Cable racking can transform warehouse storage thanks to the easy-access of otherwise difficult-to-manage materials including rope, chord, and chain. These installations allow for neat, modular warehouse storage that’s accessible and easy to use. 

However, ensuring the ongoing relevance, safety, and the use of it in a modern warehouse requires ongoing innovation to ensure the best performance possible.

In this article, we’re going to consider the most recent innovations, and why they’re becoming so crucial for the industry success.

What is Cable Racking

It is a flexible form of warehouse storage that consists of steel rods (or solid pipes, for weights of more than 800 kg) that are used for the storage of drums containing a range of materials like rope, chain, and so on.

This installation is common across Australia’s warehouses, and bays typically reach heights of around 4267 mm with up to 7 horizontal beams and 6 deep supports. Moreover, this structure will be part of electrical and communications industries, but can apply to any warehouse with storage drums. 

Benefits of Implementing it 

  • Vertical storage
  • Enhanced accessibility
  • Simple adjustments
  • Reduced floor use
  • And more

Innovations In The Industry

Like all palette solutions, cable racking has experienced notable innovations in recent years, and the incorporation of these is becoming increasingly crucial for safety, productivity, and sustainability.

Some of the most notable innovations include – 

1. ‘Smart’ Cable Racking

Smart features like RFID technology for the improved tracking and management of warehouse stock are now becoming standard across warehouse palette systems. This installation has no exception. In fact, cable racks that already make it easier to manage drum storage can enjoy significant enhancements thanks to smart technologies that make it easier to quickly oversee a drum’s entire journey at the click of a button. With the right technologies, smart cable racking can also help to keep track of the amounts of cable, chain, etc. left on drums that, otherwise, might be difficult to track.

2. Advancements in Construction

The construction of cable racking has always been effective, with these easily adjustable solutions tending to be completely customisable according to warehouse needs. However, there are further advancements to pallet construction on the way, including modular solutions which can see beams raised, lowered, or removed depending on storage requirements. This makes for even easier use of this structure that can be expanded, or collapsed, depending on how many drums are in the warehouse at any given time.

3. New Materials

The materials used in all pallet racking are shifting towards more lightweight components. This could make cable racking, which typically utilises heavy steel rods of poles, far easier to adjust in the ways that most warehouses require. However, adequate care and safety checks are a must to do, especially for cable racking that needs to hold large amounts of heavy chains or similar. Solid pipes or bars should also continue to be used for drums weighing more than 800 kg.

4. Increased Sustainability

Sustainability is a pressing warehouse concern, and cable racking is also adapting per this priority. In some respects, existing installations does tick some sustainability boxes. Moreover, it already makes it possible to maximise warehouse space and reduce the need for transport and other damaging processes. Bottom-welded beams on cable racking also maximise floor space to make this an efficient choice for storage. However, further steps towards sustainability are also becoming necessary. By including always the sourcing, as well as ensuring the ongoing efficiency of racking through regular cable racking inspections. 

PQR Can Help You  

Cable racking is a great choice that ticks a lot of the boxes for easy, sustainable, and efficient storage. However, with these innovations in mind, it’s also important to start on improvements that will take those benefits even further. To do that, it’s crucial to inspect your existing installation, and thus highlight potential areas for improvement.

That’s where our team here at PRQ comes in. We have over 40 years of experience in the maintenance and inspection of cable racking. From this, we’re on hand to help you recognise what you can improve. Ensure the safety, efficiency, and development of your existing cable racking installations today! 

Innovation has never looked better. Simply get in touch with our team to get started!