In the last one decade Indian industry has seen an unprecedented growth. This has ushered in new technology in industrial warehousing. With so many company’s being set up, the need for more and more space has also doubled. The companies are looking for cost effective, space saving and durable options available in the market. Pallet racking has seen many changes in this period as new and more effective racking systems has come in the market.
Information about the types of Pallet Racking System available.
Pallet racking is a system of beams and uprights used to support pallets in a warehouse. There are numerous versions of pallet racking. The most common is adjustable racking (APR), others include drive-in racking, push back racking, pallet mobile racking, and palletized storage racking, narrow aisle racking and conventional racking. In India conventional racking is the more widely used racking system. Being cost effective, easy to understand, durable and very easy to maintain this system has been able to hold itself despite tough competition from its counterparts. Pallet Racking has a range of accessories available.
- Pallet Racking Frame Column Guard (floor mounted and foam filled)
- Racking Crash Barrier
- Pallet Racking Chipboard Panels
- Pallet Support Bar
- Pallet Racking Slatted Timber Panels
- Back Stop Beam
- Post Pallet Channels
- Racking Drum Chock
- Fork Clearance Bar
- Racking Coil Cradle
- Guide Rails
- Racking Frame Row Spacer
- Mesh Shelves
About the forklift trucks
Besides the pallet racking, if you are trying to increase capacity, improve operating efficiently or creating more picking locations then a forklift truck can be one of the major factors. Forklifts are a critical element of warehouses. It’s imperative while putting the racking structures the area is designed to accommodate the efficient and safe movement of these trucks.
A forklift needs to travel inside a storage area which are guided into the storage area through guide rails on the floor and the warehouse pallets are placed on cantilevered arms or rails. Since pallet storage racking requires the truck to enter the storage structure, damage is more common than with other types of storage area. In designing a drive-in system, dimensions of the fork truck, including overall width, must be carefully considered. There are numerous forklifts on the market but there are four basics trucks which can help you improve on the above.Reach truck, Articulated truck, Narrow aisle truck and Counter Balance truck.
Is purchasing Pallet Racks from local vendors an option.
The short and simple answer is YES.
As with any industry there are the few cowboys that will offer low prices for a low standard, but this does not include the majority. Most people will endeavor to provide an excellent service with the all importance value for money. It is extremely difficult for a customer to assess whether or not a company is competent, if not impossible. My advice would be to have a full independent racking inspection after installation completion, before the final bill is paid. According to Mr Ravi Khanna from Denso “Branded vendors quote very high prices which at times is way high from the budget allotted. You can always bring in tenders from locals vendors which give high quality products at reasonable prices. With competitive pricing the company will always end up being the winner. “
This is not of course true as I genuinely believe most people in our industry endeavor to provide a good service at value for money prices, but we all know there are people who provide inferior products in the pallet racking industry. Largely the Public sector units are greatly affected by this. Being the public sector they have to go out to tender process and generally accept the lowest price for pallet racking. If you ask them “why”, the answer comes, “well you just have to trust people”. This is not really the fault of this racking user, it is a fault of the racking industry. The basic problem is how a customer can assess whether a company is competent. It is very difficult if not impossible.
Use your warehouse space effectively
Warehousing is very important for most company’s especially which deals in fast moveable items. Due to space constraints and poor space management a company has to suffer heavy losses.
At Ajooni Storage System, our team of engineers provide a technical and detailed solution to your space woes. Our high quality products give storage a new while creating additional and using the available space effectively.
It is very important for a company to do complete analysis of its available space so that they are sure about their storage needs. The rack plan and the quotation given should be double checked to comb out any disparity between product needed and the product supplied.
Precaution before buying Second-hand racks
Too often the financial constraints within a company often means that the initial purchase price becomes the only criteria in which a decision is made. The total cost of ownership is not considered. The most common mistake is to buy second hand where the specification is a compromise. For example if the optimum design may incorporate then 3 pallet bays may require with the pallets being stored on the 1000mm face. But then a second-hand deal is offered perhaps with 2 pallet bays with the pallet being stored on the 1200mm face. One such project showed a purchase saving of 30% on the face of it, a no brainer especially as the loss in capacity was only 15%.
In second hand racks, chances of fraud are high as obsolete products are floated in the market at lesser prices.
Only buy second hand if you know the history of the racking from new.
Beware of “refurbished” racking, this could mean that the rust has been painted over. In this case, the strength and the durability of the structure is questionable.
Only buy the racking if it has been kept inside and has not been used for outdoor purposes.
Buy racking that is still readily available, new sparesshould be available in the market if needed.
Always get a price for new, as believe it or not, it can sometimes be cheaper.
According to Mr Jitender Virmani of Ajooni Storage System, leading Pallet racks manufacturers, “There is no proper governing body which can keep a tab on the quality of the second hand products. So the vendor’s leeway’s while selling these second-hand racks. Company’s in order to cut down on expenses are taken for ride by these vendors. “Except for the profits margin’s these vendors do not think about quality and safety of the product. So till you are very sure about the second hand racks it is better to invest in a new rack. This one time investment will go a long way then all the headache which follows after purchasing a second hand product.
Advantages of buying new products
According to a market survey 74 % of the company’s preferred buying new racks as they find the quality of the second hand racks dubious. New Pallet Racking comes with the Manufacturer’s Guarantee which is very important in the long run as minor wear & tear will be borne by the manufacturer itself. Mr Jitender from Ajooni Storage System says “Vendors want to build a long lasting relationship with the company, they want to establish there company’s name and reputation.
New Racking products aredesigned to Make Best Use of your Space whereas used pallet racking is not site specific. It will not have been designed to fit your warehouse most efficiently, like new racking will be designed to do. Used Pallet Racking may need Costly Amendments to be made specific to make it workable for the area purchased for .It will likely need to be added to, cut down, or require extra new items to complete it. This is all at an additional cost and will take a lot of time .It is likely still not to be as efficient as new racking and you won’t have a manufacturer’s guarantee if anything goes wrong.
