WHAT PALLET RACKING DO I NEED?
Answer a few questions about your stock, building and forklift. We'll show you the system that normally fits best, the sensible alternatives, and what to watch out for before you buy.
Your requirements
Adjustable Pallet Racking (APR)
APR gives 100% selectivity — every pallet is directly accessible — and suits mixed SKUs, standard counterbalance trucks and FIFO rotation. It is the most widely stocked system in the UK, so used components are readily available and future extensions are straightforward.
Watch out: Aisles consume floor space. If your building is tight, consider narrowing aisles and moving to a reach or VNA truck to recover pallet positions.
Adjustable pallet rackingAlso worth considering
- Push-Back Racking
Two to four pallets deep per lane on trolleys or rollers, giving high density without the truck entering the structure. Faster and safer than drive-in where you have several SKUs but still want density.
- Mezzanine Floor
Where headroom is tall but the goods are hand-picked or small, a mezzanine doubles or triples usable floor area far more cheaply than moving building.
New or used?
New racking gives guaranteed component matching and full manufacturer load data; used racking frees budget for more positions. We supply both, so the advice isn't stock-led.
How we match racking to a warehouse
Choosing a system is a trade-off between selectivity and density. Adjustable pallet racking gives every pallet its own face but spends floor area on aisles. Drive-in and push-back convert those aisles into pallet positions at the cost of direct access. Very narrow aisle keeps full selectivity and takes the space back by shrinking the aisle instead — but only pays back where the building is tall, the floor is flat enough and throughput justifies dedicated trucks.
Height is the second constraint. Usable racking height is your clear height minus sprinkler, lighting and lift-height allowances, and the top beam must sit within your truck's maximum fork height. Aisle width follows the truck: roughly 3.5–4.0m for counterbalance, 2.6–3.0m for reach, and 1.6–1.8m for VNA with guidance. Confirm against the manufacturer's turning data before you commit to a layout.
Whatever the outcome above, a layout should be drawn before ordering. Our free warehouse designer lets you set your building dimensions and generate racking runs, or we'll survey the site and produce a CAD layout with pallet positions and load notices.