Insights
Answers to the questions our customers ask most: warehouse planning, choosing racking, load capacity, safety and maintenance.
What is a radio shuttle system and when does it pay off?
A radio shuttle is compact pallet racking in which a battery-powered, remote-controlled shuttle moves pallets through deep lanes on its own. It pays off when you hold many pallets of the same item and few different items, especially in cold stores and freezers.
How often should racking be inspected, and after an impact?
Under EN 15635 the user makes regular visual checks and a competent person inspects the racking at least every 12 months. After a forklift impact, unload and isolate the bay until it is assessed.
When is a mezzanine floor worth it?
A mezzanine pays off when the hall has plenty of height but too little floor area, and extending or moving would cost more. The floor must carry the column loads and the use must suit a second level.
Pallet or cantilever racking: which should you choose?
Pallet racking suits palletised goods and standard unit loads. Cantilever racking suits long and irregular items such as pipes, profiles, sheets and timber, because there are no front uprights in the way.
How is pallet racking load capacity determined?
Capacity is calculated separately for each level (pair of beams) and for the whole bay (frames). It depends on beam profile and length, frame height and level spacing, and is shown on the load notice.
How wide should a forklift aisle be?
As a guide: a counterbalance forklift needs about 3.2–4.0 m, a reach truck about 2.6–3.1 m and a very narrow aisle truck about 1.6–2.0 m. The exact width comes from the truck manufacturer for your pallet.
What affects the price of pallet racking?
The price of pallet racking is driven mainly by frame height, load per level, number of pallet positions and beam length, followed by accessories, installation, transport and documentation.
How does a racking project work, from survey to installation?
A racking project has six stages: enquiry with basic data, site survey, design with load calculation and quote, manufacturing, installation and handover, and regular service.
Why and how should you maintain a racking system?
Racking is maintained through regular checks: visual inspections by the user and an expert inspection at least every 12 months, with damaged uprights, beams and anchors replaced promptly.
How should you lay out racking for a faster flow of goods?
Arrange racking so goods-in, storage, picking and dispatch follow one direction without crossing, place fast movers near dispatch, and size aisles to the forklift you use.
What information do you need for a racking quote?
A racking quote needs the floor dimensions and clear height, the unit load size and weight, the number of positions required, the forklift type, and a drawing or photos of the building.
Send us your floor dimensions. We will propose a solution.
The basics are enough: floor dimensions and clear height, type of goods and approximate weight. A drawing or photo helps even more.