As demand for cold and frozen storage surges amid a critical shortage of space, selecting the right racking system along with state-of-the-art pallet shuttle technology can help processors store and retrieve products more efficiently.
For businesses seeking optimal warehouse management in the cold and frozen storage market, for example, Steel King Industries, an OEM with extensive expertise in designing and manufacturing high-quality pallet rack systems, offers a semi-automated pallet shuttle technology as a turnkey solution. The pallet shuttle is a lithium-ion powered Pallet Runner™ deep lane storage system from Automha Americas, a pioneering pallet shuttle provider, that efficiently moves pallets in and out of high-density storage lanes, creating increased storage density in an existing space.
The system is particularly suited to applications with high volume SKUs, as pallets are loaded into the system by lift truck and transported into deep lanes by the Pallet Runner cart. Once the load is positioned, the cart returns to the front of the system to receive the next pallet. The lift truck operator travels only between load source and lane entry, and the cart does the rest. This maximizes productivity and minimizes travel distance for both product loading and unloading.
With costs per square foot for a cold storage facility up to three times that of a regular warehouse, choosing the right system is essential for efficiency and cost-effectiveness as well. Toward this effort, racking OEMs offer multiple types of cold storage pallet racking solutions including drive-in, pushback, pallet flow, and selective.
The right type for each storage facility is based on the requirements for throughput, selectivity, workflow, potential expansion, and other factors. All types of cold storage racks can be designed to maximize storage capacity, so construction and installation costs are not excessive.
In cooler and freezer applications, the rack must also withstand some of the greatest forklift abuse in warehouse material handling due to the confined space, slick surfaces, and cold temperatures that slow driver reflexes and make impact more frequent. This can compromise the structural integrity of racking systems.
To prevent rack damage, experts recommend using hot-rolled steel to manufacture the uprights and beams of structural steel racking. Horizontal and diagonal bracing and heavy-duty foot protectors can further enhance the durability of the racking in cold environments.
For more information, call Steel King Industries at (800) 826-0203 or visit them online at www.steelking.com