One of the questions we are asked most is “What is the best type of warehouse racking system?” The answer, helpfully, is ‘it depends’!
Of course, the warehouse racking that will be best for your situation depends entirely on the type of stock held. Ultimately, having the right warehouse racking system, which works with your stock, can make a massive difference to efficiency and thus your bottom line. The wrong choice can make it harder to access stock and therefore have an impact on overall efficiency.
So, before we embark on the types of warehouse racking available, this is a list of the points we recommend taking into consideration with regard to the products generally stocked in your warehouse:
- Weight
- Size and shape
- Stock rotation (FIFO or LIFO)
- Number of SKU
- Whether you deliver whole pallets or stock pick from pallets
- Picking equipment
- Budget
- Future changes
Warehouse Racking Systems
There are many ways to organise warehouse racking but here are some of the most popular types which would be discussed with you if you ring our expert team:
Selective Racking
Possibly the best pallet racking for versatility and the most widely used storage system for goods stored on pallets. Selective racking is allows direct access to each pallet from the aisle which is ideal when there are a relatively low number of pallets per SKU.
This type of racking generally requires a smaller investment than other types of pallet racking.
Double Deep Pallet Racking
Double Deep Pallet Racking increases capacity by storing pallets with the same SKU behind each other. This type of storage requires counterbalanced forklift trucks with the option of long reach in order to load and unload the rear pallet. This may also mean the need for wider aisles, which would reduce storage density.
However Double Deep Pallet Racking is a cheaper option than Dynamic Push Back Racking (see below) because it does not use the roller system to bring the rear pallet to the front.
Dynamic Push Back Pallet Racking
Dynamic Push Back Pallet Racking is a warehouse storage system designed to maximise warehouse capacity and make loading and unloading as straightforward as possible. Pallets of the same SKU are stored behind each other, with the one behind pushed to the rear when a front one is loaded. When the front pallet is unloaded, the rear pallet comes to the front.
Dynamic Push Back Pallet Racking is generally used when FILO stock rotation is appropriate.
Pallet Flow Racking
Pallets are placed on gravity roll tracks and move from the point of entry to the unloading point using gravity and the angle of the racking.
Best for FIFO stock rotation and ideal where stock rotates relatively quickly.
Cantilever Racking
This type of racking consists of long arms which extend from a framework which is bolted to the floor for stability. Cantilever racking is best used for long items such as piping, timber and carpet where the item rests across multiple arms.
Cantilever Racking can either be fixed against a wall or as double-sided racking where product is accessible from both sides.
Drive In Racking
Whereas the systems described above involve racking structures divided by aisles, in Drive In Racking, pallets are stored on a cantilevered structure in blocks and forklift trucks load and unload pallets by driving into the block.
Drive In racking is a highly efficient method of warehouse storage which maximises storage and thus reduces ongoing costs.
It requires FILO stock rotation.
Contact us now to find out more about our second hand pallet racking solutions or how we could help design the best pallet racking options for your warehouse.
