Industrial storage systems: must for systematic growth

September 22, 2014 12:43 pm

Industrial storage systems play a vital role in the growth of any business and should be placed on top of the priority list
 Any business, in order to grow in sustainable and systematic way, needs to build faith and enough confidence in industry through its offered service and products. A desired result and reliable output can be achieved by serving the customers in promising manner. And there arises the need of industrial storage systems to be able to serve with quality products.
SignificanceWhy the storage systems are considered to be so essential? Well, there are a number of benefits that are offered by the use of storage system option, which make it significant to have in practice. Rajendra Bhole, Senior Manager – Marketing & Design, Dewas Techno Products Pvt. Ltd. explains the same:• Durability: Majority of the industrial storage system options that are available in stores are made from materials that are durable. These materials make it easier to stack various goods or supplies on the storage system without the risk of them breaking down. Apart from brand new storage system, used industrial storage system is also as resilient and can provide similar benefits to users.• Safety: Proper storage system in industries ensures that the premise is safe from any accidents that can be harmful. When the storage systems on which a variety of goods are stored are assembled well and made from quality material, they minimise any mishaps that could take place from it toppling over or the storage systems being faulty.• Increases space: Industrial storage system makes stacking of goods possible which results in the saving of a lot of space. It is therefore important to select the appropriate unit that will be able to hold as many goods as possible without breaking down. Furthermore, the stacking also saves money because the shelves purchased are only those that are needed.• Convenience: Although industrial storage system units are meant for storage, there are times when the goods will need to be picked out at one time or another. The storage system allows for the goods to be arranged in a systematic manner making it much easier to pick out whatever is needed without disrupting other goods on the same shelf.
“Our storage systems are designed to increase the productivity, optimise storage space and improve the efficiency of working practices. All our solutions can be adapted to meet the specific requirements,” says Mr Bhole.
Techniques in practiceLet us see what types of different techniques are used today for industrial storage systems.PalletisationPalletisation is a method of storing and transporting goods stacked on a standard pallet, and shipped as a unit load.
“Palletisation permits standardised ways of handling loads with common mechanical material handling equipment such as forklift trucks,” says Devdip Purkayastha, President, CHEP India. “It enables collaborating across individual organisation supply chains in creating a seamless ecosystem. However, creating this robust ecosystem will require a standardised material handling environment.”
Racking system Pallet rack is a material handling storage aid system designed to store materials on pallets or skids. Although there are many varieties of pallet racking, all types allow for the storage of palletised materials in horizontal rows with multiple levels. Forklift trucks are usually an integral part of any pallet rack system as they are usually required to place the loaded pallets onto the racks for storage.
Selective pallet racking is the most common pallet racking system in use today. It typically comes in one of two configurations: a roll formed or clip-in configuration and a structural bolt-together configuration. Roll-formed selective rack is most commonly manufactured in a teardrop style (so named as the holes on the column of the upright are shaped like a teardrop). Pallets then rest on the horizontal load beams that are held in place by mounting clips. As the clips on teardrop configurations can be quickly moved, the shelves can be easily adjusted to different heights to accommodate various load sizes. This is convenient for a warehouse that needs to store a variety of product sizes.
Structural pallet rack systems are very similar to roll-formed pallet rack systems except the horizontal load beams are attached to the uprights with bolts and have much greater weight-bearing capacity. The bolt fixings make this a form of adjustable shelving. Racks can be constructed, reconfigured, and dismantled and reused as necessary.
“Selective pallet rack systems provide easy accessibility to all products at all times,” as Mr Purkayastha puts in. “A selective pallet rack system is commonly used in a big-box distribution application as well as in retail store inventory rooms, cold storage applications and wholesale stores. It is important that racking design is as per global standards, capable of handling standard pallets and other material handling platforms.”
Sortation systemsOperations are optimised using high-speed sortation systems in distribution centres and warehouses to sort products to specific storage zones as well as route products to specific dock doors for shipping. High-speed sorters, common in distribution centres are designed to provide higher throughput, operate quieter than previous designs, and are easier to maintain. All of these lead to increased efficiencies and a better, quicker return on investment (ROI). A rapidly emerging technology in the live-roller conveyor arena is the 24V-motorised roller (MDR) conveyor. MDR retains most of the positive features of line shaft or belt-driven live rollers but adds a number of unique advantages. In conventional conveyors, a gear motor (with rotating shaft) or belts drive the operation, but with MDR conveyor, a 24V-DC motor drives the system. This allows for a high degree of flexibility and modularity in conveyor design. Pallet trucks are then used to handle unitised loads and are either mechanised or hand operated. The pallet truck is an integral part of any warehouse and standardisation of handling platforms will enable optimised usage.
Changing the pictureThe industry recognises the potential of these solutions in making its operations lean and mean. Many of the customers are already collaborating but at a very nascent level. The desired level of collaboration is based on the premise of standardisation and for this to happen, there are many external barriers.
Today in India, there is no standard for sizes of trucking body. Racking layouts are different not only across customers but even across a single customer’s various locations. The traditional trend to own equipment versus leasing is one such hurdle to cross. This has led to different types of material handling equipment like pallet jacks, pallet trucks and a conundrum of shipping platforms.
“CHEP is working closely with all the stakeholders to bring about the required change. High-level engagement with its customers as well as industry bodies like CII, RAI, SIAM, ACMA, and ECR to create awareness and acceptance is the way forward,” assures Mr Purkayastha. “We believe that the media will also play an important role in educating and modernising the supply chain industry.”Mr Bhole talks about the benefits offered by Dewas solutions which include space savings, improvements in pick accuracy, improvements in picking productivity and achievement of stock accuracy levels.
“We provide various types of solutions in our field according to the product or requirement. Our solutions increase revenue, increase storage and organise materials,” assures Mr Bhole.
Further Dewas provides the solutions for below requirements:• To expand office space • To make room for raw materials To consolidate off-site storage• To increase the number of SKUs or capacity of your Warehouse• To add more machinery.
Dewas offers its services to many sectors such as logistics and warehouse, pharma, auto industries and its ancillaries, engineering, textiles, PVC fittings, agro based industry and food industry, cement, power, steel, retails, packaging and printing industry, service sector, government sector, electric and electronics industries and E-commerce etc.
ConclusionIn conclusion, industrial storage system is a ‘must have’ for businesses that are serious about running effectively. It can be placed in different areas of the premise to make the use of the goods much easier. Nevertheless, it is important to buy the industrial storage system from reputable retailers to ensure they are good quality.
Our storage systems are designed to increase the productivity, optimise storage space and improve the efficiency of working practices.
Rajendra Bhole, Senior Manager – Marketing & Design, Dewas Techno Products Pvt. Ltd.
Palletisation permits standardised ways of handling loads with common mechanical material handling equipment such as forklift trucks.
Devdip Purkayastha, President, CHEP India