Pallet flow: Pallet flow is a first-in-first-out (FIFO) system that uses gravity to rotate stock.

5. Carefully Measure Racking Dimensions

The dimensions of a racking system are just as important as the design of your warehouse's layout. Selecting the optimum sizes will ensure overall warehouse efficiency because aisle configuration, equipment navigation, restocking and retrieving operations will be seamless. The racking system should be properly engineered to ensure safe pallet storage. 

Load information is necessary to properly design a racking system. Maximum weight, width, depth, and height of the pallet will determine the required dimensions of your pallet racking system. 

6. Determine Load Capacity and Dimensions

One of the most practical tips for selecting the right pallet rack is to look at the products you intend to store. Different goods may require different storage requirements. The weight must comply with local regulations to ensure safety when handling your items. 

Want more information on warehouse pallet racking? Feel free to contact us.

Explore the following steps to determine load capacity and dimensions:

• Assess the weight of your goods: Calculate the maximum load capacity of your loaded pallets in order to determine the required capacity of your pallet racking system.
• Analyze the dimensions of your items: Depending on the type of goods your warehouse handles, you may have more or less opportunity to maximize vertical space because dimensions impact safety and stability.
• Review inventory size and volume: Can the racking system accommodate all your goods? How much inventory does your warehouse hold, and will the size and volume maximize floor space? These questions will help you pick a system suitable for your entire inventory. 

7. Establish Safety Requirements

Facilities must have emergency safety procedures to ensure a conducive environment for everyone within the workspace. As a critical part of your facility, your racking system must comply with industry safety regulations, and everyone working around it must adhere to important requirements.

Safety begins with the planning and selection process. Choose a system with high-quality steel and other durable materials. During installation, collaborate with qualified professionals to ensure the correct alignment of all components. In addition, conduct regular safety inspections and maintenance to identify and fix potential issues, such as structural damage or loose parts.

Explore Quality Pallet Rack Solutions from Eastern Lift Truck Co.

Investing in a pallet racking system can enhance warehouse operations, boost efficiency, and improve worker safety. If you need help in choosing pallet racking, the ELT Warehouse Products Group at Eastern Lift Truck Co. is ready to assist you. Our team has helped countless customers navigate the many decisions needed to land on the best feasible options to suit your budget, load capacity and dimensional needs.

Working with a trusted pallet rack provider is important, and Eastern Lift Truck Co. is a reputable full-service equipment company with over 50 years of industry experience serving the Mid-Atlantic region. We take pride in delivering unparalleled quality products and services. 

Warehouse operations rely on pallet racking to safely store inventory. The balance between keeping that inventory safe and making it easy to retrieve is often a tricky one, but choosing the right racks can help your staff make inventory management simpler.

Here are some factors to consider when choosing a new pallet racking system for your operation:

Height, Depth, and Capacity

It is not enough to know the simple measurements of a pallet rack. These measurements may tell you how tall a unit stands or how wide it sits, but they are not as important as the height, depth, and capacity measurements of each shelf.

Capacity measures how much weight each shelf can hold. This generally refers to the load-bearing capability or strength of the shelf. This is an important measurement, since the variation in size and shape of items being stored means giving a number capacity is impossible.

Height and depth are equally important, since improving space utilization is the best way to maximize storage density and therefore profitability. Just be sure to leave plenty of room above your storage racks for sprinkler systems to ensure compliance with OSHA regulations!

Wire Decking

Not all racking systems include decking. Wire decking can be added to keep loose product from falling through the rack. It is an especially helpful accessory in hand picking applications! Remember that heavy or large objects may require stronger decking.

Type and Variety of Inventory

Speaking of the items stored in your pallet racks, the type of inventory your facility stores is very important to the type of shelving you choose. A facility with many items but a small variety should prioritize storage density. A facility with many different types of items should prioritize selectivity. How often your staff needs to access the racks and pull items from them should guide your decision about which type of racking is best suited to your operation. Remember that not all products should be stored the same way. There is also nothing wrong with incorporating multiple types of rack solutions into you warehouse.

Inventory Management System

Every company has a preferred inventory management system. For those with perishable items or those where the oldest stock must be sold first, the first-in, first-out ' or FIFO ' system is used. An ideal option for these operations can bepallet flow racking. Operations where this is not important might prefer a last-in, first-out ' or LIFO ' inventory management system. This allows staff to retrieve the last-added item first, often by using pushback racking.

Since inventory management is one of the most important elements of warehouse operation, this is also one of the biggest deciding factors in choosing your racking system. If you are struggling to choose the right racks for your business, be sure to discuss inventory management with your provider for the best possible match.

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