No mere commodity...
September 1st 2011 Racking goes way beyond being a commodity product and should form a key part of a cohesive solution argues Keith Evans, sales director, Link 51
Although every business is different and situations are
unique, many of the challenges that organisations face
today are fairly similar. For example, whether a customer
is expanding an existing location, opening a storage facility in a
new market, adding more products and services, offering new
sales channels, or any other major shift in operations, the same
challenge exists; implement the physical and operational changes
with the maximum efficiency, without impacting on the business
and, preferably, at a reasonable cost.
And in today's rapidly expanding world of manufacturing,
particularly overseas, with racking suppliers in abundance
offering very attractive prices for their products, coupled with a
growth in the attraction of recycled storage equipment, racking
could easily be considered a commodity - but at what cost?
For businesses looking to create the perfect storage
environment, planned in detail to fully optimise space, increase
business efficiencies and tailored to future-proof the investment,
there are a number of critical factors to consider that go beyond
the perception that racking has become a commodity. The
implementation of a new warehouse scheme is a significant
commitment for any business, but one that will, if done right,
bring immediate benefits.
Space costs money, which is why for many retail organisations
operating large distribution centres, each square metre is
measured in terms of turnover and profitability. But even away
from that high speed world of consumer products, good space
utilisation provides good returns on good planning. It pays
dividends to spend time and money on maximising the best
possible use of available space at the initial planning stage.
And space isn't just about storage, it is also about a range of
disciplines including product handling. Irrespective of the number
of times a products may be moved, well thought out and flowefficient
materials handling layouts, can produce a constant stream
of benefits. Producing such layouts is not straightforward and calls
for a combination of experience and creativity which takes
account of the site characteristics, the product and, importantly,
the company's philosophy. It may appear strange, but how a
company is run, its purchasing and sales policy, its
employee/management relationship, its policy on asset
management can all have a bearing on how space can be best used.
The final result will reflect consideration of all of these issues
and should produce the right balance between labour costs and
efficiency, the best possible maximum storage solution and future
proof the investment for ongoing business dynamics.
Ultimately, warehousing is all about the effective use of space
and planning cost-effective materials handling - cutting corners in
taking these critical factors into account can result in costly
implications, as well as potential health and safety consequences.
At Link 51, customers benefit from the outset in the
considerable amount of in-depth planning prior to an
installation. The aim is to provide a cost effective service from
start to finish and to create cost savings, where possible, through
increases in productivity. It may be regarded as a slightly old
fashioned approach, which involves some basic principles in
dealings with customers. The provision of fully-managed
solutions, taking the lead throughout installation processes,
guiding clients through initial briefings, checking design
proposals, meeting manufacturing schedules and completing
installation on time and handover.
Racking goes way beyond being a commodity product; it is
essentially part of an overall solution that ensures that customers
have a system that fully meets their expectations.
Customers are ultimately paying for a service that has been redefined
and tuned for over 60 years and with the obvious
benefits of a UK manufacturing capability, spares and new
products are readily available. A claim you are unlikely to hear
from a non-UK supplier.
Customers should, quite rightly, expect assurances from their
racking suppliers and have confidence that the system put in place
will do the job and meet their requirements. They should also be
satisfied that appropriate emphasis has been placed on the safe
design, installation and technical performance of all of the supply
company's storage products. To this end, Link 51 was one of the
founder member companies of the Storage Equipment
Manufacturer's Association (SEMA), the national trade
association for the storage equipment industry in the UK.
Link 51 conforms to SEMA's industry standard codes of
practice which cover aspects of design, installation and health
and safety practice relating to the supply of shelving, racking and
other storage equipment.
It also recommends that the installation of shelving, racking
and storage equipment is only undertaken by experienced and
trained personnel and preferably by installers who are SEIRS
(Storage Equipment Installers Registration Scheme) registered.
SEIRS is a qualification for individual installers who themselves
undergo industry-specific training in best practice, legislation
and safe working practice.
Our commitment to health and safety means that Link 51
works in partnership with a growing number of clients who
consider Link 51 their added insurance policy - particularly when
it comes to the implementation of large-scale or technically
complex storage and handling
schemes. More articles from Link 51 (Storage Solutions) Ltd: | 
