There are several types of warehouse storage. In order to make full and efficient, as well as safe, use of a warehouse space you will need to be aware of the major types, at the very least.
Understanding the different types of warehouse storage is also important because you are likely to use two or more types in varying combinations. What types you use and in what combination will be somewhat determined by the items / range of products you store within a warehouse pace.
Hence, here is a quick look at the most commonly used types of warehouse storage, as well as some guidance as to where to turn for more in depth information.
Pallet Racking
There are in fact over ten different types of pallet racking used and available for use in warehouses here in the UK, and if you have jut acquired a warehouse you are going to need to know about them all in order to run your warehouse(s) successfully. Fortunately this Acorn Warehouse Solutions Ltd website article explains and lists all pallet racking types, as well as provides expert information on multi-tier racking, vertical racking systems and associated options that are used to make the most of the entire space within a warehouse and not just the ground space it provides.
In summary, pallet racking is a system of sorts which can be created to suit a wide range of differently shaped and sized warehouse spaces. This is in not the only advantage of using pallet racking though; as the name hints, this type of racking permits entire pallets to be loaded directly into a warehouse by using machinery – such as forklifts.
A pallet, to quote the definition provided via the balance website feature: what is a pallet?, is best described as being: ‘a horizontal platform, typically affixed to a superstructure and a bottom deck which allows it to be lifted and moved by material handling equipment such as lift trucks and conveyors as well as to placed in appropriate storage systems and transport vehicles’.
The simple, yet efficient design of the pallet permits storable, mass produced items of almost every kind to be safely and securely moved, transported and stored with the most ease and in the quickest way.
Static and Mobile Shelving
When stock, products, parts or items are or cannot be either transported or stocked in pallet units, shelving will of course be required in place of racking.
Many warehouses will in fact and of course make use of a combination of shelving and racking, depending on the nature of the items kept with a warehouse. And, shelving requires little further explanation; the only real difference between industrial, commercial and home shelving is the size, strength, materials and aesthetics of the shelving in question.
Shelving, even that created for industrial or commercial use, is nowhere near as strong as racking. Hence, shelving is almost always and exclusively used upon which to store items, parts and products which have been unpacked from pallets and distributed amongst suppliers or buyers, and / or business owners who require the use of smaller warehouse spaces in order to keep their surplus stock safe and organised.
That said, warehouse shelving comes in two varieties; described as long span and short span shelving. Those looking to store heavier and larger items will require long span shelving in most cases. Meanwhile, you guessed it; those looking to store perhaps a higher volume of smaller and lighter items will be best opting to make use of short span shelving.
Finally, there is in addition to static shelving a mobile shelving option to be aware of. Mobile shelving is ideal for storing books, journals and just about anything that belongs in an archive and as such does not need to be regularly accessed. In these instances, it is also the most space saving option to go for.
Additional Levels and Mezzanines
Lastly, in some circumstances and warehouses it is worth considering adding a mezzanine level in order to provide more scope for storage.
Mezzanine levels prove one of the most popular and effective means of adding a floor within a warehouse. That said, the unique ways in which warehouses are organised and operate coupled with the unique size and build of a warehouse itself means that those thinking of forking out for one will need to speak with a storage solutions expert to ascertain just what this might cost them as these jobs are almost always custom projects.
To learn more about adding mezzanine levels to a warehouse, how many you can add and how to go about getting the ideal mezzanine level(s), continue your reading via the Kab Tech website: 15 Point Guide To Your Structural Mezzanine Project.
