Deciding if shelving is right for your company is simple. Right? It’s not algebra after all. All you need to do is determine if it will be beneficial to the productivity of your business and then find a trustworthy supplier. If only it were that easy.

You may be surprised, but deciding if shelving is right for your business is not that easy. Sure it will allow you to spend less, save space, and store items where they’re easily accessible; however, before you jump the gun there are certain factors that you should consider. For example, the physical characteristics of the shelf should be taken into consideration. You’ll need to find a shelf with the right width, depth, height, and load bearing capacity, to hold the items you intend to store. So, to avoid wasting valuable revenue, avoiding selecting a storage system until you’re certain it’s right for you.

You should ask yourself…..

What Do You Intend To Use The Shelving For?

This should be quite obvious, the items you intend to store can help you decide if a shelf is right for you vs a cupboard or a rack. You’ll need to be meticulous. Determine what will be stored on the shelf, how tall, short, or wide it is and how much storage space it should provide. If your intention is to use the shelf to store several items, then you might want to consider if the shelf is spacious enough to accommodate boxes or containers. This way you can separate the items and keep the storage area looking neat.

How Much Do The Products Weigh?

If the products you intend to store are bulky, then you will need a strong shelf – to avoid breakage, weightier items should be kept on a heavy duty surface. You’ll have to establish the amount of weight the storage system will need to withstand and determine if the shelf can adequately endure the weight. Rather than being precise, it’s safer to overestimate the amount of load you need the shelf to carry and select a shelf with a higher load bearing capacity. Why end up feeling sorry when you can be safe?

Select A Location For The Shelving System

If you’re going to use the storage system to host office supplies, like: blank papers, pencils, pens, etc., then you might want to ensure that it is within close proximity to workstations. Estimate how often employees will need to access the goods. If the shelf is too high will workers be able to access items stored at the top of the shelf? Will you need to post safety instructions to avoid accidents? Will you needs to label each shelf?

Assess Your Free Space

It’s crucial that you spend enough time to assess the amount of available space that you can allot to your new storage system. Again be meticulous; record the height and width of the area. Ensure that it’s not located close to radiators, pipelines, light switches, windows, and doors. An enclosed storage system might be more appropriates in areas where goods or files can get damaged by water. Needless to say it should not interfere with the fire exit in your building.

Don’t just assume that shelving is right for your business. Examine your needs first as discussed above and then make the decision that’s best for your company. And we are always on hand to help you make the decision.

Get in Touch with Advanced Handling & Storage

If you want to maximise your warehouse space through the use of new or second hand shelving, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us on 0800 345 7088 or send an email to [email protected]

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