By Owen Toomey
Project Engineer
Thomas Conveyor & Equipment Co
This e-commerce order fulfillment and distribution center had pallets of product sitting on the floor everywhere. In addition to lacking organization, being a safety hazard and eating up valuable floor space, it was clear to me that our client was in desperate need of a storage solution.
Thomas Conveyor provided an initial consultation, discussing their long term goals, as well as the immediate needs of the company, and decided on an optimized storage solution for the warehouse with selective pallet racking. We began with an installation of one section, and will be installing additional bays as business grows and expands.
Selective pallet rack is designed for first in, first out (FIFO) inventory management. Due to the nature of the product lacking an “expiration date,” this worked well for the client. Selective pallet racking is the most common type of racking system because it enables direct access to all stored pallets or cartons without the need to move others. This is a perfect application when there are a large number of SKUs stored.
The direct access to products makes selective pallet racking ideal for warehouse and distribution centers with continuous product circulation, or applications that require access to all pallets simultaneously. The high selectivity does require more aisles when compared to other more dense storage systems.
Selective pallet rack is available in roll formed, or structural steel. Structural steel pallet racking is ideal for high traffic and fork truck impact prone areas. Structural rack can hold heavier loads and can be designed as a selective system, push back system, or drive-in/drive-thru systems. Roll formed steel rack is more economical than structural rack, and is ideal for most warehouse applications. It allows for easy adjustability, reconfiguration, and relocation. This system is most commonly manufactured as teardrop style. The beams are attached to the uprights by inserting the raised portion of the beam into the corresponding hole on the upright, and are secured with safety locks.
There are a variety of accessories available to go with your new racking, such as row spacers, cross bars, wire decks, or frame guards – welded, bolt-on, and floor mount. Selective pallet racking helps businesses by freeing up floor space for new conveyor lines, equipment, or additional workstations.
Contact a Thomas Conveyor Application Engineer at 844-220-0086 today to get a personalized warehouse assessment.