Fabrack for Accrofab

Stakapal were the prefered supplier for Accrofab's manufacturing facility in Derby. The East Midland based company - a major supplier to the Aerospace sector, was established in 1977. The growth of the company has been achieved through continuous investment in new technologies, with manufacturing techniques including : Sheet metal working, CNC machining, Laser cutting, Welding and Vacuum heat treatment. This is supported by a customer portfolio including world leading aerospace manufacturers and universities. 

With limited space for stock and work in progress, combined with double handling and easy access to raw materials, the need for a Cantilever Racking system was quickly becoming an essential investment for the business. After going through an extensive tender process Stakapal were awarded the contract which consisted of 13 single sided racks dedicated to three different sizes of sheet material. 

Column heights were only 5500mm high, and with such a small combined pallet and product height the system was designed to accommodate 15 apertures which included the base of the column and 14 arm locations. 

Edward Ashworth, Manufacturing Manager comments "There was very little difference in the prices obtained from those who quoted, and whilst the Stakapal price was competitive it was the advanced structural design of their Cantilever Racking system that sealed it for us." 


Edward goes on to say "We take every investment we make very seriously and this project was no exception. Stakapal were extremely accommodating and a visit to an existing client of theirs only reaffirmed my thoughts, as the installation I was taken to incorporated varying types of Cantilever profiles and clearly demonstrated that we had committed to the right product."

Sydenhams Store with Stakapal

Southern based Timber and Building suppliers Sydenhams recent £600,000 investment on their 4.5 acre site in Wickham Hampshire, incorporated a newly built 1300 sq metre timber shed which was completed and fully functional within 6 months of first digging soil. 

The Wickham site - which is a Milling, Manufacturing and Design facility as well as providing the services of a more traditional branch, is responsible for producing I-beams, Trussed rafters and Easi joists. 

The new shed replaced an existing building that had seen better days and had typically been used for bulk storage of timber packs. This in itself, had been a limiting factor for the business in terms of selectivity, stock rotation and damage to products. 

Stakapal were asked to provide a storage installation that would fully utilise the benefits of the storage space created within the new shed, as a result of installing Stakapal's Cantilever Racking.

The installation consisted of two single sided runs, 24 metres long, positioned on the perimeter walls, with 3 double sided runs 18 metres long, separated by 4 metre aisles allowing generous access for the multi directional and side loading trucks.

This latest project is in addition to the other Cantilever Racking installations that Stakapal have previously installed at the Wickham site. These include : an external system complete with canopy roof, and other internal racks that assist the manufacturing operation directly. 

Graham Stonehill, Operations Manager at the Wickham site comments that "from the initial site survey through to the completion of installation, Stakapal's service and reliability was second to none. The fact that they directly employ their own SEIRS certified installers makes a huge difference in terms of build efficiency, quality of work and their attitude toward Health&Safety on site. Stakapal is a company that truly do offer you a service from start to finish."

Racking Health Check

In these tough and challenging economic times it is understandable that many merchant organisations have had to delay the purchase of any new storage equipment for their warehouse or yard. What is more concerning, however, is the fact that in many cases this also applies to the ongoing maintenance of existing racks. 


This is without doubt entering into high risk territory, as ignoring any damage to the main structural components of racking within a yard or warehouse environment with pedestrian access by both employees and customers exposes people to potentially very serious health and safety incidents. 


As a manufacturer of storage products for the timber and builders merchant sectors for over 45 years, Stakapal has built up a lot of experience when it comes to on-site rack inspections. We employ qualified SARI'S (Storage Equipment Manufacturers' Association approved racking inspectors) and undertake inspections on a regular basis. 

It is quite a common occurrence for Stakapal to receive calls from merchants who have recently received a visit from their local environmental health officer from the local council, or a Health & Safety Executive inspector who has highlighted the fact that the racks in their yard or warehouse are damaged and require immediate action. In addition, racking often does not have the appropriate load signage displayed which also puts them at a distinct disadvantage in the eyes of the inspector.

If the inspection reveals 'Red Risks' you will be required to offload the affected area immediately in order to repair or replace the racking. 
We have therefore outlined a checklist for Cantilever Racking 'Red Risks' that any merchant should consider for the safety of their site :

1. Column Damage 

For a column bent in the direction of the run, the maximum gap between the upright and the straight edge should not exceed 5mm. If it does it becomes an orange risk - which means you need to inspect this area daily for further signs of damage. More than 10mm is red risk requiring immediate offloading.

2. Lateral Arm Damage

Arms damaged in the same direction as the run often results in damage to the column as well as the arm. Stakapal considers lateral deformation in excess of 1.25 degrees when viewed from the front of the arm to constitute orange risk - again this needs inspection on a daily basis. In excess of 2.5 degrees constitutes a red risk requiring immediate offloading.

 3. Horizontal Arm Damage

Arms are permitted to deflect up to arm length/180 mm under normal design load conditions. Residual deflection with the load removed should be no more than 10% of normal deflection under load. Figures greater than this consitute orange risk - requiring daily inspection, and twice this level red risk risk requiring immediate offloading. All arms deflected below horizontal are red risk. 

4. Brace Damage 

For bracing members bent in either plane the gap between straight edges and bracing member should not exceed 10mm. If it does it becomes orange risk - requiring regular inspection. More than 20mm is red risk requiring immediate offloading.

5. Base Damage

Base damage imparts excessive load into the column and the bracing members. Bases that are rotated in the direction of the run by more than 5 degrees constitute orange risk requiring regular inspection. A rotation of more than 10 degrees constitutes red risk requiring immediate offloading.

Stakapal's Stock Selection & Storage Solutions

Kitchens, Bedrooms and Bathrooms.
From raw materials, to work in progress through to finished goods - Stakapal design and install a total solution for your stock.


Stakapal specialise in the design, specification and production of a range of cost-effective storage and stock selection solutions to minimise the operating costs of kitchen, bedroom and bathroom manufacturers, distributors and retailers. We have supplied the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom industry for over 40 years and in the process have developed an excellent understanding of the needs of the industry and an unrivalled reputation for high quality products and service.


Timber, Sheet Materials & Decorative Laminates
Our specialist engineering department are skilled at identifying your needs and offering solutions suitable for the selectivity of all your timber products including panels, softwood, hardwood and MDF profiles. We can manufacture systems ranging from one individual rack through to completely integrated storage and picking systems.


Worktops & Laminates
With a wide range of worktop and laminates often needing to be stocked, Stakapal understand the requirement for excellent stock selectivity and rotation. Our systems are designed to work with the full range of handling equipment from hand loaded trolleys through to guided aisle man rising order picking equipment. 


Finished Goods & Stock 
From fixing and component storage to finished product storage in your warehousing facility, Stakapal offer long-term solutions that take into consideration all of the logistical requirements of your company's operation.

Introduction to Cantilever Racking : Key Structural Components

Stakapal's unique Cantilever Racking system was designed to ensure that the strongest and most robust box structure became available to our expanding list of clients who store long product loads across a wide and diverse set of market sectors.


No matter how simplistic or sophisticated the requirements may be, we develop every time a specific made to measure system to suit your exacting needs. The high demand placed on storage of long commodities requires extensive experience. Stakapal has gained years of knowledge which is evident in its quality of engineering and design.


Stakapal's Cantilever system is based upon extensive research and development over many years, designed and built to exceed SEMA (UK) and European standards.
Columns 

• Box type construction maximises resistance to torsional buckling from twist.
• Unique tapered column design with taper equivalent to the deflection of column under single sided loading.
• Base end plates fitted as standard presenting a clean flush finish to the loading aisle with no sharp edges. Can also be punched to accept mounted guide rail for guided aisle installations. 
• Slots are punched as standard in double sided pattern allowing conversion from single sided to double sided to meet changing requirements. 

Arms

• Tapered arm construction offers increased clearance height at the front end of the arm to improve ease of loading.
• The tapered arm structure also results in a very economical design concentrating the largest section in the most effective place at the heel of the arm. 
• Wrap around connector design optimises transfer of load into column.
• Simple and effective wedge pin system maximises adjustability and makes arm relocation very quick and easy.
• A wide range of lengths available 600mm - 2100mm to suit individual needs of the customers storage requirements.  

Other colours available upon request. 

Stakapal takes the racking crown

Crown Products is an established kitchen and bedroom manufacturer based in Kent. Stakapal has supplied Crown Products with racking for more than ten years. "As we have expanded our business and required additional racking", says the company director "we go back to them - we may investigate others, but ultimately we always end up buying from Stakapal rather than elsewhere."

A key reason for this choice is because Stakapal is a UK manufacturer and "As a UK manufacturer ourselves we like to source home-produced products. The service they offer distinguishes Stakapal from other suppliers in that they have always been able to come up with the appropriate storage solutions."

He also goes on to say that "Their expertise and experience within our market is second to none. This is complemented by their design and manufacturing capability and in-house installation crews who are all qualified through the SEIRS (Storage Equipment Installers Registration Scheme) ensuring a complete all-round service is provided from concept to completion."

Stakapal's unique position within the UK storage industry is that it is the only company that manufactures both Pallet Racking, and Cantilever Racking products, of which it is a market leader. Its engineering capability to rise to every challenge presented by Crown Products has earned it a loyal customer.

"Over the years we've built up an excellent long-term relationship with Stakapal. The first racking installation we purchased from them is still as good as new," says the company director. "As we have expanded, whatever we have needed has been made available. We are used to investing in capital equipment, and they offer long-term solutions rather than a short term fix."

Stakapal has been manufacturing for over 40 years and operates from it's 72,000 square ft facility in Cannock, Staffordshire, with an additional 2.5 acre site close by housing a 10,000 square ft purpose-built unit.

To Guided Aisle or not to Guided Aisle? That is the question

Cantilever Racking Storage of Timber: Guided system or free path.


Cantilever Racking is the most common method of racked storage for both Hardwood and Softwood Timber products. The system of legs or columns to give them their correct term have a number of arms attached to them by a variety of means (by pins, bolts or rarely welded) that protrude clear of the columns. The columns are connected together for lateral stability by a series of cross braces and tie beams. This gives an uninterrupted run of storage ideal for accommodating the long product lengths that timber is stocked in. Other methods include Vertical Storage (often called A-Frames) where timber is stored by being leaned upright against a series of beams or Pigeon Hole Storage where timber is stored horizontally in small compartments.


The rise in use of Cantilever Racking in the Timber industry can be correlated directly to the trend for end users to purchase only that amount of timber for which they have an immediate use. The tightening of credit facilities and the requirement for companies to tightly control their cash flow and stock levels means that they often no longer take full packs of material that may take several weeks or even months to consume. Therefore there have been significant increases in multi drop deliveries with a much greater number of smaller orders being processed. This in turn puts pressure on the order picking systems with lower cycle times necessary.


To achieve the levels of selectivity needed Cantilever Racks are used extensively to store and aid selection of individual lengths to meet those increasing numbers of smaller and more varied orders. This is either directly from the rack or by bringing a pack stored at high level down to the ground with the pack then returned to its original location after selection has taken place.
The two alternative options conventionally used are Guided Aisle Cantilever Rack systems or Free Path Cantilever Rack systems. In a Guided Aisle system the mechanical handling equipment, usually a multi directional side loading reach truck, is guided down the aisle, the space in between two opposing runs of racks, via guide rollers fixed to the truck running between rails. The rails may be floor fixed or fixed to the bases of the racks or a combination of both. In a Free Path system the truck is solely under the control of the operator whilst operating in the aisle.


Guided Aisle systems offer the maximum density of storage particularly if the full height of the warehouse is utilised. Modern handling equipment now allows storage of timber at heights of up to 12 metres and whilst this presents no technical issues it can present a psychological barrier generally in the timber industry where sideloaders with 3.6 to 4.2 metre lift heights have been used for many years. In such systems the product is often withdrawn from the rack location and driven to a picking station where the required items are removed prior to the pack being returned to its rack location. Ground based picking at lower levels onto timber trolleys or the forks of the lift truck is also available although care must be taken to ensure that health and safety issues that inevitably arise with such situations are addressed. The aisle is effectively closed to other equipment during such operations and cannot be accessed until all picked stock is moved out of the system.


Free Path systems whilst offering lower storage densities generally offer wider aisles that can allow simultaneous picking and replenishment and retrieval of full packs subject to suitable and fully risk assessed operational procedures. They tend to be lower in height than guided systems and aisle widths can vary from 2400mm for Side Loading trucks to 6000mm plus for Counter Balance Fork Lift trucks. Where Fork Lift trucks are utilised the aisle width is often determined by the product length to be stored rather than by the physical dimensions of the truck as the products have to be turned through 90 degrees in the aisle to be loaded into the racks. The benefit of these wider aisles is that product can be lowered to floor level on the forks of the truck and picking carried out in situ with much lower travel distances required than with guided aisle systems. The pack can be replaced quickly and easily into its allotted location as it is already correctly aligned laterally. There is still a need for the picked product to be taken to the order assembly area or despatch area and this may be carried out by an alternative piece of handling equipment or by the same truck used to decant the pack. Of course if the same truck is used the time advantage over the guided aisle system is lost and the floor area utilised is very much greater.


The main advantage offered by a free path system is generally when wider aisles are used and secondary stock movement systems are employed for picked products to meet peak demand cycles. In contrast such utilisation of additional labour in a guided system is only possible if additional and expensive handling equipment is available and its specialised nature makes it almost impossible to hire in on a short term basis. Thus if this is a regular feature of trading for a company then capital equipment that is only used on an infrequent basis is needed. Therefore the trade off is on-going higher costs of space against costly and underutilised capital equipment. An interesting argument perhaps between the Operations Director and the Financial Director?

Stored on Stakapal - Cantilever Racking

Stakapal supplied a bespoke Cantilever Racking solution for Timbmets new distribution centre in Stanford in the vale, Oxfordshire. Timbmet carry one of the most extensive product ranges in Europe, including certified hard-woods, quality soft-woods, engineered products & innovative designer panels. With a dedicated merchant's team offering ongoing support to the Timber industry, the opening of the company's new state of the art Centre will prove pivotal in helping them to continue serving their customers into the future.


Stakapal has worked in partnership with the company across their numerous sites, developing an in-depth understanding of their storage requirements and how the business operates. 
This particular site (which was originally a World War Two airfield) required extensive building work to be undertaken in order to make the site fit for the company's purposes, part of which encompassed three main dedicated storage areas.


Design and specification of the dedicated Cantilever racks varied to accommodate the multi-functional requirements of the operation, with common column heights of 5.9m for both internal and external racks designed to carry loads of 6000 kgs per column side. Rack profiles included Internal Hardwood Storage & Sheet Material that also applied to an extensive amount of external racks supplied in a hot dipped galvanised finish.

Stakapal helps grow timber capacity

When a Southern based Builders Merchant made the decision to focus hard investment into their timber yard, one of their main priorities and considerations was to maximise their storage facility. The company had aquired a three acre site, seven years previously and had successfully retained their customer base and also achieved steady growth by offering a wide range of specialist timber products.

With a diverse stock-offering, ranging from quality European, American and Tropical hardwoods to solid and engineered flooring, the company is an ideal outlet for a multitude of trades. Ensuring the optimisation of space and flexibility within the company timber shed was therefore a key element within the site investment plans.

For a number of years the company have called on the expertise of Stakapal as 'their knowledge of our industry sector is second to none.' Stakapal not only design and manufacture their Cantilever Racking system but also provide an installation service using their own qualified SEIRS registered installers. This is unique in the market place and 'provides the company with peace of mind that Stakapal can manage any size of project from start to finish.' 

In this particular case the company's timber shed had many historical inefficiencies in terms of stock selectivity and presentation which, in turn had  a 'knock-on' effect for customers in relation to speed of service and accessibility. Health and Safety issues, as always, were a top priority and the Stakapal team worked very closely with the companies Branch Manager to finalise an ideal storage solution that not only allowed 100% stock selectivity but also adressed any previous day to day operational issues.

It took Stakapal's qualified fitters three days to complete the installation of Cantilever Racking with double sided column heights of 4.5 constructed of base plus 3 arm levels per column side.

Prior to the installation of the racking Stakapal also advised the company on the construction and dimensional details of the concrete bases that had to be layed prior to fitment of the Cantilever Racking System.

Stakapal provides leading builders merchant with bespoke storage solution for their latest site.

With a customer base ranging from small builders to large developers as well as housing associations, schools and hotels, the merchants new site called for a storage solution that would not only fully maximise the area available but deliver 100% accessibility, selectivity and stock rotation ensuring an extremely cost effective operation all round.


Stakapal’s knowledge and expertise of the builders merchants industry means that as a business we are fully conversant in supplying systems that deliver products with the durability and flexibility that a builders merchant environment dictates. For this particular location Stakapal were asked to supply conventional Pallet Racking to store standard UK 1 tonne pallets as well as plaster board storage integrated to accommodate the customers bespoke mezzanine floor.
The Benefits of using Pallet Racking include:

• 3 post types give an extensive range of racking frame load capabilities.
• Pallet Rack frames up to 8.3m high are manufactured with single continuous uprights for maximum rigidity.
• Reversible uprights enable damaged rack uprights to be reused
• Unrivalled choice of beams connected via 3 different types of connector, ensuring a solution whatever the requirement.
• Wrap around connectors provide additional lateral restraint from the connector improving lateral stability.
• Closed box beam construction minimised torsion & damage.
• All Pallet Racking beam locking pins are tamper proof and prevent accidental dislodgement.
• A double fixing footplate is standard to allow floor fixing both sides of the upright minimising rack post damage from twisting.

The above factors helped to ensure maximum utilisation of the height of the building and also provided additional storage and merchandising space. 


With the company renowned for their expansive range of timber and joinery products, Stakapal installed two double sided runs of integrated vertical storage 4.3 metres high with bay spans of 2700mm clear entry with each bay sub divided by 6 bow dividers to allow for dedicated presentation of stock.

The Case For Guided Aisle Cantilever Racking : For storage of long lengths of stainless steel

Guided Aisle Cantilever Racking consists of the same basic components as Conventional and Free-Path systems, but with runs positioned closer together to eliminate the waste of space of a wide aisle. Long load products can be stored to a far greater height to ensure cubic space is utilised to the full.

Long load products are accessed using specialist trucks which are guided by guide-rail systems to avoid damage to the rack structure. The benefits of Guided Aisle Cantilever Racking include:

• 100% accessibility to individual packs.
• Configuration provides higher density than that of conventional Free-Path systems.
• Specialist side loading trucks or multi-directional reach trucks are required to operate within reduced aisle widths.
• Better space utilisation.
• Increased cost of specialist trucks can often be offset by the added value or better space utilisation.    

One market leading company with such requirements approached Stakapal to provide their services for the company's expansion of it's West Midlands site. The project consisted of the supply and installation of the new Cantilever Racking as well as the utilisation of existing Stakapal Cantilever Racks that were already in place. The assembly programme of 3 weeks commenced with the installation of new single sided and double sided constructed racks. Column heights of 6 metres and 12 arm levels and load carrying capacities of 14,300 kgs per column side, meant that a bespoke design specific to meet the clients needs was required.


Floor mounted guide rail was provided to assist guidance of the multi-directional trucks down operating aisle widths of 2.4 metres, Lead-in sections positioned at the end of aisles and transfer locations aid easy access from one aisle to another. 

Whether you require racking for long and heavy lengths of Stainless, Aluminium and Stainless Tube, Bar, Sheet, Coil, or Profiles our extensive knowledge of the industry assures you that no matter how challenging the problem - Stakapal will provide a solution.

The case for Drive -In Pallet Racking : How Cheese companies store their Cheese

Predominantly utilised for cold, chill and bulk storage, Drive-In Racking provides very high storage density whilst separating pallets prone to damage from crushing.

Drive- In Racking is frequently used in facilities with a low number of product lines. Pallets are stored in a block configuration with two blocks generally served by one operating aisle. The trucks drive into the racking to load or retrieve pallets which are stored on pallet rails running front to depth within the system. The first pallet in, is the last pallet out - unless a Drive through system is deployed whereby pallets can be loaded or retrieved from either side.

A perfect example of a Stakapal Drive-In Racking installation is at British Cheese Champions Joseph Heler, who have manufactured Cheese for over 50 years. In turn, Stakapal have over the last 15 years designed specified, manufactured and installed bespoke storage solutions for all of Heler's cheese maturing cold stores.

The implementation of Drive-In Racking proves extremely beneficial to companies such as Joseph Heler as :

• High Density Storage maximises cubic space with a greater number of pallets stored per cubic metre than any other storage system.
• Low stock rotation is ideal for seasonal goods and fluctuating stock demand.
• It is ideal for cold, chill storage and bulk storage applications.
• It is suitable for easily damaged or fragile goods which cannot be bulk stacked.

Having developed a unique understanding of the highly logistical demands of the food production sector, Stakapal were pleased to be awarded the contract for Heler's 4th Cheese manufacturing cold store at their Nantwich site. This project required Drive-In Pallet Racking with frame heights in excess of 6m and depths of over 8m. Each lane was designed to carry 8,000 kgs per level giving them the capacity for the storage of over 600 pallets. A further 20 bays with frame heights again in excess of 6m and with depths of 3m carrying 3000kgs per level provided the capacity to store a further 200 pallets. Stakapal's SR 2000 series Drive-In Racking is ideally suited for cheese storage where batches of product are required to be stored for similar periods of times.

Pallet Racking Inspections : Why are they necessary?

It is usually an Environmental Health Officer (EHO) from the local council or a Health and Safety Executive Inspector that demands that a company obtains an inspection of its Pallet Racking by a 'technically competent person'.
 
Pallet Racking is a storage system utilising a series of frames consisting of two upright posts joined together by bolted or occasionally welded bracing members. The frames are connected by longitudinal members (beams) upon which regular shaped pallet loads are placed. Where loads are irregular by virtue of their length, depth or general variability then Cantilever Racking is often used. This benefits from having no regularly spaced frames obstructing long products being placed into the rack. 


Often the inspection of Pallet Racks reveals 'Red Risks' which require immediate offloading of those racks or locations. Typically the response of the client when asked to carry this out is that the situation has been "like that for years" and that "nothing has happened yet".

Often this is true and therefore it is important to understand why racks and components that have been overloaded or damaged have not failed and resulted in a collapse. There is usually more than one reason for this and a combination of factors are in play preventing a dangerous occurence:

1) Often the rack is only partly loaded. The nature of stock levels rising and falling depending on trading conditions, seasonal conditions, availability etc, typically results in utilisation levels rarely rising above 80%. This often provides an increase in the factors of safety present on a rack or system basis. 

2) The stock densities or weights are often lower than allowed for. This can be due to customers overstating the actual figures either mistakenly or deliberately, or the supplier overestimating the figures for the same reasons. 

3) Stresses redistribute through the structure creating a stable system, albeit one in danger of collapse if other factors change. 

4) Materials used in the production of the racking happen to all be on the high end of their thickness tolerances. All commercially produced steels have a thickness tolerance which is plus or minus an amount depending on the type and specification of the raw material. Many racks are designed on a statistical average figure based on statistical probability. It should however, be borne in mind that there is then an equal chance that instead of the materials being at the high end of their tolerances they are instead all at the low end.

If, however, the combinations of factors that have prevented the rack or component from failing change and create an adverse overall effect, then the conditions for collapse to occur may all be in place and sudden failure can result.

The Rack Inspector in reality is not being 'too fussy' when issuing Red Risks, they are simply highlighting that the luck that has been enjoyed preventing failure of those components or racks may at sometime run out and then... Watch out! It may be too late!

Cantilever Racking Storage of Timber : Picking your route to success.

Cantilever Racking is the most common method of racked storage for both Hardwood and Softwood Timber products. The system of legs - or columns to give them their correct term, have a number of arms attached to them by a variety of means (by pins, bolts or rarely by welding) that protrude clear of the columns. 

The columns are connected together for lateral stability by a series of cross braces and tie beams. This gives an uninterrupted run of storage - ideal for accomodating the long product lengths that Timber is stocked in. 

Other methods include Vertical Storage (often called A-Frames) - where Timber is stored by being leant upright against a series of beams, or Pidgeon Hole Storage - where timber is stored horizontally in small compartments. The downside with both of these systems is the necessity to put stock away manually which is time consuming. In the case of Vertical Storage there is then the added drawback of the Timber being prone to warp through differential drying, due to the heat gradient found in most buildings particularily in the summer months. 

The rise in the use of Cantilever Racking in the Timber industry can be correlated directly to the trend for end users to purchase only the amount of timber for which they have an immediate use. The tightening of credit facilities and the requirement for companies to tightly control their cash flow and stock levels, means that they no longer take full packs of material that may take several weeks or even months to consume. 

This trend has subsequently resulted in an increase in multi drop deliveries being necessary with a much greater number of smaller orders being processed. This in turn puts pressure on the order picking systems with lower cycle times necessary. The pressure on margins brought about from increasing levels of competition in a demanding market operating with the background of a major recession, doesn't allow for the convenient option of hiring more staff and buying or leasing more mechanical handling equipment. 

Using Cantilever Racks to store Timber not only ensures that it is more safely stored than simple block stacking, but also has the major benefit of allowing selections of individual lengths to meet those increasing numbers of smaller and more varied orders. This is either directly from the rack or by bringing a pack stored at high level down to the ground with the pack then returning it to its original location after selection has taken place.

This is a much more efficient process than moving several packs of bulk stacked Timber (inevitably it is 3 lengths of Timber from the pack at the bottom of a three deep and 4 high bulk pile that is required) and offers the added benefit of lower levels of stock damage as packs are handled less frequently before being exhausted. 

Use of modern multi-directional rough terrain side-loading reach trucks with their relatively low bed heights had enabled hand selection of the bottom two or three levels in the racks. This allows peak demand cycles to be accomodated by temporarily increasing manpower without the need for additional mechanical handling equipment. 

To summarise, Cantilever Racks allow reduced cycle times for order selection, allowing optimal use of vehicle space whilst also reducing levels of stock damage. All of these benefits along with high levels of customer satisfaction and the resulting repeat business, make investment in Cantilever Racking a compelling argument for all Timber Merchants.

Cantilever Racking Inspections: Why are they necessary?

It is usually an Environmental Health Officer (EHO) from the local council or a Health and Safety Executive Inspector that demands that a company obtains an inspection of its Cantilever Racking by a ‘technically competent person’. Cantilever Racking is a storage system usually utilised to store long and irregular or even awkward shaped products that cannot be accommodated in Pallet Racking.

Often the inspection reveals ‘Red Risks’ which require immediate offloading of those racks or locations. Typically the response of the client when asked to carry this out is that the situation has been "like that for years" and that "nothing has happened yet".

Often this is true and therefore it is important to understand why racks and components that have been overloaded or damaged have not failed and resulted in a collapse. There is usually more than one reason for this and a combination of factors are in play, preventing a dangerous occurrence:

1) Often the rack is only partly loaded. The nature of stock levels rising and falling depending on trading conditions, seasonal conditions, availability etc, typically results in utilisation levels rarely rising above 80%. This often provides an increase in the factors of safety present on a rack or system basis.
2) The stock densities or weights are often lower than allowed for. This can be due to customers overstating the actual figures either mistakenly or deliberately, or the supplier over estimating the figures for the same reasons.
3) Stresses redistribute through the structure creating a stable system albeit one in danger of collapse if other factors change.
4) Materials used in the production of the racking happen to all be on the high end of their thickness tolerances. All commercially produced steels have a thickness tolerance which is plus or minus an amount depending on the type and specification of the raw material. Many racks are designed on a statistical average figure based on statistical probability. It should be borne in mind that there is then an equal chance that instead of the materials being at the high end of their tolerances they are all at the low end.

If, however, the combinations of factors that have prevented the rack or component from failing change and create an adverse overall effect then the conditions for collapse to occur may all be in place and sudden failure can result.

The Rack Inspector in reality is not being ‘too fussy’ when issuing Red Risks they are simply highlighting that the luck that has been enjoyed preventing failure of those components or racks may at some time run out and then............ Watch out! It may be too late!