Whether you are in beverage,e-commerce,pharmaceuticals,textile or retail industry, warehouse is a must for your business. As more and more products are being manufactured or being stocked, it becomes increasingly important to store and handle these different products with safety and security.

It is an established fact that pallet racking systems are an important asset for any warehouse or distribution center. For a country like Bangladesh, in most cases storage space is limited and this is where these pallet racking systems got more importance.

The need for different types of storage systems emerges with the requirement to store goods of different capacities. Experienced industrial storage solution providers generally offer a wide array of industrial racking solutions.

Fact is, sometimes it could be a tedious job to choose from all these options. To take the correct decision, let’s find out the most common pallet racking system for modern warehouses.

Common type of pallet racking systems with their features & usage

1. Selective racking

This is the most commonly used storage structure. This pallet racking system is very versatile and easily customizable for any kind of warehouse. The installation of the selective racking system is also the easiest of all systems mentioned in this writing.

Features

a. Each aisle allows 3m to 3.4m for reach trucks or 3.5m to 4.5m for counterbalanced forklifts.

b. Storage utilization is 90%

c. Supports First In First Out (FIFO)

 

When you should use it?

a. When you need to pick pallets from lower levels frequently

b. If you have a relatively low number of pallets per SKU

c. If you want easy access to any pallet, any time

When you should not use it?

a. If you need to pick from more pallets than the lower level pick face will allow

b. When your space is very limited but you have a high number of pallets per SKU

 

2. Push back racking

Push back pallet racking system uses the gravitational force effectively to store pallets containing heavyweight objects. Generally, these types of storage solutions are constructed against walls or as double-sided systems.

Features

a. Each aisles allows 3m to 3.4m

b. Storage utilization : (85-90)%

c. Supports First In First Out (FIFO) for each slot

d. Commonly only two pallets deep, but it could be extended upon requirement

e. Ideal for full pallet storage only

f. Pallets are pushed back from aisle by forklift trucks

 

When you should use it?

a. If you have more pallets per SKU and want to gain greater storage density

b. When order picking is not required from pallets within push back racking

When you should not use it?

a. If your stock is sensitive that pallet to pallet contact can cause damage

b. If you need to perform order picking from pallets

 

3. Double deep racking

Double deep racking is similar to selective racking, but in this case pallets are stored two rows deep instead of one. Usually reach truck forklifts are standard in this type of setting, but another option is articulated forklifts.

Features

a. Each aisle allows 3m to 3.4m

b. Storage utilization : (85-90)%

c. Supports FILO for each slot

d. Generally used for placing two pallets of the same SKU in each double deep slot

e. Reach and counter-balanced forklift trucks and order picking machines are perfect for this setup

f. Operators need forklift with extendable reach with camera

g. Lower level pallets must be on beams and guide rails are used at upper levels

 

When you should use it?

a. If you need greater storage density

b. If you have more pallets per SKU

When you should not use it?

a. If pallets are accessed frequently for picking and then put away again

b. If you have lots of SKUs with single pallets

 

4. Pallet live storage racking

This system is ideal for warehouses where stock turnover control and space saving are critical. The pallet live storage uses slightly inclined roller beds on each level to allow unit loads to be moved more easily.

Features

a. Each aisles allows 3m to 3.4m

b. Storage utilization (85-90)%

c. Supports FILO for each lane

d. Pallets are placed on gravity roll tracks and move from entry to exit via gravitational pull

e. Full pallets only

f. Separate load in and load out aisles

 

When you should use it?

a. If you need high space optimization

b. If you need FIFO operation and stock is moving at relatively fast rate

When you should not use it?

a. If you need to perform order picking

b. If you have few pallets per SKU

c. If you cannot tolerate pallets encountering others due to line pressure

 

5. Drive in racking

Comparing with other systems this kind of racking requires a reduced amount of aisles. The fabrication helps utilize the floor space to its optimum capacity. This type of storage system is popular in manufacturing, food and beverage industries.

Features

a. Clear aisles of 3m to 3.4m for reach trucks or 3.5m to 4.5m for counterbalanced forklifts.

b. Storage utilization (50-60)%

c. Supports FILO for each lane

d. System can be up to 10 or 12 pallets deep and 6 or 7 pallets high

 

When you should use it?

a. If you wish to mix SKUs within each lane of drive in racking

b. If FILO is not an issue

c. When staging of received or picked goods is required in a high-density format

When you should not use it?

a. If order picking is required from pallets

b. If you need to utilize more than 60% of space

 

6. Narrow aisle racking (Articulated truck operation)

These free standing systems offer better utilization of space and accessibility to individual pallets. It is most suitable for those who are looking to add storage space to their warehouse without physically moving their operations.

Features

a. Clear aisles of 1.8m to 2.2m

b. Storage utilization 90%

c. Only one machine in an aisle at a time

d. Order picking machines may pick from pallets, but not as the same time as turret trucks

 

When you should use it?

a. If you want to improve the storage density within your warehouse

b. If you have a high SKUs with relatively small quantities per SKU

c. If you have a large amount of goods moving in and out

When you should not use it?

a. If you can’t afford two machines operating

b. If your budget is limited

c. If you need two machines working in the same aisles at the same time

 

7. Mobile racking

Mobile pallet racking is also known as a multi-level unit available in a structured form. It uses the least number of aisles that saves space. The system is configured in a way that any pallet can be accessed directly. It is an ideal option for cold stores and freezers.

Features

a. Clear aisle of 3m to 3.4m

b. Storage utilization 90%

c. One aisle opens at a time

d. Ideal for high density storage, with maximum selectivity

 

When you should use it?

a. If you have a high amount of storage, but with lower movement of pallets

b. If you handle full pallets only

c. If your building and operating expenses are high

When you should not use it?

a. If you need to perform lots of carton picking from pallets

b. If you need to operate in more than one aisle at a time

 

8. Satellite racking (Deep lane pallet racking)

Satellite racking system is an easy retrieval system designed for deep lane pallet storage. This system consists of a carrier shuttle used to move pallets with a specifically designed racking structure.

Features

a. Each aisles allows 3m to 3.4m

b. Storage utilization (90-95)%

c. Supports both FIFO and FILO modes

d. Can be 10 to 40 pallets long per lane

e. Usually used as an alternative to drive in racking as the utilization is much higher

 

When you should use it?

a. If you have one SKU per lane

b. If there is a high volume of products moving through each SKUs

When you should not use it?

a. If you need to pick from pallets

 

9. High rise racking (Automated storage and retrieval systems)

Automated storage and retrieval systems are most commonly used in manufacturing and distribution facilities. They typically replace large areas of shelving to save floor space, improve safety and increase productivity.

Features

a. Each aisles allows 1.8m to 2m

b. Storage utilization (90-95)%

c. Need dedicated building, rack clad or free standing

d. Usually serviced by automated cranes. Can be single or multiple pallets deep

 

When you should use it?

a. If land space is limited, and/or if there is a high volume of products moving in and out of the system

When you should not use it?

a. If you have limited budget

b. If you do not need to pick from pallets

 

At Industrial EquipSol Limited (IESL), our expert team members provide a wide range of pallet racking systems for different industry verticals in Bangladesh. Our years long experience in material handling service ensures optimum solution to our customers.

We design custom solutions to get the highest ROI(Return of Investment). Check out our whole range of racking solutions here. For any type of racking systems, you can contact us from our contact page & get expert advice in no time.

You are always welcome to share your project, opinion & problems with us. And don’t forget to expect to get the best!!