Warehouse Racking Systems

Very Narrow Aisle Racking (VNA)

Very Narrow Aisle Racking (also known as VNA racking) is especially designed to allow very efficient use of not only your floor space, but height space too, therefore making the most of the cubic space available within the warehouse.

Insufficient floor space can lead to your warehouse to being crammed with homeless pallets placed anywhere they might fit, however one solution could be within the height of the warehouse. The unused vertical area in your warehouse can become viable, by converting it into safe and secure storage for your pallets. Making good use of the generous headroom in the warehouse whilst reducing the width of the aisles can greatly improve the density of your rack storage.

What are the comprising components of VNA Racking?

Similar to a standard or wide aisle racking system, the main components used to create the structure consist of frames, uprights and beams. In addition, guidance for the fork lift trucks is required and this can be in the form of mechanical or wired guidance. The mechanical guidance is a rail which runs along the outside of the structure acts as a barrier between the truck and the structure. The slim struck is fitted with additional overturned wheels which run along the rails without the body of the truck itself coming into contact with the rails. The wired guidance consists of a thin electromagnetic cable which runs centrally along the aisle floor and connects with the truck sensors to guide it.  

How Safe Is VNA Racking?

VNA racking can be built as tall as the ceiling allows which means pallets are loaded and unloaded at very high locations. The specialist trucks used in conjunction with VNA racking are highly efficient with capabilities that ensure this is can be achieved safely. There are a number of different options when choosing a VNA racking truck including a man-up truck which enables the operator to travel along with the pallet to the top, enhancing visibility during activities at height. To add protection from the towering rear racks, backstops can be fitted to prevent a pallet from being placed over the edge accidentally or anti collapse mesh can be fitted to close the back to ensure the security of goods on the pallets.

The option to include VNA Racking P&Ds

The VNA racking trucks have the capacity to operate with speed and efficiency between the racks only to become less effective when operating in the areas beyond the racks. This could mean that activities such as transporting pallets between the rack and external doorway are likely to be a slower process when using VNA trucks. A counterbalance truck would be much more efficient in this area; however a counterbalance truck is unable to put the pallets away in the VNA system once transported from the goods-in area. The solution most operations turn too is the pick and deposit stations (P&Ds). This is a distinct pallet racking accessory located at the entrance of the VNA racking system and allow the counterbalance truck to drop the pallets off so that the VNA truck can pick them up and put them away efficiently. There is the choice of either castellated P&Ds which means every other racking row is extended to enable the counterbalance truck access to the P&Ds with room to manoeuvre. Or there is the cantilevered P&Ds and these are located at the very end of every row and both trucks work in a two directional motion when picking and placing the pallets.

Why choose wsl?

What Sets Us Apart

client stories

Some Case Studies

Our warehouse Racking experience is extensive. Take a look at a very small selection of some of the pallet racking projects we have completed over the years.