Narrow Aisle Racking

What is narrow aisle racking?

Narrow aisle or very narrow aisle (VNA) racking utilises your height and floor space at the same time. The racks are built taller making great use if your overhead space and the distance between each row is reduced making way for more rows. How tall the racks are and the aisle width will depend on the amount of cubic space within your facility and your operational requirements. Aisle width and racking height is the difference between the narrow aisle and VNA system. Where floor space is limited and more racks are needed, either can be a practical solution made possible thanks to the evolving technology behind the specialist fork lift trucks. For the narrow aisle system, the enhanced seating positions and cameras on the FLT allow operators to place and retrieve pallets safely. For VNA racking systems, the trucks are designed to navigate particularly narrow aisles and reach very tall racks. They are roughly the same width as the aisle, they only travel in forward or reverse and are unable to turn.

How narrow is the aisle of a narrow aisle racking system?

At WSL our designers can determine the most appropriate aisle width and rack height by considering such things as height space, floor space, inventory characteristics and operational needs, however as a general guide here are some typical dimensions:

Wide Aisle Racking – a general width of around 3.5-4 metres

Narrow Aisle Racking – a general width of around 2.9 metres

Very Narrow Ailse Racking – a general width of around 1.5 metres

How narrow aisle racking can improve your operation

Even at the highest level every pallet can be accessed directly and you can achieve maximum storage capacity because you are storing more within the same area.

Every pallet is accessible whilst being accounted for rather than pallets being placed in various locations in the facility due to lack of locations. This saves time wasted on searching for pallets resulting in a faster and more efficient picking process. The taller racks are particularly useful for managing seasonal stock which can be kept at height until needed whilst delicate or high value items can be better protected when stored at height.

Is narrow aisle racking suitable for your warehouse?

Pallets with nowhere to go can cause an array or problems including lost items and clutter as well as safety hazards. If this sounds familiar it may be time to assess your space thoroughly. If you look at your height space as well as floor space you may find you have more usable space than you thought.  If you have sufficient height space, your pallets are generally of uniformed size and your floor is flat then narrow aisle racking may be a suitable option. For expert advice and an assessment of your warehouse to confirm suitability call our expert design team to arrange a free site survey.

Are there any constraints with narrow ailse racking?

Narrow aisle racking is distinguished by its narrow aisles which are more demanding to navigate than a standard wide aisle. The operator has less room to manoeuvre and therefore may travel a little slower. The advantage of narrow aisle, however, is the narrow, but not too narrow aisles, enable a standard size truck to safely operate within them. This makes is less costly than the VNA system which requires specialist trucks and can often require picking and deposit stations (P&Ds) and counterbalance trucks to enhance speed beyond the racks and throughout the warehouse