The right warehouse layout is truly specific to the business it supports, and the goods it stores. But every warehouse racking system should have something in common - it should tread a careful balance between providing the maximum storage capacity and the best warehouse efficiency. Poor racking solutions can truly compromise your productivity, waste the available warehouse space, and impact your stock accessibility, leading to errors and costly mistakes.
This article will walk through the different types of warehouse racking and shelving solutions. Because every business’ needs are different, it should guide you to the choices that will work best for you and your product. That way you should be able to discover the best solution for your requirements, as well as consider the impact of your choices to streamline success and counter any future concerns or difficulties with stock.
What is industrial racking & shelving?
Industrial racking and shelving systems are structures that have been designed to support goods in an industrial facility, or warehouse. The different variety of structures available is key to the smooth and efficient functioning of your facility.
All of them are crucial for optimising the space available to you, compared to floor-level storage.
Shelving and racking solutions may appear much of a muchness - but in reality, the quality of this product can vary enormously. Key aspects to bear in mind are:
- The engineering - a specialist technical team is required to undergo the calculations of the most complex storage systems, taking into account load, resistance, seismic, and structural calculations.
- The production process - it’s vital that each element of the structure is created reliably, with quality control monitoring and traceability.
- The raw materials - the primary materials are the base of your system. Using the highest quality steels will make for more secure and more durable racking.
- Compliance - the racking should comply with both international and local regulations.
- Undergoing testing - testing and simulations should be undertaken, to certify the racking’s reliability.
The different types of warehouse shelving & racking
You might be wondering, what is the difference between the two terms - racking and shelving? The answer is this. Shelving is laid out in single sections. Racking meanwhile, is a system constructed to support heavier loads, created in several bays. It needs to be more stable, so racking systems usually anchor down to the ground.
Pallet Racking
This term covers a huge range of racking solutions and is the basic terminology anyone will encounter when considering warehouse storage solutions. Simply put, pallet racking systems are a storage solution for stock on pallets.
Created from uprights, bracing, beams, and a variety of shelving materials, pallet racking is a commonly seen, and economical, storage solution. To access stock, most pallet racking systems only require you to have access to a standard forklift with tynes.
Variations on pallet racking include - cable, drum, and carpet racking - which we have detailed below.
Adjustable pallet racking similarly stores pallets mechanically. Forklifts access the goods via aisles running parallel to the racking, so they have immediate, direct access to all the unit loads. They require a standard width aisle and store a single pallet deep.
Pallet racking increases storage capacity by utilising vertical space, rather than just floor space.
Selective Pallet Racking
Selective pallet racking also goes one pallet deep. It’s a great solution for a business with varied product, storing low volumes of product, and storing perishables. Installed back-to-back, it can maximise the storage available to you and minimise wasted aisle space.
Selective pallet racking allows immediate, direct access to all pallets. It requires only a forklift with standard tynes.
Double Deep Pallet Racking
As the name suggests, double deep pallet racking allows for pallets to be stored two rows deep. Four racking rows are therefore able to be placed back-to-back, again minimising wasted aisle space. It’s a great solution for bulk storage of the same product.
For double deep pallet racking, you will need a forklift with longer tynes, to allow access to the second pallet.
Push Back Pallet Racking
This high-density solution is a great option for bulk storage of the same product. Using a track and cart system, push back pallet racking stores pallets anywhere from two to six deep. They are loaded and removed from the front. Gravity pushes the pallets behind forward when their predecessor is removed. This last in, first out method is perfect for storing the same product but obviously doesn’t work well for perishables. It vastly minimises the footprint taken up by aisles and is great for cold storage rooms (causing you to have to refrigerate a much smaller space). The stock availability in push back pallet racking is improved compared to options such as drive-in racking, so your storage is functional as well as space efficient.
You’ll only need a standard forklift to utilise this system.
Drive-In Pallet Racking
This high-density system is designed using side arms instead of cross beams, so forklifts can drive into the system, picking up or setting down pallets at any level, similar to push-back racking. However, without the track cart system, this option can restrict stock availability somewhat.
Again a ‘last in, first out’ system, it’s probably the most used. Requiring only one access aisle, it’s great where warehouses have low product rotation.
Designed to accommodate pallets stacked many deep, it’s again perfect for bulk storage of the same product and again is great for cold storage due to its space efficiency. A standard forklift is needed.
Drive Through Pallet Racking (FIFO)
Drive-through pallet racking is a ‘first in, first out’ system. Requiring two work aisle accesses (one to the front and one to the rear of the racking), it’s a great option for warehouses with high product rotation. It is a slightly less space-efficient racking solution in comparison with Drive-in because of the aisles needed for access.
Pallet Flow Racking
The ultimate high-density system for storage, pallet flow racking is designed with rolling tracks. You load up your stock from the rear and take from the front. This allows a FIFO (first in first out) product system - crucial for perishable and seasonal items. It works in a long flow system, and you only require a standard forklift for access. It’s ideal for high-density storage of the same product but with a need for FIFO product flow.
Carton Flow Rack Systems are a similar option. For cartons and light unit loads, they enable you to save space and control stock much more efficiently. Using a slight incline, the units slide along rails or rollers to deliver the product with the FIFO system.
Live Pallet Racking
Using gravity to its advantage, live pallet racking is a compact storage system that uses gravity and pushing forces to move pallets inside the racking, bringing them to the ideal position. With live pallet racking, the two variations are gravity FIFO and the push-back LIFO system.
Gravity FIFO Live Pallet Racking system
This solution uses roller beds at each storage height. This, coupled with a slight incline, enables the pallets to slide. Using the FIFO method, the loading area is at one end of the racking and the unloading at the other. The pallets use the inclined rail to travel over this distance into their ideal position.
For products and businesses that require perfect stock rotation, this is an ideal solution, and brilliantly space efficient.
Push-Back LIFO Racking
This live storage solution uses the LIFO method (last in, first out). With the same area used for loading and unloading, at one side of the racking, the racks can be stored pushed back into one another, truly maximising the space available. They can be pushed back using either shuttled or rollers.
Mobile Racking or Mobile Bases System
This solution mobilises the racks themselves. In this instance, the metal structure is mounted onto a chassis or mobile base. These then travel on rails that are fixed to the floor. This maximises space, as only one aisle needs to be opened at once - the one the forklift needs to enter to gather or place the product. Both electric motors and remote traction enable the motion required along the rails. This is possibly the best option for cold storage due to the way it minimises the volume of space in need of cooling.
Cantilever Racking
Cantilever racking is designed to store long items horizontally - for example, timber and pipes. Stock can be hand-picked on lower levels, or removed by forklift. It uses pallet racking uprights, alongside steel arm braces and a bolted base.
Sheet Racking
Using pallet racking uprights and beams, this storage option is a solution for storing sheet materials such as plastic, wood, and sheet metal. Lower levels can be accessed by hand, or removed by forklift. It’s ideal for mass storage of homogeneous product.
Tyre Racking
Using narrow pallet racking uprights and beams, tyre racking stores tyres vertically. They can be hand-picked and rolled out when needed, to suiit all types of tyres, from bike tyres to truck tyres.
Industrial Shelving
As a customisable storage solution, industrial shelving provides shelves for hand-picking incorporated into a larger pallet racking solution. Designed with higher loads in mind, they can be engineered to hold weights in the tonnes. Industrial shelving is ideal for hand-picking smaller items.
Carpet Racking
Used for stacking carpets, this deep racking solution stores carpet rolls in pigeonhole-like boxes. Lower levels can be hand-picked, whilst higher ones require forklifts attached with roll prongs to load and unload rolls.
Drum/Coil Racking
Ideal for steel coils or drums, allet racking uprights and beams are used in this solution, with the addition of steel cradles. These stop products from rolling. Not suitable for hand picking, you’ll need a forklift with Drum Racker attachment to move items on and off.
Longspan Shelving
This racking solution is for products that aren’t pallet-based, and for hand-picking. Perfect for small to medium-sized items that you need to pick to order, this solution creates longspan rows of shelving. A versatile solution, this shelving adapts to a large variety of unit loads, and provides direct acces to all stored products. It’s easily assembled, and can cater to industry-specific needs with the help of various additions and accessories. The rows connect each bay to the last frame, so that you can maximise every inch of floor available.
Similar to Longspan, AR Light Shelving is designed for smaller, lighter loads. This shelving solution has utility beyond the warehouse, as it’s useful in environments such as offices too, allowing quick and efficient access to the goods you have shelved.
Narrow Aisle Racking
Narrow Aisle Racking and Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) Pallet Racking are large pallet racking systems which create shelves for storing larger items such as furniture, which need to be manually handled. Requiring a stockpicker rather than a forklift, this storage system is a compact version of adjustable pallet racking. Your storage space is much higher capacity and density when you compact the space by narrowing the aisles - saving up to 40% of the available space. Minimum aisle width must be 1.5metres. You need special VNA handling equipment for this solution.
Cable Racking
The perfect solution for cable drums and spindles, this vertical storage system makes each drum or spindle accessible, by simply pulling on the cable. This storage system places a steel rod through the centre of the drum, to then be placed on brackets attached to the racking uprights. A forklift with specialised attachment is needed to place drums and spindles on and off this storage solution, which can cater to a variety of sizes of cable drum or spindle sizes.
A-Frame Racking
The design of the frame, in a capital A shape, gives this storage solution its name. It is a perfect choice for storing long materials, such as lengths of timber and pipes, on the diagonal. Long hand-picked items can easily be accessed whilst also maximising the use of vertical space.
Raised Storage Areas
Also known as Multi-Tier Racking or Warehouse Mezzanine Floors, these raised storage areas provide raised storage areas to maximise floor space. A manual industrial racking solution, these can be a single raised storage area (such as a platform supported by racking) or multi-tier racking, configured with platforms to span across multiple levels, connected by walkways and accessible via stairs. Both allow you to maximise the storage capacity of your space by using the vertical volume rather than just floor space, ideal for stock pickers rather than forklifts or mechanised solutions. This solution requires warehouse automatic equipment, including pallet jacks and conveyor belts.
Laying out the various racking and shelving solutions available to you should help you to prioritise the system which will best suit you - for your product, for your space, and for your business.
