Go to just about any warehouse in the UK and you will find selective pallet racking. It has become so commonplace that many buyers will treat it like a standard commodity.” Find the cheapest option, schedule the install, and move on. ” It is a reasonable strategy until it is not. There are consequences, both annoying and severe. Like racking that fails under load, or racking that does not fit the space.
It is not a difficult topic, but something you should understand before you invest in a system.
What you should understand about selective pallet racking.
The structure itself is pretty simple. You have your upright frames with horizontal beams spanning them. They create bays at different heights. Each bay is independently adjustable. This makes the system highly flexible, and also has contributed to it’s widespread implementation.
There is a lot of variation across suppliers and installations when it comes to load capacity. What is the steel grade and is it efficient? What about the beams? Will they continue to sag under their own weight? A 2.7-meter beam at a certain gauge has a different Safe Working Load than a 2.4-meter beam at the same gauge with the same weight. These safe working loads and beams should be matched to your actual pallet weights. This will lead to more systemic overloading. It will also lead to the beams sagging and their safe working loads being surpassed. It is a lot less obvious, and also a lot more vicious.
Understanding supplier limitations
Before reaching out to a supplier, you should determine the highest weight of a fully loaded pallet, the dimensions of your pallets (EUR, UK standard, and the rare non-standard), height clearance you need between beams, the total pallet locations, and the width of the aisles your forklift or reach truck needs to operate.
The last point seems to trick people more often than you’d expect. Counterbalance forklifts require wider aisles than a reach truck, and very narrow aisle (VNA) equipment can operate in aisles that standard forklifts would be unable to fit in. Providing the incorrect aisle width leads to purchasing the incorrect racking layout or discovering that your handling equipment does not fit while in the process of installing it.
SEMA and its significance
The Storage Equipment Manufacturers Association provides the design standards that most of the notable racking providers in the UK follow. Racking that is approved by SEMA has gone through an evaluation and been designed under defined load tolerances. It means that there is an inspection framework and an established system for damage classification that your maintenance will be able to utilize.
There are racking solutions in post-Brexit UK that will not be compliant with SEMA. Some of the low price imports will meet weight ratings in the ideal conditions, but do not have the same design margins or testing. For a small and infrequently used installation racking, it may be a calculated risk. However, for a busy warehouse with frequent use of forklifts and a quick pallet turnover, it is not worthwhile.
A note on mixed systems
When adding racking from a different provider to an existing installation, you may run into compatibility issues, even when they look alike. Many companies have frames, beams and clips that look interchangeable but are not. Mixing components without checking compatibility is a common cause of structural issues in older warehouse installations. Therefore, before assuming an extension at a lower price will integrate with the existing structures, ensure compatibility.
What to ask a supplier
When inquiring about load ratings and costs, also ensure you ask about the grade of steel used in the frames and beams. Ask about the design codes, installation documentation and load notices. You may also ask about the timeline involved with ordering a new component should one be damaged in the process. Generally, if a supplier is unable to provide a response to all inquiries, they may not be the best candidate for a more permanent installation.