Effective and Durable Industrial Shelving
Industrial shelving is typically found in the stock rooms and warehouses of a business. This includes retail stock rooms and furniture stores that house a certain amount of inventory on site. These shelving units are designed to hold from hundreds to thousands of pounds, while making the most efficient use of the valuable space available. Warehouse shelving is typically designed to hold the heaviest items, especially in businesses that house heavy pallets of merchandise that need to be unloaded with a fork lift. These industrial shelving units need to be of the highest quality in order to hold up to constant abuse from loading and unloading, and occasionally being bumped by heavy forklifts and other pallet moving equipment. Steel shelving is the most common shelving used for storage and organization, and can be found in any business that has sells tangible goods.
From grocery stores, to retail stores, to electronics stores, they all need the strongest shelving to maintain their inventory.
Steel Shelves in Different Styles
Industrial steel shelving is extremely strong and durable, and can be powder-coated for a long lasting finish. Steel is also a great value for cost material. Warehouse and storage facilities make use of various types of shelving depending on what needs to be stored. Pallet racks and wire shelves are two of these types, and can be made to fit a small storage room or a large warehouse that is hundreds of thousands of square feet in size. As the project gets larger, it is a good idea to work with a company that specializes in designing and installing a system of shelving to fit your needs. The company that plans and installs the shelving system will often provide a service to assist in a move as well.
Large warehouse settings and stock rooms are one place you will find heavy shelving, but these are large shelving systems designed to withstand abuse and hold a lot of weight. Shelving units are also used in businesses to hold a variety of smaller objects. There are many styles of industrial metal shelving that resemble over-sized book cases and are mainly used to store tools, parts, chemicals, or cleaning solutions, just to name a few. These shelves vary in size, but can weigh less than a hundred pounds. They are certainly industrial strength however, with some industrial shelves designed to hold over 700 pounds per shelf.
These shelving units are made as open shelves, or racks, with no back or sides, or in a closed style, which have two or three enclosed sides. In general, the open shelves hold an average of 200 pounds less weight per shelf. Other industrial shelving units are made for the automotive industry, or simply for lightweight storage of everyday cleaning supplies.
Not Just For Heavy Industry
The lightweight shelving units are just as frequently used, if not more so, than their heavier and stronger counterparts. There are several common styles of lightweight shelving units, including stainless steel shelves with wire shelving, solid shelving stainless steel units, which are often seen in libraries and schools, and galvanized steel shelving. The list of applications for these shelves includes everything from storing records boxes, to restaurant dry goods storage, and everything in between.
Industrial wire shelving implies open grid work for heavy inventory storage, but also applies to common steel racks seen in every business setting. Wire shelf racks are light enough to move around without assistance, and strong enough to hold a full load of dishes in a restaurant, or an equal amount of canned goods or office supplies. These same shelves are common in some nurseries, where plants can be stored and watered, easily draining through the open grating.
Getting the Right Shelving
Industry has a wide variety of shelving needs, and custom solutions are often necessary to accommodate those needs. It is important to plan industrial shelving systems carefully so they are efficient and strong enough for the inventory they are designed to hold. The selection of available or custom shelving falls into one of three categories: bulk rack shelves, pallet rack shelving units, and cantilevered racks. Bulk racks are what workers will unload and load by hand. Pallet racks will require a motorized pallet jack and are found in warehouses or large store rooms; and a cantilevered rack is a common sight at home improvement and plumbing supply stores where long pipes and wood beams need to be stored.
How to Save on Shelving
Because industrial metal shelving is so tough, and can be equally effective across different industries, a smart way to save on industrial shelving is to buy used. Used industrial shelving is often just as good as the new, and can be purchased at auctions or liquidation sales for a fraction of the price of new shelves. When purchasing used equipment, a thorough inspection is necessary. Before purchasing, do not forget to know exactly what the size requirements and restrictions of your space are.