Blog Archives - Racked Out Inc.

Why Choose a Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) Racking System?

The cost of real estate is higher than ever, so what do you do when you’ve outgrown your space? As opposed to moving into a larger facility, it’s often in your best interest to optimize your existing space! You’ve worked hard to establish your presence in your community; why move when you can stay put? Using very narrow aisle (VNA) racking systems can save your facility from moving and ensure optimal use of floor space.

Very arrow aisle racking systems can be as narrow as 64″-78″, depending on the equipment used. Standard aisles typically span 108” to 144″, so several feet of space can be saved per rack when switching to VNA.

While switching to a very narrow aisle racking system can save space, it also requires considerations into how the warehouse will be used. For instance, it maintains a FIFO (first in, first out) inventory management system but is not ideal for LIFO (last in, first out). Secondly, VNA requires specialized lift trucks instead of standard forklifts. With many factors to consider, it’s important to consult a team of experts and learn which racking system is best for your facility.

You’ve Reached Maximum Storage Capacity, Now What?

Growing companies that maintain inventory in warehouses need to plan for what happens when they reach capacity. Whether you’re at capacity currently or working towards full capacity, you need to develop a plan for how to expand and reduce growth constraints. There are two options to consider in this situation:

Move to a larger facility

High cost to move inventory, equipment, office furniture and people
Larger warehouse means higher overall rent/lease/utility costs
Interrupt your day-to-day operations\Uproot employees and regular customers

Optimize your current warehouse

Minimize employee and customer impact, continue business as usual
Maximize your racking and reduce your aisle widths by at least 40%
Invest in new, state-of-the-art equipment
Reduce carrying costs by improving your pick density

While there are times where it makes sense to move to a larger facility or purchase a secondary warehouse, optimizing your current space is often the best solution that limits negative impacts and reduces ongoing costs. While there may be many racking systems that can help optimize current warehouse space, very narrow aisles offer significant benefits.

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Why Install Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) Racking Systems?

Very narrow aisles enable warehouse owners the opportunity to significantly increase capacity and optimize the facility for better workflow. Of the many benefits, some of the most prominent include:

VNA nearly doubles storage potential by reducing aisle space to a minimum
VNA reduces wasted space by using the vertical height of a building up to 14 meters with man up capability available
All pallets are accessible to lift trucks for 100% selectivity; can pick cases at elevated levels with order picker truck
Offers high SKU counts

Other Space-Saving Racking Systems

There are also other racking configurations that can help maximize warehouse space. These all depend on what is being stored in those racks, and if FIFO and single selective are requirements. Some popular options include:

Implications of Switching to Very Narrow Aisle Racking Systems

As with any change, switching to very narrow aisles needs to be well-managed. With a VNA system comes new equipment, procedures and training. People are often resistant to change, so it’s important to discuss any and all changes with your “stakeholders”, i.e. your warehouse staff, managers, and anyone else who will be impacted by a warehouse change.

If you’d like to discuss the growth potential for your warehouse if a very narrow aisle racking system is installed, please contact Racked Out. Our professional team can consult your project and manage the transition each step of the way.

You’re Doing Tire Storage Wrong – Rack Them!

As the days get shorter and the nights get colder, people prepare for the first snow fall. For many who drive vehicles, this time of year brings the necessity to winterize and get ready for adverse driving conditions. Changing tires is the most practical way to get ready for the winter, but have you considered what happens when your summer/all season tires come off?

It’s terrifyingly common, but many people keep their summer/all season tires stacked in a corner of their garage, workshop or shed. This is so wrong! Tire racking systems help elevate rubber tires that would otherwise draw moisture and cold from the ground. Not only does this help save money in the long-term, but can also keep you safer on the roads once those tires are put back onto the vehicle.

Think racking systems aren’t for you? Our smallest wall-mounted tire rack holds four tires comfortably off of the floor. You can reclaim your corner of you garage again! But what if you have two or more vehicles? No worries, Racked Out widespan shelves can hold multiple sets of tires, and can have regular shelves for storing other things around your garage. Storage on the bottom shelves, tires on the top. This powerful storage solution can be used in many applications.

To discuss racking solutions for your tires and garage storage needs, please contact Racked Out.

Join Racked Out’s Fight Against Cancer!

Jenna has already been able to raise $1500.00 for the Scotiabank Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer!

On September 28th, 2019 at Woodbine Racetrack (555 Rexdale Boulevard, Toronto, ON) Jenna attended the Scotiabank Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer! Imagine – 4 exciting games and over 150 teams, bringing out the best part of humanity for a cause that is so close to so many. Over seventeen hundred participants, supported by friends and family, with every player united by one common goal – to Conquer Cancer In Our Lifetime!

This dawn-to-dusk fundraising event features hundreds of spirited road hockey games, as well as musical acts, celebrity appearances, interactive activities, food and beverages, and so much more! If you enjoy a challenge, being part of a team and donating your time and effort to an amazing cause, this is the event for you.

Moving Warehouses? Carefully Consider Your Options

People usually ask friends to help move a couch, or load a truck with some boxes, but what if you need to relocate your warehouse? Consider your friends at Racked Out Inc.!

As exciting as moving into a new warehouse might sound, the least exciting part is moving out of your existing one. Everyone’s situation is different, but the results should be the same: pack, move, carry on.

We like to break down warehouse moves in a few steps:

Tear down
Shipping and Receiving
Re-building
PSR

Once the racks are clear of product, our team comes in to tear down the storage system. In our experience, proper material handling will go a long way to make the transition easier. Luckily, racking materials are quite symmetrical, making storage and handling easier if done correctly.

At this point, frames and beams can be evaluated for damage. Counterbalance forks are racking’s worst enemy, denting and bending the metal beyond repair. If frame damage is a common occurrence in your warehouse, check out our rack guards and protection.

When relocating, the amount of racking typically increases. In this case we could install new racking before you start the move. Installing the additional rack first enables you to move directly onto the new racking while we tear down your existing warehouse.

Relocating racks within the same warehouse can also help increase storage efficiency. As depicted below, the Very Narrow Aisles warehouse layout is a powerful trend to maximize space in your warehouse.

By investing in narrow aisle lift trucks, your warehouse can gain 55% more usable space than counter balance, and 30% more than Reach Truck. There isn’t any special racking needed; your current rack could be rearranged for VNA.

If your warehouse relocation project includes the tear-down of current racking systems, contact Racked Out Inc. to learn how our advanced systems can help save you time and money.

The case for industrial shelving

Industrial and commercial shelving make up a very large segment of the material handling and product storage industry. However, warehouse managers don’t realize how functional steel shelving systems can be. These storage shelves

systems come in many configurations and are used in numerous applications. Metalware Corporation, located in Montreal, QC, offer an extensive line of steel shelving products including,

Wide-Span Industrial Shelving

Wide-span shelving can be found in most warehouse storage facilities. These are used for hand loaded and are generally medium to heavy loads. They are ideal for bulk storage of smaller products such as parts, records and product tote bins. Often it is at aisle level and a person picking application storage system. This type of industrial shelving system is usually manually loaded with non-palletized goods. It is used for case or piece picking.

Wide-span industrial shelving is easy to assemble. It comes with many shelving options such as wired, laminated and particle board decking. You could also use plywood decking.

Mezzanines (Catwalk Mezzanines)

Also known as “catwalk mezzanines”, this type of system is designed to expand your requirements for additional shelving storage by building up and maximizing the use of existing floor space. The shelving system is made up of floor channels and cross aisle channels and typically wood flooring.

Pallet Rack Protection & Rack Guards

I’ve been in thousands of warehouse storage facilities, and the one thing that stands out is the lack of pallet rack protection. I’m not quite sure why or how a storage facility can go without this vital component of the overall warehouse operation. Wherever there are humans and forklifts, well you fill in the blank. Perhaps its oversight, maybe it’s budgetary constraints, but one thing is for sure; damage will be done to your pallet rack investment. I strongly recommend that your pallet racking and people have the safest environment to in. Yes, your pallet racking system is working for you, so protect it.

Cogan is a well established manufacturer warehouse storage products, and more importantly, Pallet Rack Protection products. The Cogan line of pallet rack protection products includes;

Rack Aisle Protectors
Rack Post Protectors
Wire Mesh Rack Guards
Floor Angle Guide

Cogan pallet rack protection products are manufactured of all-steel construction. They are easily installed and provide 24/7 protection to your valuable investments.

Rack aisle protectors shield vulnerable rack aisle ends from everyday warehouse traffic and forklift abuse. They come in two profiles; Wrap Around Rack Pal and Tapered Rack Pal.

Rack Post Protectors are an easy to install and cost effective method to protect vulnerable racking uprights. I remind that it only takes a single damaged rack post to compromise the entire structural integrity of the pallet rack system.

Wire mesh rack guards provide a rugged barrier between stored product on pallet racking and employees in the picking aisles below. These rigid and durable rack guards bolt directly to the pallet uprights.

Floor angle guides are a strong and versatile protection that keeps traffic away from critical pallet rack supports. The guides are a continuous protection barrier. They are low to the floor and very easy to install. The are especially effective around very narrow aisle racking (VNA) structures where VNAforklifts come very close to the structures on either side.

rack protection - floor angle guides — Floor Angle Guides

Warehouse Storage 101 – Basics

When a person steps into a warehouse storage facility, their first impression may be “here’s a room full of racking and other storage products; not much else to it.” This is a common misconception among the uninitiated; the warehouse storage facility is complex living entity. There are so many dynamic interactions including shipping and receiving, packaging, inventory controls and the behemoth known as eCommerce. Warehouse storage and its associated products and systems is an ecosystem unto itself. But with all these interacting and moving parts there are still some foundational products that comprise the system.

Regardless of what your warehouse stores and handles, there are a few specific products that all distribution warehouses require. These products and equipment are crucial to the effectiveness of any distribution center or warehouse. Big or small, your facility will require a this equipment or some combination and configuration of material handling products.

The Right Storage Solution: Having the right inventory storage systems is crucial. Palletized cartons, large items or bulk goods are better stored by pallet racks and associated storage products. Smaller items, such as individual cartons are best stored on more suitable products such as industrial shelving and other steel shelving products such as Metalware Wide Span Shelving. There are many storage options to select, and it may take some planning and consulting to assess the best solutions to meet your requirements, but the time and research will prove invaluable in the long run.

Pallet Racking: Pallet racking generally come in two types; roll form and structural. Structural pallet racking upright tend to offer more strength and more durable than roll-form, but generally come with a higher price. Warehouse storage pallet racking has many variations including:

If you needed to get goods from one area to another quickly you would utilize a Pallet Flow system, whereby the pallet is discharged at one end and retrieved and the other, presumably close to the shipping area. These systems can be upward of 24 pallets deep and satisfy FIFO inventory requirements. Because the system is self contained there is reduced risk of injury and pallet or product damage. Configure the necessary amount of lanes wherever you experience the most physical inventory movement, as opposed to sales volume, and a problem solved.

Forklifts: Although this may seem quite obvious, it always surprises me when storage warehouses try to do without one. If you have any taller shelves, deal in heavier pallets of items or heavy individual items, or just need a way to move inventory more effectively, forklifts are a great way to move inventory far more quickly and safely than doing it by hand.

Warehouse Office: Having an in-plant office can help efficiency and effectiveness in nearly every aspect of the storage warehouse. When changes in your business create new demands for in-plant space utilization, modular offices and building products provide you with unlimited flexibility to respond quickly and cost-effectively to your needs. These offices act as meeting rooms, logistic centers and offer a quiet zone.

I understand you cannot build a reasonable solution with these few items, but it’s a start. Your best bet is to consult a Storage and Material Handling Integrator for the solution that best fits your needs and requirements

Cogan Guardrails

Cogan has been in the Storage and Material Handling business for over 100 years. They specialize in manufacturing guardrails, Mezzanines and Cantilever Racking, but also have carved a niche in the guardrail, safety rail and post protection business. They offer three main lines of rack and people protection:

This article will concentrate on Cogan guardrails and how important they are to protect your assets.

Cogan guardrail safety barriers are ideal protection for valuable machinery, rack-aisle ends, back-of-racking, inventory areas and loading docks. Additionally the protect mezzanines, heating and cooling equipment, electrical panels, and computer control centers. Cogan guardrails direct traffic in your warehouse and increase safety, efficiency and productivity.

Cogan heavy-duty guardrail barriers are available in a variety of lengths with single and double-rail options. Custom lengths are also available. The guardrails are manufactured from the highest quality materials, are strong, adaptable and – when properly installed – engineered to withstand a 10,000-lb impact at 4 mph.

Cogan guardrails provide maximum visibility due to their bright colours and can also be used to separate various areas within the warehouse and therefore enhancing productivity.

Install a Cogan guardrail system and stop accidents immediately. Simple to assemble, Cogan guardrail solutions reduce costly installation charges and interruptions.

Racked Out installed guardrails are necessary for a safer, more efficient, and more effective warehouse storage facility. For more details, visit our website or give us a call at 647-478-0622 and speak to Jenna about our Cogan Guardrails.

ALB Lockers are Here

Racked Out now carries ALB standard and specialty lockers and storage cabinets. Standard lockers include the A Series Locker, C Locker, E Delta Locker, P Lockers, D Dura Locker and Gear Lockers. These ALB A Series lockers offer a functional design that meet most applications. They are perfect for company changing rooms. No moving parts, double panel door and stainless handle with sound deadening retention.

A Series Locker – ALB “A” Series lockers are IN STOCK and come assembled. These lockers are extremely durable and come with a wide recessed handle for padlock. These, Made in Canada, locker come in a light grey colour.

Features include:

No moving parts
double panel door
stainless steel handle
sound deading retention
come assembled

C Lockers – offer a functional design to meet most applications, perfect for company changing rooms. No moving parts, double panel door and polypropylene handle with sound deadening retention. Read more here.

Features include:

Polypropylene handle with door retention and number plate option<
14ga. 5 knuckle hinges with non removable pin
Steel coat hooks welded and painted same colour as the locker
Welded body stronger than RTA construction
11ga. hasp welded to frame, formed at an angle for padlock
Galvanized bottom and crosspiece

E Delta Lockers – When a regular locker just won’t do, this robust and contemporary locker is perfect for the job. Double panel door, ventilated at the top and bottom. Full width top and bottom door strike with polyethylene door bumpers riveted into place. Comes with stainless steel pocket with door retention. The Delta locker is often the solution for schools or other applications that require premium options.

Features Include:

Stainless steel handle with door retention and number plate option
Ventilated top and bottom of door
Options include piano hinges, coat rods, extra shelves, combination locks, key locks, other door perforations, ventilated sides and backs

D Dura Locker – For heavy duty applications you need a strong and durable locker. Designers will appreciate the attractive full length 18 gauge handle, top and bottom door stop with magnet and an 11 gauge padlock has welded to the frame. Truly a Durable locker for years of heavy duty use.

Features Include:

14ga. 5 knuckle hinges with non removable pin
Steel coat hooks welded and painted same colour as the locker
Aluminum strike plate
Ventilated top and bottom of door
Sloped galvanized bottom and bottom frame, with perforations for drainage
Options include piano hinges, coat rods, extra shelves, combination locks, all galvanized steel

Gear Lockers – Our new line-up of open or closed front gear lockers is a collection of specialty lockers engineered for police stations, firehouses, military bases and athletic team organizations who demand high performance gear storage solutions. These all-welded lockers are designed to accommodate the storage of a wide variety of gear and apparel while allowing maximum ventilation.

Racked Out is full service material handling and storage integrator located in Mississauga, ON Canada.
www.rackedout.ca
jenna@rackedout.ca

(647) 478-0622