In a challenging economy, with sales harder to come by and increased competition from offshore or even virtual companies, a key ingredient in profitability is how a business stores and accesses its products.
Items that are stored and organized efficiently mean they’re easier to sell and move out of a warehouse, and shelving is ready for new product as long as it can be accessed safely with little or no effort. For many businesses, industrial racks are more important than ever, and no company in the Greater Toronto Area has more experience designing and installing them than the experts at ShelvingMate.
At ShelvingMate, the advantages of the shelving solutions we offer are near legendary: Completely boltless, galvanized and rustproof; light weight and durable; and easy to customize with a wide range of accessories to meet every business need.
Generally speaking industrial racks are available in many categories, among them: Pallet racks, cantilever racks, drive-in racks, push-back racks, and carton flow racks.
- Pallet racks are widely considered to be the most up-to-date, easy to assemble boltless-style industrial racks on the market. The main benefit is they can accommodate products of many different sizes by simply adjusting beam heights.
- Cantilever racks, on the other hand, are the preferred method for storing non-uniform items – different shapes, sizes, and lengths – thanks to their multi-level design. This makes them ideal for removing and replacing items as needed.
- Any business that uses forklifts will understand the benefit of Drive-in racks. These industrial racks are designed for storing large quantities of similar items that need to be removed or replaced at the same time, in the same place. Such racks are preferred when storing items with a long shelf life.
- Push-back racks offer a unique twist on Drive-in racks with twice the storage capacity. These kinds of racks offer a “last-in, first-out” approach to storage. Loading works as follows: Using a forklift, place the first pallet on the top cart; Use the second pallet to move the first pallet and cart back to get at the next one, and set the pallet down; The third pallet is used to push the first and second pallets and carts back and set the pallet down; finally, repeat the above steps for the remaining pallets.
- Carton flow racks work the same as Push-back racks, but have separate entrance and exit points requiring aisles for loading and unloading. The additional space requirements are one reason many businesses chose other racks if they have limited floor space.
It’s important to remember a number of safety tips to keep in mind when installing industrial racks for your business:
- Only use racks made of the most durable steel, and with the highest safety ratings.
- Damaged racks should be repaired or replaced as soon as possible.
- Never mix different brands or styles of racks together, as this makes it difficult to repair, upgrade, or accessorize.
- make sure to install proper lighting so products can be removed and replaced safely and efficiently.
When it comes to industrial racks / racking, you got to do your homework and make sure that your investment will pay off in the long term.
Here at ShelvingMate we are confident in the quality racking we have and will provide you a free, no-obligation consultation and estimate to make sure that you choose the right industrial racks for you and your business. Call us today!
