Pallet racking is a storage system that is designed to store pallets in multiple rows, horizontally. Selective pallet racking is the most commonly used system of organisation when it comes to pallets in the UK. In fact, pallet racking is essential for business warehouses and distribution centers as it keeps things organised and efficient. In this article, we’re going to be looking at selective pallet racking specifically and diving into the details. Keep reading down below if you would like to find out more.
What Is Selective Pallet Racking?
Selective pallet racking is one of the systems designed for pallet racking, and got its name as they allow users to select any pallet load from the racking system without having to move any of the other pallets. As such, you can move whatever you want without having to disturb anything else about the space.
Why Is It Used?
It is used to make things more simple, efficient, and because it’s an easy system. With this system you are less likely to get confused finding things, or have trouble accessing what you are looking for. You can use a forklift to load the pallets, or they can be loaded by hand depending on what is being put on them as there is enough space for both of these options.
Who Uses It?
Businesses who own warehouses and distribution centers are the most likely to use this type of pallet racking. Businesses need to focus on making their process quicker, more efficient and overall more productive, and this type of racking can be extremely helpful to move towards this goal.
Anyone who owns a warehouse or anyone who has a lot of stock such as distributors will also use systems like this. It’s not just big businesses who can benefit from selective pallet racking, it’s a whole range of people who have storage needs.
Where Is It Used?
Selective pallet racking is used all over the world in warehouses, but it is particularly common in the UK and the US. You will find that it is used pretty much anywhere that requires an organised system of pallet racking, while also requiring access to each of the pallets often.
How Is It Different From Other Pallet Racking Systems?
The biggest difference between selective pallet racking and other types of pallet racking is the fact that when you choose selective pallet racking, it avoids the need to move any other pallet to get to the one that you want. The pallets are all easy to load and unload, making them more convenient for those who constantly have to do so. Other pallet racking systems often require you to maneuver around things which can take quite a lot of time, get quite complicated, and are generally more difficult.
Pros Of Selective Pallet Racking
Selective pallet racking is the cheapest per pallet position option available. This is appealing to those who are on a tight budget, but still want an organised method of storage. As well as this, you are not going to have to purchase special forklift equipment as you would with some of your other options. A standard, counterbalanced forklift will be able to unload and load the stock.
Another pro is that it is a versatile method. It can be fully customized to suit pretty much any environment that you are in. If you have any existing storage pallets, you’re not going to have to replace them after the racking installation as they will still be able to be used.
Cons Of Selective Pallet Racking
However, like everything else there are some cons to selective pallet racking depending on what you are looking to use it for, and how much space you have. The first con is the fact that selective pallet racking requires the most floor space of all the systems. As such, you’re going to need a large warehouse to make this work efficiently, which pushes the cost up.
As well as this, if you have a high volume of single SKU’s (stock keeping unit), the need for selective access to each pallet is going to decrease. If this is the case for you, then you’re going to need a deep storage system rather than a selective one.
Hopefully now, you have a better understanding of selective pallet racking, and why it’s something that you should consider if you own a business. Selective pallet racking is one of the best methods in the racking business, no matter what industry you are in. It’s worth considering this if you are looking at changing up your racking process right now.
