Used Pallet Rack-Is It Right For You?

Industrial Storage offers all types of used material handling equipment, including pallet rack.  Used rack can generally be acquired at a more competitive cost than new pallet rack; however, cost is only one of the things to consider when purchasing used racking.  Please consider the following when in the market for used pallet rack:

• Capacity-Pallet racks have an initial capacity rating based on manufacturer specifications.  Specifications have changed over time with the advent of the Rack Manufacturer’s Institute (RMI) and old capacities may no longer be accurate.
• Seismic-Is your facility location and load parameters such that seismic designed pallet rack is required?  Make sure any used pallet rack is designed to meet your specific seismic needs.  If you are pulling a permit, rack meeting locally recognized seismic requirements is required.
• Abuse-Previous owners may have over loaded the racks for long periods of time stressing the rack and affecting the structural integrity of the rack.
• Damage-The single biggest item damaged in any rack system are the uprights.  Forklift damage to uprights may compromise the structural integrity of the uprights and may put your associates at risk.
• Brand-Do you have an existing brand you would like to match?  Is compatibility of your rack system important to you?
• Size-Are you buying the right size pallet rack for your application, or are you just buying “the size they have in used”?
• Resell Value-Are you buying a brand and size of pallet rack that is common and will have a reasonable resell value should you ever need to sell it?
• Aesthetics-Is your warehouse open to the public or do you give tours to potential clients?  If so, is the look of your warehouse storage a concern to you?
• Project Size-Is your project large enough that economies of scale from manufacturing new pallet rack may actually be less expensive than purchasing used racking?  We can answer that for you.

There are many things to think about when buying used equipment.  We at Industrial Storage just want to make sure you are making an informed decision.