ARCHIVE RACKING & LONGSPAN SHELVING
Longspan shelving and archive racking for document storage, hand-picked goods, parts bins and back-of-store stock. Designed, supplied and installed across the UK.
Per Shelf
Tier Options
Boltless
Years Experience
Longspan shelving — sometimes called archive racking, wide-span shelving or hand-loaded racking — is the workhorse of UK back-of-store, parts and document storage operations. Loads are placed by hand or hand pallet truck on chipboard, steel or wire mesh decks, with no forklift access required.
UM Storage Systems supplies single-level, multi-tier and mezzanine-integrated longspan systems for council archives, NHS records stores, automotive parts departments, online fulfilment hubs and SME warehouses across the UK. Every system is boltless, fully reconfigurable, and supplied with fixings, decking and label holders included.
Longspan vs Pallet Racking vs Boltless Shelving
Longspan shelving sits between traditional bay-and-shelf boltless shelving and full pallet racking. Beam spans are typically 1.0m to 2.5m, shelf depths 400mm to 1,000mm, and shelf capacities 150-300kg. This makes longspan ideal for medium-weight hand-loaded stock — boxes, bins, parts trays, archive cartons.
Pallet racking remains the right choice for forklift-handled palletised goods. Longspan is the right choice for everything else.
Multi-Tier and Mezzanine Integration
For high-density archive or parts storage, longspan is often configured as a multi-tier (mezzanine) system, with a load-bearing walkway running between two or three levels of shelving. Each tier is accessed by stairs and goods lifts, with edge protection, kick plates and non-slip walkway flooring fitted as standard.
Multi-tier longspan can triple or quadruple storage density inside the same building footprint and is widely used by 3PLs handling small-parcel e-commerce stock and by document storage operators handling tens of thousands of archive boxes.
Decking, Dividers and Accessories
Standard decking options are 38mm chipboard (most common), galvanised steel, and welded wire mesh. Wire mesh is preferred where sprinkler water penetration matters, where small parts must not roll off the shelf, or where dust must drop through.
Optional accessories include front retainers, vertical dividers, plastic bins, label holders, slope-back archive shelves and hanging-file rails. We will specify the right combination for your stock profile during the survey.
Installation and Compliance
Longspan installations are quick and low-disruption — typical small projects complete inside a single day. Larger multi-tier systems require a method statement and structural sign-off from a chartered engineer; UM Storage Systems supplies both as standard.
All systems are supplied with load notices, an O&M manual and access to our annual inspection contract.
Key Features
Typical UK Applications
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the maximum capacity of a longspan shelf?
Standard longspan shelves are rated to 150-300kg per shelf depending on beam span and decking. Heavier-duty systems can be specified up to 500kg per shelf.
Can longspan be installed as a mezzanine?
Yes — multi-tier longspan with integrated walkways is one of the most common configurations for document archives and e-commerce parts stores.
Is decking included in the price?
Yes. Every UM Storage Systems longspan quote includes decking (chipboard, steel or wire mesh as specified), beams, uprights, fixings and label holders.
How quickly can a longspan system be installed?
Typical small-to-medium installations complete inside a single working day. Multi-tier systems take 3-10 days depending on size and complexity.
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