MOBILE APPROACH TO COLD STORAGE

Logistics Insight Asia, 1/5/2008

They may be more expensive compared to conventional pallet racking systems, but the increased capacity (over 100 percent) enabled by mobile racking systems means that the investment per pallet slot is actually lower. That was the takeaway message at a recent halfday "cold store" seminar in Singapore organized by material handlingequipment specialists SSI Schaefer.

The extensive capacity increase – without loss of selectivity – afforded by mobile racks is particularly profitable in the food industry, given the rising energy costs of cold and freezer storage. CP Food of Thailand and Malaysia’s Gold Cold Transport were cited as two cases of companies that have successfully implemented Schaefer mobile racks.

In the Schaefer Mobile Pallet Racking system, which was specially brought in from Germany for the seminar, individual racks are mounted on power-driven mobile bases, which can be controlled using RF-based, handheld remote controls.

Using low maintenance electric motors, the mobile bases run on the rails accurately in-laid into the floor. These bases are capable of supporting rack lengths in excess of 45 meters and weights up to 500 tons.