Need Racking? Here's How to Choose the Right Warehouse Racking Supplier
Need Racking? Here's How to Choose the Right Warehouse Racking Supplier
If you’re in the process of planning a new warehouse or looking to upgrade your current one, a key and initial decision will be on the type of storage equipment you should install. While warehouse owners may primarily think only in terms of how much stock it can hold, the design of your system has a much wider influence. Your industrial racking solution is a significant, long-term investment, and having the right warehouse racking supplier to design, manufacture, and install it to your exact specifications is what turns it into the backbone of your warehouse operations.
So, with your warehouse's success heavily dependent on your racking, what should you look for in a supplier?
How Can Warehouse Pallet Racking Boost Productivity?
Before choosing your storage solution, it's essential to understand the unique challenges and objectives of your warehouse operations. A thorough analysis of your warehouse will help to identify any existing bottlenecks, inefficient picking processes or underutilised storage space. You will also need to consider the volume of pallets passing through the warehouse, how this fluctuates over the year along with the type of stock you are holding.
Your warehouse racking supplier should use this information to design a bespoke storage solution tailored to your logistics operational requirements. One that addresses your individual requirements and enables stocks to move throughout the warehouse seamlessly.
From arriving at the loading bay to the storage zones before heading over for packing and despatch, the journey should offer smooth transition with no sticking points. Getting this right can accelerate the process and reduce the likelihood of stock damage. The design should also accommodate any equipment you have in place to speed up process. This can include everything from automation, AI, conveyor systems and ecommerce management systems. Your racking needs to be compatible with the technology while also allowing sufficient aisle space for movement and lifting.
Can Your Warehouse Pallet Racking Help You Reduce Costs?
Most warehouses are reliant on their racking structure, but this equipment does require a significant financial commitment. While there will always be companies offering seemingly ‘cheap’ solutions, making the wrong decision can significantly impact the overall cost-effectiveness of your setup. Beyond the cost savings of improved processes and faster order picking timescales, the design of your structure can boost your budget in several other ways.
For instance:
Stock Protection
To minimise wasteful expenses from lost or damaged stock, choose the right type and design of pallet racking. Proper racking holds your stock securely on the shelves, keeps it easily accessible, and allows your team to pick items without increasing the risk of damage.
Accident Prevention
Impacts and collisions with your pallet racking structure from handling equipment and forklift are almost inevitable. Damage to your racking can seriously affect the safety of your structure and must be repaired. Yet, the cost constantly getting the damage repaired can soon add up. That’s why it’s essential to work with a warehouse racking supplier who designs your racking system to account for aisle widths, turning radii of equipment, and handling processes to ensure it minimises the chance of an impact.
Maintenance
At some point over its lifetime, your racking will require maintenance due to everyday wear and tear. While this is unavoidable, it is possible to reduce the amount of unnecessary repairs. Designing the pallet racking for its intended purpose with an installation that meets manufacturer’s specification will minimise wear and tear and reduce the frequency of repairs.
Business Growth
One last area for consideration when looking at the cost-effectiveness of your racking, you should consider the flexibility of your structure. A storage system designed for expansion or modification can grow with your business, maximising your Return On Investment and avoiding the need to replace your pallet racking system. For example, by adjusting current warehouse racking system to add additional bays on top or reducing aisle widths to create narrow aisle racking will increase the amount of storage capacity without changing the footprint of your warehouse.
Choose a Warehouse Racking Supplier Who Puts Safety First
As the warehouse owner, you are responsible for the safety of your pallet racking system. Engaging with a warehouse racking ,supplier who cuts corners, doesn’t prioritise safety or doesn’t adhere to the latest industry standards can lead to costly consequences. Make the wrong decision and it can increase the chance of racking failure putting your employees at risk.
There are several reasons your racking could fail, but they are mostly linked to either poor design and installation, incorrect load capacity, collisions, or poor maintenance. Your warehouse racking supplier should take all of these variables into account when designing your pallet racks.
While many pallet racking suppliers showcase safety accreditations such as ISO, CHAS, and SafeContractor, these certifications primarily demonstrate compliance with general health and safety standards rather specific expertise in racking design and installation. For pallet racking advice in the UK, racking suppliers and warehouse managers should look at both ‘HSG76 Warehousing and Storage: A Guide To Health and Safety’ and SEMA Codes. While it is not a legal requirement to follow these standards if an accident did occur and the HSE were to take enforcement actions they would, in all likelihood, reference these documents, in conjunction with the legislation detailed above, as a framework to bring action against your business.
Now is the time to ask the question:
- Is your proposed pallet racking supplier meeting the criteria we’ve covered so far?
- When designing the structure, are they working with either the SEMA Code or the European Code EN 15512?
- Do they have the correct insurance documentation in place?
- Are they knowledgeable about the latest industry standards?
It’s important to check their credentials, for the safety of your workplace.
What Do You Get with a SEMA Member?
With so many different elements to check with your warehouse racking supplier, it can become a difficult task. It is for this reason that the Storage Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) was formed, to provide a benchmark on racking quality within the UK and comprehensive advice for the industry. Today, the association is formed by SEMA-approved manufacturers, suppliers of racking equipment and suppliers of complementary safety measures. Working with a SEMA member and it can save you a lot of the legwork that goes into verifying your suppliers credentials.
It is important to understand that membership with SEMA isn’t bought—it’s earned as a mark of excellence.
To join, SEMA Members undergo independent audits that check their work is meeting the highest industry standards. This process verifies they are working to SEMA and industry standards, compliance with over 40 regulations, health and safety requirements and legislative requirements. The audit also confirms each warehouse racking supplier has the necessary legal and insurance documentation in place. Once they have earned their SEMA Membership, it doesn’t stop. To ensure they continue working to our high standard, we repeat the process every three years and, if they fail to meet our standards, they are asked to leave.
SEMA brings together Approved manufacturers and members who supply pallet racking. Each member plays an interconnected role, giving supplier members privileged access to the technical departments of manufacturing members. This access qualifies them to carry out work on behalf of SEMA Manufacturer Full Members.
How Can a SEMA Member Help Your Warehouse Space?
While working with a SEMA Member can provide your warehouse with a storage racking structure that meets the required industry and safety regulations, you are also working with highly respected companies within the market. For our approved members, the principles of quality, safety and reliability are fundamental to their success within the industry.
Through their experienced teams, they are capable of delivering a bespoke warehouse design service to advise you on the best type of pallet racking for your warehouse. Whether you need a wide range of standard pallet racking solutions, specialised shelving systems and cantilever racking right through to safety measures and accessories our members can cover it all.
Beyond the initial design and installation of pallet racking, many SEMA members also offer crucial services such as racking inspection, helping you maintain a safe and efficient working environment, and ensuring the long-term integrity of your storage capabilities. By choosing a SEMA member, you are partnering with a trusted professional committed to delivering high-quality, compliant, and tailored solutions for your warehouse.
