Introduction
Understand What You Need to Store
The first step is to understand your inventory.
Consider:
- What type of products are being stored?
- What is the weight of each pallet or load?
- What are the dimensions of the products?
- How many SKUs do you handle?
- How frequently are products picked?
- Are products palletized or non-palletized?
- Do products have specific storage requirements?
For example, a warehouse handling a large number of SKUs with frequent picking may require a different solution from a facility storing large quantities of a limited number of products.
This is why warehouse racking should be designed around the operation rather than selected purely based on price.
Analyse Your Warehouse Layout
The available warehouse space has a major influence on the type of racking system you should choose.
Look at:
- Available floor area
- Clear warehouse height
- Column positions
- Aisle requirements
- Loading and unloading areas
- Fire and safety requirements
- Forklift movement
- Receiving and dispatch zones
Vertical space is particularly important. If a warehouse has significant unused height, a properly engineered high-level storage system can help utilize that space more effectively.
A professional warehouse storage solution should consider the complete layout rather than simply filling the floor with racks.
Consider Your SKU Profile
Your SKU profile is one of the most important factors when selecting a pallet racking system.
Businesses with a large number of SKUs and high picking activity may benefit from systems that provide direct access to individual pallets.
For example, Selective Pallet Racking provides direct access to individual pallet positions and is highly adaptable for warehouses handling a wide variety of SKUs.
On the other hand, warehouses storing large quantities of similar products may benefit from higher-density storage systems.
Decide How Much Accessibility You Need
Storage density and accessibility often involve a trade-off.
Ask yourself:
Do you need access to almost every pallet at any time, or is maximum storage density more important?
Selective pallet racking prioritizes accessibility.
Drive-in racking can provide high-density storage for suitable inventory profiles.
Radio shuttle systems can provide high-density storage while reducing the need for forklifts to travel deep into storage lanes.
Understanding this balance can help narrow down the right warehouse racking system.
Consider Your Material Handling Equipment
Your existing or planned material handling equipment also affects rack design.
Your warehouse may use:
- Counterbalance forklifts
- Reach trucks
- VNA equipment
- Pallet trucks
- Automated material handling systems
Rack dimensions, aisle widths and storage heights should be designed around the equipment being used.
A racking system should therefore be considered as part of the entire material handling operation rather than as an isolated product.
Compare Different Warehouse Racking Systems
There is no single warehouse rack system that is perfect for every business.
Some commonly used options include:
Selective Pallet Racking
Suitable when direct access to individual pallets and flexibility across multiple SKUs are important.
Drive-In Racking
Designed for high-density storage and suitable for warehouses storing relatively uniform palletized goods.
Radio Shuttle Racking
A semi-automated high-density solution that can be useful where storage density and throughput are important.
Pallet Flow Racking
Uses roller-based lanes and can support FIFO-oriented inventory movement.
Push-Back Racking
Designed for multiple pallets stored within a lane and commonly associated with LIFO operations.
Mobile Pallet Racking
Uses movable rack structures to reduce the number of permanently open aisles and increase storage density.
You can explore the complete range of warehouse racking solutions from Racks & Rollers before deciding which configuration fits your operation.
Plan for Future Growth
One of the most common mistakes when designing warehouse storage is planning only for today’s inventory.
Your business may add:
- New SKUs
- Additional product lines
- Higher order volumes
- New customers
- Additional warehouse operations
A scalable racking solution can make future expansion easier.
Your rack design should therefore consider both your current storage requirements and your expected growth.
Don't Ignore Safety and Engineering
Warehouse racks carry significant loads and must be properly designed, installed and maintained.
Load requirements, rack configuration, floor conditions, equipment movement and operational practices should all be considered during the design process.
Regular rack inspections can also help identify damage or potential issues before they become serious operational problems.
Consider Automation Where It Makes Sense
As warehouse volumes increase, manual storage and movement can become increasingly difficult to scale.
Depending on the application, businesses may consider technologies such as:
- Conveyor systems
- ASRS
- Radio shuttle systems
- Vertical goods lifts
- Pick-to-light and put-to-light systems
Explore warehouse automation solutions to understand how storage and material movement can be integrated.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right warehouse racking system requires more than comparing product specifications.
The ideal solution should consider your inventory, SKU profile, warehouse dimensions, storage density, accessibility requirements, material handling equipment, safety requirements and future growth.
At Racks & Rollers, warehouse storage solutions are developed around the specific requirements of the operation.
If you are planning a new warehouse or looking to improve an existing facility, request a quote from Racks & Rollers and discuss your storage requirements with the team.