What is Selective Racking - Warehouse Racking Guide

What is Selective Racking? Part 2 of this guide focuses on Selective Pallet Racking. We will look at the key features of Selective racking & analyse the key advantages and disadvantages.

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Selective Pallet Racking is the most common type of warehouse racking; it has the lowest pallet storage capacity; but is also the lowest cost per square metre of racking. However, in terms of high volume storage greater than 3000 pallets it’s often the most expensive solution.

Layout

Selective Racking is only one pallet deep; with a maximum of two racks being able to be placed back to back. (See Selective Packaging Basic Layout Diagram)

Pallet Access (

FIFO

)

Selective Pallet Racking provides direct access to every pallet in storage. For low turnover volume & high differentiation product lines this type of racking is a must.

This means it’s a First In First Out (FIFO) racking type (meaning the stock added in first is also removed first, compared to Last In First Out (LIFO) systems. (Which means that pallets are inaccessible until all the newer stock is removed (see Push Back Racking as an example of LIFO)?

FIFO ensures that perishable or short shelf life SKU’s are able to be turned over effectively.

Aisle Width

When it comes to Selective Pallet Racking; aisle width is a major factor for storage capacity. Storage capacity can be as low as 35% to as high as 75% depending on the type of pallet handling equipment you choose (take a look at this basic layout guide to get an idea. (Refer Selective Racking Forklift application guide lines)

Remember that narrow width aisles don’t always equal lower storage cost. Narrow width aisles lower the forklift operator’s margin of error. This can lead to slower handling times which can outweigh the benefits associated with greater storage. Ensure you compare these costs before making a decision.

Advantages

• Access large range of Stock Keeping Units (SKU’s)
• First In First Out (

  FIFO

  ) inventory management.
• Cheapest type of racking (Per square metre)
• Multiple access (more than one truck in same aisle)
• No special truck requirements
• Lower Forklift or Pallet Handling costs; as standard forklifts are cheaper than specialised equipment.
• Floor level is not critical (front loaded)

Disadvantages

• Requires large amount of warehouse space to store high volume of stock.
• High storage cost when volumes are medium and above
• Increased loading and unloading times of limited product or stock lines; as the same stock would need to be placed on different individual rack heights/widths.
• Poorly suited for high volume applications; with limited SKU’s
• Limited storage height (12m)

Forklift Racking application guide:

Counter Balance forklift (wide aisles for low Volumes)

• Aisle widths – 3.8 to 5.5m
• Storage Area – 35%
• Lift height – up to 8m

Reach Truck (narrow aisles for medium to high volumes)

• Aisle widths – 2.8 to 3.2m
• Storage Area – 45%
• Lift height – up to 10.5m

Articulated Forklifts (very narrow aisle for high volumes)

• Aisle Widths – 1.8-2.2m
• Storage Area = 60%
• Lift height – up to 12m

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When it comes to storage organizing, there is one universal way people mostly use– selective storage systems. It’s widely known as selective racking, and we agree on the fact that it enables you to have more space and easily achieve every item. These systems are mostly used for storing palettes and they are considered the best cost-effective solutions for small warehouses. Still, there are some cons you need to consider before buying these. Firstly, we need to warn you that they could not be that cheap after all. That is the main reason why you need to be careful when choosing and planning. Of course, someone has to be there to help you get everything right, so contacting Four Winds Saudi Arabia can be beneficial in this scenario.

Selective storage systems: Advantages and disadvantages

As we previously mentioned, these systems could be highly effective for storing only if you use them right. Depending on the size of your warehouse, or the number of items that need to be stored, they can be both hit or miss. Before making a final decision and buying this storing system, consider some of these factors:

Advantages

If you think of an optimist and are ready to take some action right away, having perfect selective storage systems requires patience. First of all, be realistic with your expectations, and make sure you plan your space properly. When you did that, here are factors that will help you:

Cost-effectiveness

This is surely the number one cost-effective solution for storing all your goods. Still, even the cheapest storage system can be expensive if you don’t plan it properly. This only works if you do have a smaller space because its cost is excellent, only per square meter. We are not sure if you are ready to set aside great amounts of money if you possess a large warehouse. It also enables you to reach every palette whenever you want, so you don’t have to move anything around it. This way you’ll save time and prevent potential damage caused by moving palettes every time. Be sure to contact warehouse Saudi Arabia for more information and a detailed plan.

Design and adjustability

We mentioned that using these selective storage systems for storing goods, especially palettes is excellent because of their suitability. The first thing you’ll notice is surely the design. They are made of high-quality materials, so they can handle enormously heavy belongings. Shortly said, it’s just perfect for your warehouse. You don’t have to worry about damage or the safety of the palettes anymore. Depending on your needs and space, we can easily adjust them. They can fit every inch of the space, and use it totally. The frame construction makes them the most rigid systems available. Plus, they can handle items of different sizes and weights, which is one more thing on the list.

Accessibility

Probably the best thing on the list is their accessibility. As in every other warehouse, there are hundreds or even thousands of items that need to be replaced sometimes. There are numerous machines that usually help you do that, like a forklift. Bringing this system as innovation inside your storage, you’ll ease their job drastically. Many machines will be able to reach for palettes at the same time, which is the result of its excellent structure. It finally leads us to multiple access points and lower forklift costs. It’s important to know that during this process, the floor level is not a crucial thing. That’s what people from warehouse Riyadh always say.

Disadvantages

Just like everything in life, even these systems can have some disadvantages. Whether you decided to use them for the right things, or you’re still expecting too much, these products could be a miss. These are the reasons why you have to be careful when deciding:

Limited height

At first, these storage systems sounded perfect, and we bet you wanted them right away, but pay attention to this factor. You need to know that the maximum height of this storage is about 12 meters. There are numerous reasons for that and we’re sorry to disappoint you. For example, if we imagine that you already placed numerous palettes on it, and we know how heavy they can be, too high storage means it’s less stable. You surely don’t want to take a risk and place too many items on it, because it can result in falling and damage.

Price

We mentioned that their price can be acceptable if you do have a small warehouse, but if you want to fill the spacious one with this selective storage systems, it will be pricey. Other than that, they also require too much space if you are trying to store high volume of stocks. Think about it twice that is our honest advice. A limited budget can be your number one problem here, but still, why not try to make a proper mechanism in your warehouse without spending all your money? You can still explore Riyadh, and other than attractions, your eye will probably catch some safest and better options.

Yes or no?

If you’re asking us, there are always two options. You can do this by combining different types of selective storage systems, or choosing the safest option. For those who are financially ready to invest more, this is indeed the best solution they could possibly find. However, if you are not one of those, and have to plan every cent properly, think about it. Consider all these factors from above and decide whether to take a risk or not. Smaller warehouses couldn’t be organized better, but if you think about the price, we can tell that the quality is perfect, and you won’t be wrong. Logistics companies in Saudi Arabia will surely help you decide which option fits you and your wallet the best, so don’t give up right away. There is enough time to think about it, but if you decide that this is what you want, you made an excellent deal.

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