While not the most commonly used pallet racking system, VNA Racking (Very Narrow Aisle) is gaining a lot of interest amongst warehouses in North America and across the globe. Specially designed to allow efficient use of not only your floor space, but also height space, VNA pallet racking is ideal if you intend to store a large quantity of various products within a limited space & want to maximize storage density. There are various benefits that make VNA racking stand-out from traditional forms of racking, but it also requires your warehouse facility to contain specific aspects for the racking to be certified. With industrial real estate availability becoming more and more limited, making the most of the existing cubic space within the warehouse is the basis on what makes this form of pallet racking so effective.
What is VNA Racking?
VNA Racking is a type of racking system that allows for single selectivity of palletized loads, while maximizing storage density by narrowing access aisles and increasing the usable height of the pallet racking system. As the name implies, Very Narrow Aisle racking reduces aisle widths to around 54” – 84”, while allowing for heights of up to 50’ for the pallet racking system. This decrease in aisle spacing and increase in system height ultimately allows for an in increased use of existing cubic space. VNA racking offers significantly less aisle space, has more storage space and loading and picking is mostly done by rail or wire guided picker trucks.
A severe lack of general floor space in your warehouse can lead to your facility being extremely crammed with pallets placed in a disorganized manner. This can present serious safety hazards. The unused vertical height in your warehouse can become one of your businesses’ most valued assets. By reducing the width of the aisles and converting the height into a safe and secure storage system for your pallets, warehouse managers can greatly improve the density of their rack storage with VNA racking.
Due to the selective nature of VNA racking systems, warehouses can maintain a FIFO (First In First Out) inventory management system, allowing for quick access to any load at any time. Additionally, the selectivity of VNA racking results in reduced product damage and fewer picking errors, especially in comparison to bulk stacking.
VNA Benefits:
VNA pallet racking has a plethora of benefits and advantages for businesses and warehouses alike. Space and efficient picking are some of the major value points for warehouse managers who are considering investing in VNA pallet racks. Storage facilities in need of more general storage space that are unable to add more floor space through the construction or expansion of their current facility should consider VNA racks, as these benefits can be the catalyst that ensures maximum efficiency in your warehouse facility. Most users of VNA racks realize an increase between 30% and 50% of overall warehouse space, but every application is different.
- Greater rack height resulting in most effective use of floor space
- Superior cubic area utilization
- Ideal for FIFO (First In, First Out) inventory management
- Improved speed of access and retrieval
- Reduced product damage and fewer picking errors, compared to bulk stacking
- Low unit load cost when volumes are high
- Limited pallet redundancy as the systems can operate at 95%+ capacity
VNA Racking systems from North American Steel offer the unique benefit of being available in a wide range of racking product lines, including Rollformed Racking, Structural Racking, Knockdown (Bolted) Racking, Hybrid Racking, North American Rack (Redirack), American Teardrop, as well as different racking profiles, such as North American (Redirack) style racking, as well as American (Teardrop) Style Racking.
Does VNA Require Specialty Equipment?
Since VNA racking features much narrower aisle widths than traditional selective racking, VNA racking requires special lift-trucks to operate. Regular lift trucks are unable to be used with these systems as there is far less room for the truck to turn and navigate in between the aisles. VNA trucks are specifically designed to work best in long straight lines guided by rails or concealed wired guiding, which gets positioned in the installation of the VNA racking system. The trucks can reach pallets positioned much higher and work at a faster pace than conventional trucks which can increase productivity and efficiency whilst saving time.
However, since VNA racking is normally much taller than standard racking you see in modern warehouses, it cannot be utilized in every facility. Because of the nature of the system, it must be installed on a concrete floor which is perfectly flat to avoid any catastrophic racking failures. It is also essential that the warehouse floor meets the required specifications to ensure the trucks will not tilt and knock the racks.
If you are interested in learning more about our VNA racking systems, or are considering installing North American Steel VNA pallet racking, browse our website for more information, or contact us directly to speak with a racking expert directly. Interested in receiving a quote for a particular project? Click here to Request a Quote!
