INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
FEATURE are generally always the same – the best product for their requirements at the best price and a reliable system that will solve their problem , whether this be a question of floor space for staff working , or packing space for their products . 3PL or third-party logistics companies always look to maximise their storage space because the more products they can get into a warehouse or that can be stored safely , the higher the value in turnover is in it for them .”
SETUPS , HEIGHT AND WEIGHT FACTORS
Standard racking units can handle many tons and this can be increased by the addition of certain stronger beams . If a customer requires a higher capacity there are again a number of options that can be applied – racking can essentially be designed to handle any palette weight – at a relative cost of course .
“ We have always had the stragegy to offer standard sizes of our racking in terms of frames , but primarily to tailor-make everything for the customer because they may have an odd-shaped palette for example 1500mm x 1200mm and then we can make the racking according to that specific size . Everything is customisable and this isn ’ t as difficult to deliver as in other industries like customising a car – its generally modular and we can chop and change as necessary . Custom solutions do have a longer turnaround and are also dependant on stock availability ,” says Moya .
When it comes to facility layout and racking designs the most important thing is for the customer to finalise their strategy beforehand . Many elements must be considered that have a direct impact on the particular setup and these include future expansions or upgrades , the dimensions of the property and subsequent spaces for storage , the equipment to be used and flow of traffic .
Most storage facilities have adapted to higher racking over the years and today it is not uncommon to see installations at anywhere from 7 - 14 metres high , and designs catering rather to a maximum palette weight or tonnage per bay . A bay refers to the storage space between two racking frames – Bay load refers to the maximum weight that should be imposed on the two frames . If the bottom pallets sit on the floor their weight is not included .
Today , cold stores , warehouses and distribution centres have very advanced methodologies and make use of various technology in their hardware and software setups .
“ The racking itself can consist of many variations in frame size and beam dimension , partly depending on how many pallets are loaded per rack compartment . Some applications have two pallets per pair of beams , with either the short or long side of the pallet facing the access aisle . Gross pallet weight is another consideration as well as the number of pallet levels in the height . Generally , the higher the racking the greater the loads imposed on the frames . Open bay widths should increase with height to widen gaps between the pallets . But increasing the number of pallet levels ( within reason ) also reduces the freezer footprint . ‘ Higher ’ freezer stores tend to have a lower capital cost per pallet position created than lower ones with fewer pallet levels ,” adds Cunningham .
Rack frames include bracing to keep the rack uprights at the right distance apart . Different bracing patterns can change the loading capacity of rack frames but such design aspects are now increasingly computer generated . As a general rule though , a rack user should never change bracing patterns or beam levels without first speaking to the
Barpro Storage
An example of a stocked fruit store .
COLD LINK AFRICA • January / February 2021 www . coldlinkafrica . co . za 29