Picking racks & shelving
Industrial picking racking and shelving with steel panels or chipboard shelves is specially designed for the storage of non-palletised goods handled manually.
These storage systems offer excellent load-bearing capacity, making them suitable for storing small and medium-sized items while providing direct access to every stored SKU.
Picking racking and shelving is commonly used in sectors such as hardware, automotive, pharmaceuticals, retail, and industrial and electrical supplies. In general, these systems are used in environments where a wide variety of SKUs, direct access to products and efficient order picking are key priorities.
Features of medium-duty racking and light-duty shelving
Thanks to the wide range of configurations available, these systems offer virtually unlimited possibilities for storing different types of goods and can be easily adapted to the available space.
A variety of storage solutions can be designed using this industrial manual-handling racking and shelving as their basis, including:
Multi-tiers to add storage levels at height
These multi-tiers or raised walkways are supported by the racking or shelving itself and make it possible to add further storage levels at height, increasing capacity without extending the available floor area. Operators can safely access the upper levels via walkways and staircases integrated into the installation.
Mobile shelving
The shelving is installed on motorised mobile bases that move laterally, eliminating fixed aisles and maximising storage density. This is the ideal solution when storage capacity needs to be increased within a limited area while maintaining direct access to every SKU.
Mezzanines
The racking or shelving itself acts as the supporting structure for a mezzanine floor, creating an additional level above the installation that can be used either for storage or as a working area.
High-level picking installations
When the design needs to make maximum use of the warehouse height, manual-handling racking and shelving can incorporate raised walkways or access platforms. These enable operators to access the upper storage levels safely and manually. The system can also be adapted for use with order-picking trucks that raise the operator to the required storage level, or integrated with miniload systems in automated warehouses.
Advantages of racking and shelving for manual picking
Direct access to every SKU
Every product can be accessed immediately, helping to keep stock organised, reduce order-picking errors and streamline day-to-day operations.
Flexible configuration
Shelf levels can be adjusted in 50 mm increments, allowing each level to be adapted to the size of the stored products.
Effective use of vertical space
Thanks to their strength, these manual-handling storage systems can be used to create high-bay installations operated with order-picking trucks or fitted with raised walkways, without compromising the structural integrity of the installation.
Scalability
The installation can be easily expanded by adding new bays or additional storage levels at height, allowing it to adapt to business growth without the need to redesign the entire system.
Quick installation
The straightforward assembly process enables rapid commissioning and also makes subsequent extensions or replacements easier.
Storage systems for picking
Tailor-made solution
If you’re not sure which storage solution best suits your needs, please get in touch with us.
We’ll help you set up your project.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between picking racking and shelving and pallet racking?
Picking racking and shelving is designed for the storage and manual handling of non-palletised loads such as boxes, parts, packages and small to medium-sized products. Pallet racking is designed for palletised loads handled by forklift trucks. Each system is suited to a different type of load and warehouse operation.
How high can picking racking and shelving be?
The system can be designed for installations up to 12 m high when operated using order-picking trucks, and up to 20 m high when multi-tiers or raised walkways are incorporated to provide manual access to the upper levels.
Are the shelf levels height-adjustable?
Yes. Shelf levels can be adjusted in 50 mm increments, allowing the clear height of each level to be adapted to the size of the stored load and the installation to be reorganised as requirements change.
What types of shelves are available?
The picking system can be fitted with:
- Steel panel shelves: galvanised steel panels that provide excellent resistance to abrasion and occasional spills of non-corrosive liquids.
- Mesh panel shelves: galvanised steel mesh panels that can be designed with different mesh apertures and a suitable number of supports according to the load requirements. They prevent dust from accumulating on the shelf and allow water from the warehouse fire protection system to pass through.
- Chipboard shelves: available with either a natural or melamine finish, with a smooth surface that makes products easier to handle.
Can the system be extended after installation?
Yes. The structure is modular and can be extended at any time by adding extra bays or additional storage levels at height, without the need to modify the existing installation.
Is it compatible with automated storage systems?
Yes. Picking racking can be integrated with miniload systems in automation projects. At POLYPAL, we manufacture the racking structures that make this automation possible, calculated and designed to meet the dimensional tolerances required by each miniload system to ensure millimetre-level accuracy, safety and maximum performance, cycle after cycle.
