Thinking of buying pallet racking ? Here are my ten recommendations to consider before investing .
AUTOMATION & TECHNOLOGY
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
Investing in pallet racking - 10 tips
By Fred Albrecht , chief executive officer of Logistics Systems Engineering
Thinking of buying pallet racking ? Here are my ten recommendations to consider before investing .
Whenever a business makes an investment decision , it is vital to consider the options , and this is equally true of investing in pallet racking for your warehouse . Unless you look carefully at the logistics of your operation and assess what best suits your needs , you could find that your investment proves to be a waste of time and money .
Indeed , if you invest in the wrong type of pallet racking for your business , it could have a detrimental effect , by slowing down or hampering the smooth running of your warehouse .
Getting the storage solution right and investing in the correct pallet racking can make the difference between a seamless and efficient warehouse operation and one that works against your business workflow . Experts in warehouse storage solutions are in the ideal position to assess which pallet racking best suits each environment .
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1 . WHAT IS YOUR BUDGET ? This should be the first step with any business decision . It is essential to allocate sufficient funds to your pallet racking investment . You should also bear in mind that the cheapest is in almost all cases not the best option . Low-cost racking may not be versatile and adaptable enough to expand and change , as your operational needs changes . You may soon find yourself having to start again with a new solution , thereby losing your original saving . The main aspect of costing is the Total Cost of Ownership ( TCO ). In many projects the decision is made to buy a cheaper system which surely does the job , but without considering that a system with a one-year guarantee and no accredited EN Norm will always cost less than a system with a 10-year guarantee and lifetime warrantee . However , racking is not an investment that should last just a few years .
1 . A a system with a one-year guarantee and no accredited EN Norm , will always cost less than a system with a 10-year guarantee and lifetime warrantee . 2 . Different warehouses have different requirements and so need different storage solutions in terms of durability .
3 . It is advisable to select racking where spare parts are readily available , and where there are experts on call to carry out any necessary maintenance or repairs .
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