The efficiency and storage of products in a warehouse or distribution center is always a top priority with our customers. The answer, however, is usually always different for each customer. Different customers have different products and services, which need different solutions.
So what are some things to consider when buying pallet racking for your space?
Safety
Proper design and construction of pallet racks is the most important aspect of a successful project. Safety is always a top concern. Various manufacturers can handle the same capacity but some provide additional protection for abuse and engineer their products with higher safety factors.
Area to be Racked
The first step in the proper design of a warehouse racking project is knowing the area being considered for storage. Everything from width, height, elevation and accessibility to the space are important. All of these are essential things to consider when planning your new rack space. Climate is also very important. For example, freezer, cool or ambient environments require different products.
SKU Mix
The various number of SKUs being stored in a particular area is a major factor to the design. The 4 main designs to consider are ‘low SKU-high volume’, ‘high SKU-high volume’, low SKU-low volume’ and ‘high SKU-low volume’. Many customers will have a combination of these products, regardless the SKU/Volume mix must be identified to provide the proper type of system.
Type of Lift Truck Being Used
On the initial design phase, identifying the lift truck that’s most appropriate for your SKU mix and area to be racked, is important. Do you have existing lift trucks that the rack needs to be designed for? Are you open to new lift equipment? These questions need to be answered prior to initial design work.
Throughput Volume
How many lift trucks will be used in the facility? Is a large/open area required for greater efficiency? When you have high-volume throughput, you’ll want to try to have even traffic flow throughout. Eliminating “hot spots” or high volume areas for lift trucks to possibly collide is important for the safety of your workers. Tunnels, aisles and doors should all work together with the rack layout to make the operation run smoothly.
Objective
Do you just want to store the most number of pallets possible in your space? Do you want to utilize the space you have better? Do you need to redesign to make your operations more efficient? Do you want the pallet rack to make your space look better aesthetically? These are other considerations that need to be addressed.
Budget
This may seem like a no brainer. Is there a predetermined budget? Budget can affect design and ability to maximize your storage space. It is always a smart idea to consider your ROI. The design and racking used can greatly influence your throughput and efficiency for the future. Consider future gains when determining your budget.
Talk With an Expert
Maybe the most important thing to consider – talk with one of our experts! We go through all of the above considerations (and more) to design the best possible system. As a systems integrator, we have been engineering optimal workspaces that help customers work more efficiently and safely for more than 75 years. RMH Systems is the solutions driven partner for any project.
