7 Ways the Right Pallet Racking Optimizes Warehouse Efficiency!

Right pallet racking

Are you thinking of streamlining your warehouse operations to increase efficiency and productivity? If so, worry no more as this guide gives practical insights on selecting the right pallet racking, which is critical to optimizing your warehouse efficiency. 

Warehouse professionals face a lot of challenges, such as inaccurate inventory, avoiding product damage, and poor space utilization. Fortunately, having the appropriate pallet racking system can help address these challenges.

There is a wide range of pallet racking systems on the market, and choosing the right one could be downright confusing.

So, here are several tips to help you decide on the pallet racking system that would best meet your warehouse needs. 

1. Prioritize Quality

Your budget is one of the main factors you need to consider when searching for a pallet racking system for your warehouse. This is because there are other expenses involved when creating a pallet racking system, such as installation, racking design, and storage system. 

Generally, the price of a pallet racking system is an indication of its quality and reliability. You may think twice about investing in an excellent racking system and choose the much cheaper option to reduce warehouse costs. It may seem reasonable to purchase a racking system in the lower price range. However, it may turn out to be a costly mistake if it needs frequent repairs or untimely replacement.

On the other hand, choosing a top-quality pallet racking system is a worthwhile investment as it guarantees excellent performance and a longer lifespan.  

2. Consider Your Storage Needs

You must never buy a pallet racking system without first considering your entire storage needs. Ideally, start by listing your warehouse’s products and categorizing them according to their shelf life, delivery frequency, weight, and density. With this data, you’ll be able to determine the best pallet rack for your warehouse. 

Bulky items may require drive-on racking systems. Unfortunately, they’re not perfect for products featuring high selectivity. 

On the other hand, selective pallet racking systems are suitable for large inventory storage of varying products but in small quantities. And once you determine the ideal pallet racking for your warehouse’s storage needs, you can confidently choose the right one based on selectivity and density.

3. Determine How You Can Increase Your Storage Space

Before investing in a pallet racking system, you must find out what type of system will allow you to make optimal use of your warehouse space. Drive-thru racks, drive-in racks, and push-back racks are practical options for warehouses that need to maximize available storage space. 

On the other hand, cantilever racking systems are excellent for storing longer products, like pipes, metal, and wood, making warehouse optimisation possible. 

Another strategy is to make your aisles narrower. Instead of the standard aisle measurement of 11-12 feet wide, you can adopt narrow aisles measuring 8.5 to 10.5 feet. However, you need to make sure that the aisles are wide enough for your material handling equipment. 

4. Consider Stability And Sturdiness

Many pallet racking systems are designed with practical safety barriers. Nonetheless, you should make sure the pallet racking you buy can endure the heavy load and withstand occasional bumps from your forklift. This means the pallet racking must be sturdy and stable. 

In addition, the materials used to manufacture the pallet racking must be durable to make it resistant to breakage and save you from regularly replacing your pallet racking system.

It’s advisable to invest in robust pallet racking systems as they’re cost-effective in the long term. Going for flimsy and unstable racks is risky as they may trigger warehouse accidents. 

Remember, collapsing pallet racks may injure your warehouse staff and damage your inventory, resulting in considerable business losses. This is why you must always go for a highly durable racking system to avoid such untoward incidents.

5. Think Of Adaptability

If you’re in the e-commerce business, expect abrupt changes in warehouse storage needs because this sector is moving at such a brisk pace. Warehouse efficiency is particularly critical due to consumer expectations of quick and accurate order fulfillment and express delivery.

Your warehouse may have to accommodate a wide variety of products or there may be a sudden increase in inventory. Thus, your pallet racking systems must be adaptable or flexible enough to respond to changing storage needs. You may consider selective or cantilever racks as they’re highly adaptable, unlike other racking systems. 

6. Improve Warehouse Layout And Accessibility

Understanding the layout of your warehouse will help you choose the right pallet racking system. To come up with a well-designed warehouse layout, you need to improve the flow of traffic in your facility, which includes inventory, material handling equipment like forklifts, and your warehouse personnel. 

Warehouses storing heavy products require wide aisles, which enable them to accommodate forklifts appropriately, making repositioning, removing, and placing products easier. 

Therefore, choose a pallet racking system that would suit your warehouse layout. With an improved layout, you’ll maximize your space and improve warehouse efficiency and productivity.

7. Utilize Vertical Space

The typical warehouse features a high ceiling, which can accommodate tall storage racks. Therefore, if horizontal space is proving to be problematic, you should make good use of your warehouse’s vertical space. 

If your company increases its inventory, you can go ahead and use the extra vertical space to store more products. This is a more cost-effective solution than renting another warehouse. Although it may seem like an obvious fix, adding taller racks for additional storage space is often overlooked.  

It’s best to go for a pallet racking system that would allow you to expand vertically. A high-density pallet racking system that can capably handle more racks after a particular height is an ideal option.

Takeaway

There are many pallet racking systems on the market to choose from, and determining the right one for your needs can sometimes be challenging. With the help of this detailed guide, you can pick out the right pallet racking system suitable for your warehouse. This allows you to maximize your available space, manage your inventory, and streamline your warehouse operations.

Right pallet racking article and permission to publish here provided by Claire Glassman. Originally written for Supply Chain Game Changer and published on August 3, 2022.