Hose Storage Racks 101: How to Store Industrial Hoses

A clean and organised workspace is essential for running an efficient warehouse or production facility. This well-known requirement is often put into practice through the 5S principles of lean warehousing: Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardise, and Sustain. 

While these principles work seamlessly for boxed items, they often fall short when dealing with crimped hydraulic hoses. Even in the most well-organised warehouses, these hoses tend to become a tangled and disorganised mess, taking up valuable floor space.

Improper storage of hydraulic hoses not only results in extended picking times and inaccurate stock counts but can also cause damage to these costly hoses. This damage often occurs when hose stacks are pulled apart when picking stock due to storing them with tight bends.

If a damaged hose is left unchecked and is installed somewhere, there's a serious risk of machinery fire. That said, the damaged hoses will need to be replaced promptly which means additional mainenance efforts and costs.

One simple soltuion to boost warehouse efficiency and minimise stock damage is to implement a well-designed hose storage rack. 

The most effective way to store individual hydraulic hoses is by using a low-impact hanging system.These systems limit the typical stressors associated with traditional storage methods and prevent storage-related damages.Moreover, they significantly reduce the required storage space, with a standard hose rack accommodating up to 200 hoses in a 2.5-meter section.

Advanced solutions incorporate a robust sliding track system in conjunction with a low-impact hanging system. This solution is called a freestanding hose storage rack and features innovative sliding modules which operators can move out of the way, making it easy to retrieve the needed hose without damaging adjacent ones.

Additionally, such a rack reduces the manual handling required for picking hydraulic hoses, thereby decreasing the risk of operator injuries during the retrieval process. You can also pair the modules with a V belt storage hook to increase the number of V belts stored without the risk of damaging them.

Hose storage racks come in various configurations to suit both existing and new warehouse setups. These racks can be stand-alone units or seamlessly integrated into Australian standard pallet racking systems.

They are also available as mobile units, proving to be invaluable during time-sensitive tasks like shutdown operations. A hose storage rack can lead to a significant reduction in turnaround times during a shutdown, potentially saving up to four hours.