Pallet racking in Cardiff, planned for city floor space that costs more per square metre.

Often, yes, but the gain comes from aisle width more than height. In a lower unit the number of beam levels is fixed by the clear height to the haunch, the pallet heights and sprinkler clearance, so we measure it rather than assume it. Switching from counterbalance trucks with 3.5 to 4.2m aisles to reach trucks at 2.7 to 3.2m can add a full run of racking in many Wentloog units. Guided very narrow aisle trucks at 1.6 to 1.9m need a flatter floor and usually make sense in bigger sheds. We measure the floor, doors and columns at the survey and show you both options with pallet counts.

In most Cardiff leases the racking is a tenant's fitting, so the tenant is the duty holder under PUWER 1998 and should appoint a person responsible for racking safety. That person keeps the visual check records and arranges an annual inspection by a SEMA Approved Rack Inspector. If the racking came with the building, check the lease schedule, because some landlords at the docks and Cardiff Gate retain ownership. We can inspect either way and address the report to whoever holds the duty.

Yes. Most of our Cardiff installs are phased around trading, often in night shifts or across a weekend. We split the layout into zones, clear and install one zone at a time, and hand each one back with load notices fitted before the next shift. The carton live pick face in our Cardiff case study went in over two nights with picking carrying on in the day. A standard racking project takes 4 to 8 weeks from order, with the site work itself usually a few days.

From Seven Sisters to junction 33 and down the A4232 to the docks or Ferry Road is roughly 40 to 45 miles, about 55 to 65 minutes outside peak traffic. East Cardiff sites at Wentloog or Cardiff Gate add 10 to 15 minutes via junction 29 or 30. For early installs we leave before 6am so the team is on site before the A4232 fills. Survey visits are usually booked within 5 working days of your call.

It usually pays where a few hundred fast lines make up most of the picks and pickers spend more time walking than picking. Carton live lanes hold several cartons deep behind each pick face, so one short face replaces a long run of shelving, and replenishment happens from the rear aisle. In our Cardiff project, 96 shelf pick faces became 144 live lanes and around 18% of floor was recovered. We take your order profile and carton sizes at survey before recommending it.

Ambient case stock is usually best in adjustable pallet racking with a carton live or shelving pick face for broken cases. Chilled rooms benefit from denser storage because cooling every cubic metre costs money; a pallet shuttle system works from minus 40°C to plus 50°C in its two-way form, holds 30 to 50 pallets deep and runs at around 30 pallets an hour. Shuttles take 12 to 16 weeks from order. We also time inspections ahead of hygiene and retailer audits so the report is current.

Usually, provided it is a recognised manufacturer's system in good condition and the components match. We inspect the existing racking before the move, list any damaged uprights or beams for replacement, and design the new layout to the new building and trucks. In line with SEMA guidance, we do not mix components from different manufacturers unless the load ratings can be confirmed. Moves between Wentloog, Pengam Green and the docks are short, so dismantle and refit can often be done over one weekend for a small unit.