What Is High-Density Storage?
High-density storage is an innovative storage technology based on movable shelves. In a typical high-density system, tracks are placed on the floor and shelves are mounted on top of rollers that move along the tracks. The result is that the shelves can be pushed together or pulled apart at will, allowing you to make or eliminate aisles as needed.
The disappearance of fixed aisles—and their replacement by more shelves—means that your storage capacity doubles while consuming the same amount of floor space. This incredible efficiency has numerous benefits for your business, which we’ll examine in detail below.
The Benefits of a High-Density Storage System
#1: Save Space
High-density storage rack systems are selected first and foremost for their space-saving ability. Their remarkably compact nature translates into more shelf space in a given area, with the result that your business can devote less of your overall floor space to storage or keep the same floor space but store more items inside it.
If you choose to devote less space to storage, you can then use more of your floor space for revenue-generating activity, such as production or retail. Alternatively, you may keep the storage footprint but use the high-density shelves to expand your inventory, thus selling more of your most popular products or stocking a greater variety that allows you to pull in new customers.
#2: Save Time
High-density systems compress the storage area so that workers do not have to travel as far to stow and retrieve items. The natural result is less time spent picking. Over the lifetime of your storage systems (many years with proper maintenance), these small intervals of time saved will really add up, saving the company money as fewer employees become capable of more work.
Another way the new system can benefit the company is that high-density storage allows you to consolidate all your storage on-site. This results in major time savings as materials and people no longer need to travel between storage areas. How much time is gained will depend on how distributed the storage was before you implemented the new system.
#3: Save Money
Whether you own or rent, real estate is often the largest expense for a business. By requiring less floor space for the same amount of storage, a high-density system positions your business for lower real estate expenses. You may not have to purchase or build new storage properties, or you may be able to consolidate all your storage on-site. Either way, you’re saving a lot of money.
A second way that you save money with high-density storage is through lower climate control costs. The reduced footprint of a high-density system means you have less area to heat and cool, which can be a critical expense for goods that must stay within a defined temperature range.
#4: Improve Organization
A high-density storage rack system offers twice the shelving space of a traditional static shelving solution. This opens up space for more precise sorting and organization of items on the shelf. Goods that were previously mixed can be properly sorted into separate shelf areas, and items that were difficult to access can be spaced out.
The result of this improved organization is faster stow and retrieval times, leading to higher worker productivity. It’s also much more pleasant to work in a well-organized storage space, leading to higher overall team morale.
High-Density Shelving Is Available From Southwest Solutions
We’ve seen how high-density systems save time, money, and space, and improve organization. The benefits are hard to argue with, so why don’t we see these systems installed everywhere? The fact of the matter is most people need help understanding how these advanced shelving systems can fit into their space and align with their storage needs.
Fortunately, Southwest Solutions Group has 50 years of experience designing and implementing storage solutions for a wide range of industries. Contact us today for a free consultation.
