OfficeSTOR was invited to propose a pallet racking solution to store big pallet bags of milled flour in a newly built warehouse. The farm manager told OfficeSTOR that they had been recommended by a local pest control company as they would like to deal locally if possible.

The new building was very impressive and spacious and the farm manager wanted to make the best use of the perimeter walls. Paramount to installation was the site had to safe from any cross contamination due to the nature of the product they milled.  

The large pallet bags to be stored fitted on a 1000 x 1200 pallet, slightly oversized, generally 2000mm high, weighing 700kg per pallet. The building was tall allowing 7m of height and used a forklift with a reach height of 5500mm.

With this information, the bay design of the pallet racking was determined by the orientation of the pallet on the racks.  A standard 2700mm beam could be used with either a 900 or a 1100mm frame, storing two pallets per beam level.

This was fine-tuned and put on CAD drawing to see which layout offered the most number of pallets stored.  After a few draft layouts it was decided the 1100mm frames best suited their needs, especially since 1200 x 800 pallets and one-way pallets from European suppliers and customers would be increasing more in the future.  The beam size was reduced further in length from 2700 to 2500, then finalized on 2400mm to maximize big pallets stored but still offered flexibility of  storage for other pallet sizes.

The pallet stored 3 in the height and the bottom beam pitched 300mm off the ground to safeguard against pests and allowed easy cleaning. Pallets and beams were spaced accordingly to allow easy access to on-site forklift capabilities.  For added safety, mesh decks were specified to safeguard aligning pallets at height and to protect against any damaged pallets, protecting pallets and staff. The pallet racking selected was SUPERBUILD as it offered a galvanized finish that was clean and aesthetically pleasing to look at.

Pricewise, SUPERBUILD was competitive and offered good value for money when compared with other new makes, and also compared well with second-hand or used racking. The disadvantage of second-hand racking is there is no manufacturer's guarantee for strength. The end user faces the same scenario as a buying a second-hand car; its history is not known.

The solution was delivered and installed successfully on time and budget, and the client was extremely pleased.