When you hear the words ‘perishable inventory’, you probably envision the immediate items such as food, beverages or pharmaceuticals. However, it encompasses many different kinds of products – such as cosmetics, flowers and plants, and chemicals among others. Whilst these products differ, they each have very similar challenges in their warehousing storage, and processing. Fortunately, there are many different forms of warehouse storage equipment, such as industrial storage racks, that work well within safe, efficient perishable inventory parameters.
The Concerns
There are some challenges to overcome and solutions to install within your warehouse setting to effectively store perishable goods among your other stock.
The first is an efficient date-sensitive inventory process, ensuring that the stock is kept only when it is within its healthy lifespan. The second is around climate control, ensuring that equipment is resistant to damage in cold, moist environments.
Cleanliness is going to play an even bigger factor, so your racking solution needs to allow for cleaning and be enabled for a washdown when required. The storage system also should maximise premium warehouse space for the compact footprint and minimize expensive repairs and downtime by being a low-maintenance system.
Pallet Racking
Pallet racking systems will always be key to maximizing cube space when storing any palletized inventory. The ability to create tall vertical storage and open up the floor space keeps pallets separated with easier and more efficient access.
Typically, first-in/first-out pallet racking systems are the go-to option for perishable inventory, but there are other recommendations within systems to also consider. Selective racking is a simple single or double-deep pallet rack that is most efficient for high numbers of stock with low pallet volume.
Pallet flow racking is a higher-density gravity flow system utilising separate aisles for loading and unloading. They are highly durable, wash-down compliant and able to be utilized in all warehouse storage climates.
Push-back racking stores multiple pallets deep in individual lanes – however, it is only accessed from a single aisle. For a perishable inventory, push-back is designed two-to-three deep storage and fast turn applications where the full lane of pallets is picked at the same time.
Mobile Pallet racking is another high-density storage system built on mobile carriages that move side-to-side to open aisle space with access to forklifts, whereas another option in automated storage and retrieval systems uses shuttles and cranes to pick from pallets in the system, requiring less vertical height but advantageous in cold storage areas with minimal workforce requirements.
Talk With Experts
No matter what the circumstances of dealing with perishable goods, there is an industrial storage racks solution for them by talking with a professional installer.
Talk with the team at Monarch Shelving today to discover the best solution for your perishable inventory.
