Shelves. They’re the proxy, indefinite measuring sticks of storage space … and there’s always a need for more of them.
Regardless of whether it’s in your garage or workshop, at the supermarket or at the library; shelves are there – lots of them. In fact, when it comes to the heaviest applications (industrial, warehousing, or transport and logistical environments) shelves themselves qualify as a commodity. Entire cost centres are built around the volume of material that can be shelved and accounted for in the most effective and efficient manner possible.
And yet, no matter how many there are, there still never seems to be enough of them … or, they could always be just a little bit longer, or just a few kilos stronger.
Well, if you’re in need of a tough, reliable, cost-effective shelving solution, then you’ll want to take a look at what’s on offer to address your shelving deficit once and for all.
What’s on the Shelf?
Shelving isn’t rocket science; In fact, it doesn’t get any simpler than just having the proper hardware to keep materials stored and organised until they’re needed. When it comes to shelving heavy duty options are available for every imaginable storage contingency, ranging from convenient bin racks to stackable pallet cages. Let’s check out these options in detail.
Longspan Shelving
When it comes to heavy-duty storage, nothing beats the durability, strength and cost-effectiveness of longspan steel shelving. Because of the modularity of longspan equipment, not only is slotted construction the de facto standard for rack shelving but its extendibility and configurability allows it to be quickly assembled – and reassembled – to match any circumstance.
Configurable with heights and widths up to 2400mm, and depths between 450-600mm; it’s this ease and flexibility of construction that ultimately makes longspan heavy duty rack shelving the ideal solution for environments where weight and durability are paramount, where access and visibility are essential, but where floor space may be at a premium … and the arrays are impressive.
With shelf load capacities of 375kg, conventional longspan shelves are zinc plated and can be outfitted with a choice of decks to suit a variety of needs. Steel and wooden decks are the sturdy, straightforward standards for common material storage, while mesh sleeved decks offer the advantage of added visibility and airflow to higher-level shelves.
Steel Shelving and Parts Tray Kits
With shelf load capacities of 100kg, these silver-grey racking units can be optionally fitted with between 48 and 112 slotted trays, and are ideal for everything from organizing small parts and separating bulk quantity consumables, to retail and document storage.
Stackable Stillage Cages
Boasting a load capacity of 1000kg, zinc plated stillage cages fit standard Australian sized pallets and are perfect for oversized and awkwardly shaped materials. Stackable to a maximum of 3 high, these cages are perfect for getting almost any-sized item off the floor and into a rack.
Bin and Stor-Pak racks
Available with 20-28 plastic bins or 16-20 Stor-Paks depending on configuration, these powder-coated racks make bin storage and stock picking an easy affair. Bins and Stor-Paks come in up to 6 colours, making the difficulties of identifying and inventorying contents a thing of the past.
Tyre Shelving
With the ability to hold 450kg per level, these adjustable 3-level racks are perfect for custom wheel and automotive shops to store or professionally display tyres and rims without them needlessly taking up floor space.
Ultimately, any number of combinations can also be made between these shelving systems to get the most use out of all available floor, as well as vertical space. And, where maximum flexibility is required, these elements can also be outfitted with casters; making a perfectly modular system, perfectly mobile as well.
Stocked Shelves
In short, the best shelving and racking solutions needs to be bigger than the shortage of shelving space you’re currently experiencing. It needs to be scalable, and have the capacity to handle a range of eventualities.
The simple truth is that in most environments – especially in production – materials don’t always come in neatly packaged quantities. That means it’s paramount to invest in a solution that can be rapidly reconfigured to go horizontally or vertically when needed without having to interrupt your workflow, regardless of the setting.
Plus, where bulky, or irregularly shaped and oversized items also need to be stored, not only can longspan shelving heavy duty systems be positioned end to end, but also back to back to accommodate any commodity … effectively doubling or tripling their depth, space allowing. In fact, longspan industrial shelving is the preferred choice for the following items:
· Pallets and tote containers (including oversized)
· Tires and pipes
· Barrels and drums
The Conclusion
At the end of the day, there are any number of discussions that can be had about the most efficient methods and processes of storing material in industrial settings, but when it comes to reliable shelving, heavy-duty options are the only way to go.
Longspan systems are the durable, cost-effective, and infinitely versatile solution for any storage requirement. They give you the ability to manage material better; and thus, manage your main business better. If you’re facing a storage issue that leaves you feeling like you’re stuck on a shelf, then it’s time that you spoke to a longspan system supplier about what they can do to help you take control of your shelving situation.
