Everyday, it draws closer. The holiday season is upon us; the busiest period in the warehousing industry’s calendar year.

This means 20+ hour days, the never-ending noise of trailers, the constant bleeping of forklifts backing up etc.

You may even be considering expanding your operations, seeing that it has been a good year for many warehouse owners, manufacturers and retailers in the UK. The attendant expansion has led to managers coming up with many methods of running their warehouses, while maintaining optimum efficiency.

43% of business place reducing the cost of running warehouse operations as among their most critical challenges – even more critical than improving speed of fulfilment and reducing damaged orders.

The following are some of the ways warehouse managers attempt to tackle this:

• Invest in state-of-the-art WMS;

• Install high-end picking and sorting machines to eliminate human error;

• A total change their working patterns by improving ‘pick and pack’ techniques;

• Aiming to reducing wastage within the warehouse;

• Develop more efficient ways to record and track goods.

For companies that can’t afford expensive solutions, they can start by expanding. Not by buying another building but by investing in pallet racking. A simple restructuring of the existing racking system and better use of the available space can improve operations by up to 20%.

Identifying the most appropriate type of pallet racking for your handling requirements and warehouse configuration can be difficult; that is why Monarch Shelving Limited has drawn up an eight point checklist to help you make the decision.

Here are our top factors to consider when investing in pallet racking:

• Examine your current financial standing to see which project you can afford to undertake.

• The type of goods that will be stored will determine the type of pallet racking you get.

• Make goods easily accessible: Knowing the frequency of stock turnaround will allow you sort frequently moving stock by placing them higher up than less frequently moving stock.

• Your warehouse layout i.e. size, shape, height, and the positioning of doors or windows can determine the type of racking you use.

• Having durable beams and frames will determine if a particular configuration of racking will last in a busy warehouse environment.

• Is it easily configured? You may need to change the configuration of your pallet racking, at different times, for use with different pallet sizes. This will involve adjusting existing shelf height or adding more shelving.

• Availability of spares: Beams, braces even pins will need to be changed at intervals. Are these readily available from the supplier?

Apart from ensuring that spares are available, the supplier must also be able to give expert advice regarding making repairs, safety inspections, add-on recommendations etc.

Pallet rack design CAN be a complex process, but it’s also a relatively inexpensive one and can be used as a first step in the cost-cutting process.

The choice of racking has a knock-on effect on the speed of processing; from pallets being picked by forklifts to machines sorting out the goods. Every minute saved, without damaging goods can lead to a better bottom line.

Choosing pallet racking that is suitable for your needs can be a hassle.

Monarch Shelving Limited can offer a service that includes the design of your racking solution, the supply and installation, and the regular inspection and repair of your racking. Contact us today for a pocket-friendly quote.