Industrial Storage Equipment
Industrial storage equipment encompasses a huge range of different industrial storage systems. Whilst there are commonalities between what is used in Australia and around the world there are also many storage systems that are specific in nature and size to the country or area of the world in which you might operate. Some of the different storage equipment used in industrial markets includes pallet racking, cantilever racking, pallet cages, stillage systems, high density drawer cabinets, parts storage racks, Longspan, bunding, DG storage, site storage equipment and more! Industrial storage equipment is generally heavy duty in nature and designed for heavy duty markets and normally have a range of Australian standards and engineering compliance which they need to meet in addition to market expectations.
A brief overview of the industrial storage types mentioned above are shown below.
What is pallet racking?
Pallet racking systems are mostly manufactured in Asia and Europe although we do have some Australian manufacturing plants still operating. Australia has it’s own standard (AS 4084-2012 Steel storage racking) specifically for pallet racking. The most common racking system used in Australia is called selective racking and is used to store in the main standard pallet sizes of 1165 x 1165 which suit over beams which are usually 838mm or 840mm apart. Pallet racking is available in a large range of height and weight capacity variations.
What is cantilever racking?
Cantilever racking is generally used for storage of long and awkward items such as pipe and steel packs. There isn’t an Australian Standard in place for this so cantilever racking systems as engineered using general engineering standards.
What are pallet cages?
Pallet cages are one of the most versatile storage systems used in warehouse and workshop environments. Available in a huge range of sizes and finishes, one of the most common uses today is for storage in pallet racking for prevention of goods falling from height. Pallet cages are also used for transport and assisting in efficient supply chains as well as preparing for shutdown or other routine maintenance procedures in areas such as manufacturing or mining.
What are stillage systems?
Stillage systems as very similar to pallet cages and are actually sometimes the same thing! Traditionally however stillage systems were a metal pallet base with 4 corner posts which were used for a range of manufacturing and construction storage applications. Whilst the traditional stillage pallet systems still exist, in the main today’s stillage cage systems are much more versatile.
What are high density drawer cabinets?
High Density cabinets are drawer storage systems generally used for storage of heavy parts. These systems can sometimes hold as much as 140kg per drawer and in some cases due to their compact nature able to save up to 80% storage space in your facility. Certain suppliers such as Containit Solutions also have a safety system which only allows one drawer to open at a time, helping to reduce the risk of cabinet tip over and other safety incidents.
What are parts storage racks?
Parts storage racks come in a range of formats and although don’t normally get the same space reduction as heavy duty drawer cabinets they are normally more economical and use plastic buckets with dividers to achieve their space reduction.
What is Longspan?
Longspan shelving is the most versatile and commonly used shelving system in the world. Longspan shelving is comparatively economical compared with it’s usage and capacity ability. Used for medium density storage and often used with divider or bucket systems to achieve maximum organisation.
What is bunding?
Bunding is used as a compliance measure to help capture any spills that may occur from primary containment devices such as drums or IBC’s. Broadly fitting into the category of spill containment, bunding is a secondary containment device designed to help prevent damage to people, property and the environment in the case of a spill occurring.
What is DG Storage?
Dangerous Goods storage equipment comes in a range of forms which in Australia have specific standards to comply with. Indoor cabinets, outdoor storage systems, transport systems and even integrated dispensing systems as all DG storage systems which are used for a wide range of DG classes such as flammable liquids, combustible liquids, corrosive substances, toxic substances, gas storage, explosive storage and more!
What is site storage equipment?
Site storage systems as most commonly used in the construction industry but also in other industries where assets are remote or spread out such as energy providers or mine sites. Site storage systems come in a wide range of forms from containers, toolboxes, site boxes and cages. Often used to prevent theft but also used to assist in transport and storage efficiency in changing environments.
Summary
In this article we’ve touched on a range of industrial storage equipment but there are many other products available including specifically manufactured systems and a closely aligned category known as materials handling products. Industrial storage systems are an investment that helps improve efficiency, make your team’s job easier to complete, reduce safety risks and help reduce the need for expansion or relocation of your business.