Corporate Vice President James B. Benton is quoted as saying “By offering this service for free we are hoping to help companies save time and money that would have been spent either with a consultant or while making an unnecessary move.”

Although this service is targeting companies that are potentially outgrowing their current location it can also be a valuable tool while looking to move into a more confined space.  By tapping into this free resource, companies will be able to determine if a smaller building will suit their long term needs.

For more information on this free service or to schedule a meeting contact Always Equipment Inc. at sales@alwaysequipment.com.

During the past 11 years I have designed almost every warehouse / distribution facility that Always Equipment Inc. has installed “Used” & New Pallet Rack, Conveyor, Mezzanines and Steel Shelving in.

One of the most important things I have learned is it is never too early to look at potential layouts for your facility. Most companies wait until they have found their new facility, signed all the paperwork and are ready to move in before they look to see how the storage system they need will fit. Yes this approach can work out in the end but not as well as most people hope. In order to properly layout a facility you really need to look at how column spacing in that facility will affect your overall layout and design of the storage system.

For an easy example let’s take a look at a company that uses lift equipment requiring a 12′ turning aisle. In this scenario the easiest layout is with a 40′ on center column space this allows a row of rack on each side of your column with a double row down the center (4′ pallet + 12′ aisle + 4′ pallet + 4′ pallet + 12′ aisle + 4′ pallet = 40′). As you can see that works out perfect but what happens if you have a column spacing of 30′ on center?

How Column Spacing Affects Pallet Rack Layout

As you can see with the same example above you wind up with columns in the center of your aisles this is not good, it wastes space and can even be a safety hazard when lift equipment is traveling down the aisle.

This is just one of many situations where it pays to look at potential layouts prior to purchasing or signing a lease on a new facility.  Many companies require different type of lift equipment or have other variables that will affect the layout of their new facility.

The easiest way to overcome the hurdle of designing you facility is to have a professional do it for you. If you contact Always Equipment Inc. we offer a free layout and design service. If you are local we will visit your potential facilities or you can have the real estate agent just forward us the dimensions.  We will give you the optimal layout based on your needs and the buildings you are considering, to help you make an even more informed decision.

Shopping for “Used” Pallet Rack?

Wondering how to get the best Bang for Your Buck?

When you begin to shop for “Used” Pallet Rack it is usually a good idea to do this in advance.  This will give you a bargaining chip being as you are not looking for the Manufactures Representative / Dealer to deliver the rack right then and there!  The one down side to this is the fact that you are dealing with “Used” Pallet Rack which is usually sold on a first come first serve basis.

Let’s say you have picked your new facility (hopefully you did a rack layout first) or you have decided it’s time to rack your existing facility, you have a few questions you need to ask yourself before you begin shopping:

1.     When should I begin my search?

I would say the majority of calls I receive are from people that need it yesterday.  This is fine, as long as there are no other customers with orders ahead of you that also need their material yesterday.  Odds are it’s not going to work out 100% of the time and let’s face it, are you that one person that wants to hear “sorry best I can do is next week”?

On the other hand if you start to call around and look for material months in advance you will find that “Used” Pallet Rack is sold on a first come first serve basis.  This means what is in stock today may not be in stock tomorrow.

Now that you are significantly confused as to when it would be in your best interest to start shopping I would suggest 1 or 2 courses of action.

Your best option depends on your flexibility.  If you have the room to take the right material when you find it with the option of giving yourself a few weeks to find it this should work out well for you.   As you are calling around, if you can find the perfect deal, I suggest closing on it as soon as possible.  There is a good chance it may sellout before you make your decision.  (I have had people wait 2 months and then complain when the material is no longer available!).  If you do not have this type of time or are not in a position to put a deposit on the material you like, be prepared to go with option 2.  I suggest setting yourself up to begin looking 2 weeks prior to your absolute need.  If you choose this route hopefully you have your deposit ready and are able to make a quick decision.  This should give you 1 week to call and one week to receive the material.

If your township requires permits understand that you will be looking at about 3 – 4 weeks lead time before you are allowed to have the rack installed.  Again you must have a deposit on your rack.  The last thing you want to do is pay for calculations / drawings, get a permit and not have the rack the township approved! 

 2.     Who is going to install my Pallet Racking?

The amount and size of the material you are purchasing will help you make this decision.  99% of the time it is better to have professionals install your warehouse storage system.  Make sure they are insured! I cannot stress this enough.  Your installation team needs to be properly insured!  Some townships also require a license.  If this is the case, find out if the company you are dealing with are licensed in your town and if not are they willing to get licensed (usually an easy process).  The do it yourself attitude depends on the company and the crew that is doing it.  However if someone gets hurt or if the material is not properly installed you are liable.

3.     What are the Township regulations for this?

Township to township state to state regulations will vary.  It is best to call your local building department.

4.     How do I know if the material I buy will fit my specs?

The first thing you need to do is make sure you are dealing with a reputable company (such as Always Equipment Inc.).  Most “Used” Pallet Rack distributors will provide you with the capacities of the material in writing, either in their quote or on the invoice.  If you are having the permits done an engineer will need to do seismic and load calculations.  This is the absolute best way to verify that your needs are being met.

Now that you have the tools you need to begin your search you will need to know what information is necessary to complete it.  (Coming soon)

Selective Pallet Rack Systems

Selective pallet rack is the most common pallet racking system in use today. Selective pallet racks typically come in one of two configurations: a roll formed, or clip-in configuration, and a structural bolt-together configuration. Roll formed selective rack is most commonly manufactured in a “teardrop” style. The nickname “teardrop” comes from the fact that the holes on the column of the upright are shaped like a teardrop. Pallets then rest on the horizontal load beams that are held in place by mounting clips. Because the clips on teardrop configurations can be quickly moved, the shelves can be easily adjusted to different heights to accommodate various load sizes. This is convenient for a warehouse that needs to store a wide variety of product sizes. Structural pallet rack systems are very similar to roll formed pallet rack systems except the horizontal load beams are attached to the uprights with bolts and have much greater weight-bearing capacity. Also, structural pallet racking can be designed into the structure of the building itself, so that the upright columns are simultaneously used to support the roof of the storage facility, in which case the structural pallet rack uprights replace the storage building’s vertical support I-beams. This system is a rack supported building. Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) is the use of selective pallet racking in a tighter configuration to provide maximum space utilization within a storage facility. These systems typically operate in conjunction with wire-guided or rail-guided reach-truck systems. A wire-guided system consists of a wire embedded in the concrete floor that provides tracking for the reach-truck. A rail-guided system consists of angle iron bolted to the floor down the length of each row. Typically, the angle iron is 4” by 3” and ¼” – ⅜” inches thick. Another advantage of selective pallet rack systems is the easy accessibility they provide to all products at all times. Such accessibility is important if the inventory is rapidly depleted and restocked (called quick turnover). A selective pallet rack system is commonly used in a “big-box” distribution application, as well as in retail store inventory rooms, cold storage applications, wholesale stores, etc.

Common components of selective rack include the following:

1. Load beams (also called step beams or box beams).
   • Most Step Beams are roll formed members with a 1⅝” step along the top inside edge. This step is used to hold any load support components such as pallet supports or wire decks.
   • Box Beams have no inset step, instead have four flat sides like a box. All load beams typically mount onto an upright frame column with integral rivets or hooks. Some systems utilize an extra clip or bolt to lock the beam to the upright.
   • Structural Beams are hot formed structural C shapes with connecting clips at either end. Structural load beams are generally used with structural uprights but can be used with standard roll formed uprights. Structural load beams offer heavier weight capacities than step beams or box beams.
2. Upright Frames (also called upright columns or uprights) vary in size and design depending on load requirements, and styles. The most common upright column is produced by roll forming flat coil stock steel into a modified “C” shape with returns. This style is often referred to as open-back roll-formed columns. Holes or slots are punched during manufacturing up and down the column at standard intervals so that the load beams can be mounted into the upright columns. Upright frames can also be constructed utilizing structural C shapes for columns. Structural uprights have an increased weight capacity over roll formed uprights.
3. Diagonal Braces and Horizontal Braces, commonly referred to as upright frame lacing is usually welded between two upright columns to form selective upright frames. The lacing may be bolted to the columns in some cases.
4. Pallet Supports are roll formed channels that are placed front to back between the load beams to support pallets.
5. Wire Decking is commonly used as a safety measure on selective pallet rack to prevent pallets or the products stored on them from falling through the rack structure. Wire mesh decking comes in various thicknesses and mesh dimensions. Wire mesh construction also allows for easy identification of shelf contents and prevents dirt and other debris from accumulating on the shelves because of the holes in the mesh. Most wire mesh decking has U-shaped channel supports, also known as struts, to support the load. With this waterfall decking, the wire mesh extends across the top and down the front of the beam to provide more support, and is more desirable in the marketplace. Reverse waterfall decking can provide containment of a loose product to prevent the product from falling behind the rack system. Lay-in decking rests inside the step of the beam, and wire mesh does not waterfall over the beam. Some types of decking are manufactured with solid metal instead of wire mesh. Even though the solid decking provides a greater distributed weight capacity, it is discouraged by fire inspectors because sprinkler systems cannot spray through the shelves to levels below.
6. Footplates, also known as footpads or baseplates, are at the base of columns and serve as anchors to give the rack more stability: anchor bolts are inserted through the baseplate’s holes to attach the column to the concrete floor. Footplates are made of thicker steel and in some geographic locations, they must be of a certain size and seismic rating. Footpads increase the pallet rack’s overall stability and weight-bearing capacity.
7. Shims are used when the uprights are resting on uneven floors; the shims, equal in size to the base of the uprights, are installed beneath the uprights to level the rack.
8. Row spacers are sometimes used if uprights are arranged in back-to-back rows; the spacers are mounted between adjacent columns to ensure that the rows are kept straight and to give the pallet racks even more strength and steadiness.
9. Wall ties may be used for further support if the uprights are arranged in a row along a wall.
10. Column protectors, also known as post protectors, are protective shields that can be installed around the base of an upright to minimize damage where forklifts might hit the upright. Damage to the base of a column can weaken the entire frame and could cause it to collapse. Column protectors are made of various materials such as polyethylene, ductile iron casting, and other durable materials.
11. Guard rails are installed to increase protection for upright columns and for human safety when platforms or steps are attached to pallet rack

Always Equipment Inc. has 1,000′s of sections Used Selective Pallet Rack in stock and available to ship immediately.

 “Used“ Teardrop & New Style Interlake Pallet Rack

150 Teardrop Uprights 20’ Tall 42” Deep X 3” X 3” 

320 Teardrop Uprights 20’ Tall 44” Deep X 3” X 3”

250 Teardrop Uprights 17’ Tall 44” Deep X 3” X 1-5/8”

150 NS Interlake Uprights 20’ Tall 32” Deep X 3” X 1-5/8”

150 NS Interlake Uprights 17’ Tall 44” Deep X 3” X 1-5/8”

25 NS Interlake Uprights 14’ Tall 44” Deep X 3” X 1-58”

2,100 NS Shelf Beams 144” X 6” to 7,500 lbs Capacity Per Pair

300 NS Shelf Beams 106” x 3 ½” to 3,000 lbs Capacity Per Pair

3,000 Teardrop Shelf Beams 96” X 3” to 4” to 5,000 lbs Capacity Per Pair

Always Equipment Inc. purchases and sells all types of “Used” Warehouse Storage Systems.

• Pallet Rack
• Drive In Storage Rack
• Steel Shelving
• Conveyor Systems Power & Gravity Feed
• Mezzanines
• Cantilever Racks
• Installation Services
• Dismantling Services
• Layout & Design Services

Available “Used” Frazier & Interlake Structural Pallet Rack

1,900 Frazier Structural Uprights 22’ Tall 42” Deep X 3” & 4”

420 Interlake Structural Uprights 24’ Tall 42” Deep X 3”  

300 Frazier Structural Uprights 20’ Tall 42” Deep X 3”

500 Frazier Structural Uprights 18’ Tall 42” Deep X 4”

600 Frazier Structural Uprights 10’ Tall 42” Deep X 4”

12,200 Structural Frazier Shelf Beams 102” X 4” to 9,000 lbs Capacity Per Pair

7,000 Structural Frazier Shelf Beams 96” X 4” to 9,600 lbs Capacity Per Pair

4,600 Structural Interlake Shelf Beams 96” X 3” to 5,000 lbs Capacity Per Pair

1,700 Pallet Positions Frazier Structural Drive In Rack 3 Deep

Floor Plus 3 Levels Of Storage

21 Bays Frazier 4 Deep Push Back Rack, Floor + 2 Levels

85 Bays Frazier 2 Deep Push Back Rack, Floor + 3 levels

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Hopefully with time this will evolve into a very informative blog.