Storage and Handling Solutions for Beverage Warehouses

February 06, 2019

The beverage industry has changed significantly over the years. Today’s beverage distributors face challenges in keeping up with brand growth due to consumer demand for speciality drinks and brews. Managing and storing the vast amounts of beverage inventory they need is becoming more complicated— forcing warehouse managers to find more beverage warehouse storage space or to better utilize their existing cooler and storage systems.

Some of the issues beverage distributors face that can disrupt daily operations include:

  • Cluttered floor space;
  • Product disorganization;
  • Counting errors in inventory; and
  • Missed deliveries.

The best way warehouse managers can maximize their beverage warehouse storage space is by installing pallet rack systems—helping beverage distributors keep up with industry demands and improve the efficiency of their operations.

What Are the Benefits of Increasing Beverage Warehouse Storage with Industrial Shelving?

  • No need for a change in location. Moving to a new warehouse building is a costly expense. Performing regular beverage distributor operations while changing locations is hard enough, but new building permits, renting or purchasing a new storage facility, and maintaining the old warehouse until it is rented or sold can quickly deplete a company’s warehouse operations budget. New code requirements may also prevent warehouse managers from using the pallet rack systems they already own if they do not meet building codes.

  • Flexibility in pallet rack design. There are many pallet storage systems and industrial shelving options warehouse managers can choose from to improve their beverage warehouse storage. Each design has unique characteristics that can make one racking system more useful than another and allow for combination design choices to further expand a warehouse’s storage space.

    It’s important to remember, however, that not all industrial rack systems are built the same or made to fit one strict set of storage needs. The installation process can become much more difficult if a warehouse manager forces a particular pallet rack design into a tight space. It can prevent workers from fully utilizing a rack’s maximum capacity to store beverage inventory and increase the risk of pallet rack failure.

  • Reduced labor. If a warehouse’s beverage inventory is disorganized, it can prevent warehouse workers from completing their daily tasks in a timely fashion. They can have trouble finding products needed for shipments, make clerical errors when counting inventory, or be unable to find space to store extra inventory.

  • Reduced Worker Injuries. Having beverage inventory that is stacked too high or is being stored on a damaged pallet rack system can increase workplace accidents—such as a worker being crushed by falling inventory. The right industrial shelving and maintenance servicing will help maximize a facility's available beverage warehouse storage space and increase organization so workers aren’t struggling to locate the right products or getting injured from an unsafe working environment.

Types of Pallet Rack Systems

While there are multiple pallet storage system designs that can increase beverage warehouse storage capacity, there are some that are especially useful for the beverage industry:

  • Selective racking offers full access to each pallet in the system and is the most common pallet rack design used by warehouses. The beams are easily adjustable and provide different elevation levels to accommodate for taller beverage bottles.
  • Push back racking provides a higher storage density that allows for full lane selectivity and can store inventory seven pallets deep. This style is perfect to use for cooler storage since the pallets are available at the front of the aisle, allowing for last in/first out inventory rotation.
  • Carton flow and pallet flow racking systems are perfect for ensuring proper order picking and packing. These high-density, first in/first out racking systems allow products to be loaded from the back of the pallet rack and gravity fed down heavy duty wheeled tracks to the front of the storage system. The only significant difference between the two is that carton flow rack systems are designed to hold more carton-sized units.

Each of these pallet rack systems are great choices for increasing beverage warehouse storage. The extra storage space gained also improves warehouse organization, which helps better the efficiency and productivity levels of daily warehouse operations.

If your beverage warehouses’ industrial shelving has reached its storage capacity, Southern States Enterprises has a large selection of pallet storage and industrial rack systems made from quality new and used steel at an affordable price. Our warehouse service technicians will work with you to asses which racking system best fits your beverage warehouse storage needs. Contact us today for more information!

SSE storage & handling

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