These days, warehouse space is always at a premium. According to a recent industry estimate, The US alone will require as much as 1 billion more square feet of warehouse space by 2025. But in the meantime, the best businesses can do is to maximize the warehouse space they do have. And there’s no better way to do that than through the effective use of pallet racks. Here are the best ways to use them for warehouse storage.
Begin with Proper Capacity Planning
Even though pallet racks allow warehouse operators to maximize the usable storage capacity in their facilities, they’re not all created equal. And purchasing pallet racks that will support the size and weight of the products they’ll need to hold is essential. Otherwise, their addition creates a safety hazard for workers, as well as the possibility of doing costly damage to the products in the warehouse.
And it’s also important to remember that simply purchasing over-capable racking systems isn’t the best idea either. That will mean spending more money on storage space that will be permanently underutilized. It’s a better idea to plan a pallet rack system with enough capacity (weight and size) for the warehouse’s anticipated needs. With the right system in place, it’s then a good idea to post the minimum and maximum load where workers can see it – and to create an organizational strategy that makes the most effective use of the new space.
Design a Pallet Rack System with Workflow in Mind
The primary function of a warehouse pallet rack system is to increase the amount of product you can fit in the space you have. But that doesn’t mean warehouse operators should simply cram as many pallet racks into their space as they can. To make the most effective use of pallet racks, it’s critical to design a layout that supports the workflow of the warehouse they’re going into.
Consider, for example, how products move through the space. In the portion of a warehouse that handles loading and unloading, it’s never a good idea to sacrifice flexibility for extra storage. Doing so could hamper operations in a way that hurts productivity – making the new storage space redundant. Instead, it’s best to create a layout that considers the needed functionality in each portion of the building, making alterations as needed to preserve an optimal environment for the work taking place within it.
Consider a Pallet Rack Mezzanine
When most people think of pallet racks, they envision tall shelving units that reach up to the ceiling of a warehouse. And it’s true, some pallet rack designs are essentially that. But that isn’t the only option available. It’s also possible to create additional workspace using pallet racks, in the form of a pallet rack mezzanine.
This is the equivalent of adding a second floor to a warehouse but at a drastically reduced cost. It involves the installation of specialized decking that’s supported by the same pallet rack structure used for standard shelving. With it, a warehouse can almost double its floor space and keep products more accessible without the need for extensive lift systems.
Deploy a Vertical Lift System
Although putting overhead space to use with pallet racks increases the total storage capacity of a warehouse, it also complicates the logistics of moving items between hard-to-reach shelves. In most cases, this requires the use of employee-operated forklifts to shuttle pallets from one location to another.
But that’s not the only option. Pallet rack systems are often compatible with vertical lift systems that can reach higher shelves and bring pallets of products down to floor level at the touch of a button. This not only improves the safety of the warehouse work environment but also further decreases the chances of accidental damage to products as they’re moved about. Some more advanced vertical lift systems even include the possibility of automation, as well as integration with warehouse management and ERP systems.
Warehouse Efficiency Maximized
Through effective use of pallet racks and related systems, warehouse operators can get the most out of the space they have and reduce the need for costly facility expansions. With warehouse space already at a premium, it’s a useful and necessary strategy to turn to. And getting it right means creating maximum efficiency in any warehouse. In an industry all about logistics – there could be no better all-around solution.
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