Wildeck Observation Catwalk Mezzanine System Location: Minnesota

Project Spotlight: Wildeck Observation Catwalk Mezzanine System - Location: Minnesota

Recently one of our clients approached us with the idea of creating a catwalk mezzanine system around their manufacturing facility to showcase their operations to others. They do numerous customer plant tours and want to project a certain image while providing a safe path for the tour groups.  We answered their call. We carefully designed this Wildeck Mezzanine system to fit around their existing doors and building structures to help them offer their clients a walk to remember. A "concrete ready" mezzanine was provided. A local concrete provider was used to complete the deck.  Now, customer have a rock solid and safe surface to observe the operation.

Posted By:

Senior Warehouse Design Specialist Brian Koski

Author of "Industrial Warehouse Space Planning"
18+ Years of Experience


If you are interested in a warehouse Mezzanine Flooring System call 800-722-5908 or visit our Mezzanine Floor System Website For a Mezzanine Quote Click Here

Is your company moving warehouses?

Why do I need a material handling company to help me with our warehouse move?

Because we provide...

An agreed upon plan that includes the following :
- Permits before anything is started
- New detailed warehouse layouts including locations of all products, equipment and rack beam/shelf levels
- A detailed schedule of responsibilities and structured time line
- All equipment necessary for the move : transportation, forklifts, scissor lifts, pallets
- Electrical and mechanical responsibilities for both sites
- Lighting and sprinkling per permit requirements
- Staging area for shipping and unloading
- Coordination of your product shipments
- Coordination of all Equipment shipments: Racking, Shelving, Conveyor, Mezzanines etc.
- Dumpsters at both sites while maintaining clean work areas

Constant Communication on all facets of the agreed upon plan
- Constant review and updating of the meeting schedule and time line
- Commitment to make changes/adjustments to stay on schedule
- Communication, Communication, Communication

Also note that we also:
- Buy your used pallet racking, used shelving and other warehouse equipment
- Help you incorporate your current shelving into your new warehouse
- Stock industrial racking for quick turn around
- Design & Supply: Pallet Flow Systems, Push-Back Pallet Storage Systems, Mezzanines, Modular Offices, and more industrial equipment.

Posted by:



Senior Warehouse Design Specialist Jerry Fredrickson

Empty Cupboards Never Satisfy

How many times have you been in your house, starving, looking for some good snacks only to find out that your cupboards are empty, and there is nothing to eat??
Not such a good feeling right? Well we know how that feels! At AK, we can't stock your cupboards full of food, but we can stock our warehouse full of pallet rack products. This means you are never left feeling unsatisfied when searching for new or used pallet rack. With two warehouses located in Maple Grove, MN, our in stock inventory is second to none. Clients are wowed every time they tour our warehouse because we make it our goal to always have inventory in stock. When they are craving a nice new run for their warehouse rack system, they can have peace knowing that our warehouse will be full just waiting for their late night craving. We have the ability to adjust stock loads cutting lead times in half compared to our competitors since we work closely with the factory. If you are looking for a quote on new or used pallet racks, click here.

Also check out our Ridg-U-Rak IN STOCK Pallet Rack Products:

Cross Beams

Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 48" L x 3.5" H - Ultra Orange 9760 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 72" L x 2.5" H- Ultra Orange 3130 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 92" L x 4.65" H- Ultra Orange 7740 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 96" L x 2.5" H- Ultra Orange 1750 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 96" L x 4" H- Ultra Orange 5830 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 96" L x 4.65" H- Ultra Orange 7410 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 108" L x 4.65" H- Ultra Orange 6320 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 120" L x 5" H- Ultra Orange 6140 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 144" L x 6" H- Ultra Orange 6690 Cap

Upright Frames

Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 24" D x 96" H Vista Green 16,700 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 24" D x 120" H Vista Green 16,700 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 30" D x 144" H Vista Green 16,700 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 36" D x 96" H Vista Green 16,700 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 36" D x 120" H Vista Green 16,700 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 36" D x 144" H Vista Green 16,700 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 36" D x 192" H Vista Green 20,600 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 42" D x 96" H Vista Green 16,700 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 42" D x 120" H Vista Green 20,600 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 42" D x 144" H Vista Green 20,600 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 42" D x 168" H Vista Green 20,600 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 42" D x 192" H Vista Green 20,600 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 42" D x 216" H Vista Green 25,100 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 42" D x 240" H Vista Green 25,100 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 44" D x 144" H Vista Green 25,100 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 48" D x 96" H Vista Green 16,700 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 48" D x 120" H Vista Green 20,600 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 48" D x 144" H Vista Green 20,600 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 48" D x 192" H Vista Green 20,600 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 48" D x 240" H Vista Green 25,100 Cap
Ridg-U-Rak Slotted 42" D x 96" H x 3 x 2 1/2 Col Green

Accessories
Row Spacer Ridg-U-Rak Teardrop 6", 8" & 12”
Column Protector Ridg-U-Rak Yellow 12", 18" & 24"
Frame Ridg-U-Rak Extension 12 x 3 x 3 Col Vista Green
Safety Clip Ridg-U-Rak Galvanized Spring Clip

For a new or used pallet rack quote Call 800-722-5908 or Contact Us

AK Launches Material Handling App.

Released March 21st, 2012 AK Material Handling Systems launches material handling Apple Iphone APP. This new app offers our clients the opportunity to quickly check on orders, submit a quote request, follow our latest product news, and much more. Our APP is FREE in Itunes and can be downloaded here:

Tips for Measuring Pallet Rack

Pallet rack is one of the most effective ways to maximize your warehouse space although selecting the right size for your products can be a bit confusing. If you currently have a rack system and you are looking to add on, we would highly recommend that you re-evaluate your rack system to ensure that it was done correctly the first time because over time products change and your shelving systems need to change with them as well. Other variables such as lift trucks, product flow and space limitations may also demand changes in your rack system sizes. So to help you, we have created some helpful tips.

How do I find the correct pallet rack upright frame?
Upright frames generally have three main dimensions= height, depth and column size.
Your upright height should be decided by looking at these different variables: Forklift maximum reach height, ceiling height in your building, and also local building code regulations.
Your upright depth depends on the design and size of pallets you intend on storing. The front and back of the pallet should overhang the cross beams approximately 3”. Example: a 48” deep pallet requires a 42” deep frame. (3” overhang for both front and back.)
Your frame column size should be selected based off of the amount of weight and beam spacing you intend to store on the rack system. Each manufacturer has a capacity table set up to easily select the right frame column for your application. The three main size frame columns are: 3” x 3", 3” x 2-1/4”, 3" x 1-5/8”

How do I find the correct pallet rack cross beam?
Beam lengths are measured by the distance between a pair of uprights/frames in each rack bay. People often include the cross beam ear connectors in their beam measurement which is incorrect. Pallet rack cross beams are classified using the actual shelf space as the size.
Your required beam length can be determined by adding the width of pallet loads, plus 6” clearance between the loads and also 5” clearance between loads and each upright/frame. For example standard pallets are 40” wide, so if you plan on storing two of them per beam then the correct beam size would be a 96”. 5 + 40+ 6 + 40+ 5 = 96. Click here to see a detailed drawing.

How do I find the correct wire mesh decking for my pallet rack?
Wire decking has two main measurements ( Depth x width). In order to find the correct size wire decking for your rack system you will need to know all of the following information: frame depth, beam length, beam capacity, and beam step depth. Wire mesh decking is the last item of a rack system to be fitted because the size of the decking is based off of the upright frames and cross beams you chose in your warehouse.

In summary this is the basic way to get started sizing your rack system. There may be other determining factors such as seismic requirements and or county codes that need to be followed. Your best bet is to have an AK Material Handling Rack Specialist take a look at your facility and products to ensure you are fully utilizing your space and you are choosing the right pallet rack system for your application. Call us @ 800-722-5908

Posted by:


Storage and Layout Specialist Pete Brandon



Get Pricing on: New Pallet Rack | Used Pallet Rack | Rack Systems | Wire Decking

Industrial Warehouse Space Planning

Crunching Warehouse Numbers

For some, simply looking at warehouse plans and pallet rack layouts does not give them enough confidence to make the final decision. They may understand pallet positions, forklifts and rack systems , but what are the cost benefits of any given warehouse pallet rack system? Numerous factors can be involved in making a decision. In fact there can be so many that it can get overwhelming.

We have found that we can help the decision making process on forklifts, pallet rack, systems, and real estate by quantifying the results in dollars and cents.
Working together with our clients in gathering information such as warehouse lease rates, current pallet counts, future growth, moving costs, lot size, and SKU’s, a customized spreadsheet can be developed. This spreadsheet can clearly show current costs, future costs, and return on their investment for warehousing equipment such as forklifts and pallet rack systems. In addition, decisions on types of pallet rack systems can be made from this by seeing what the payback may be for a certain types of pallet racks or forklifts. For example, a layout with push-back pallet rack might show a higher initial investment but may have an overall lower cost in 3 years when compared to a layout with a narrow aisle forklift.

In summary, every company has different circumstances for their potential decisions involving warehousing. Therefore, we believe there is no “cookie cutter” way to help make these decisions. Gathering information and applying it in the proper way will make the decision making process more clear. Let us help you gain the confidence needed on your next warehouse project. Call us at 800-722-5908.

Posted By:

Senior Warehouse Design Specialist Brian Koski

Author of "Industrial Warehouse Space Planning"
18+ Years of Experience


Pallet Rack Systems

Warehouse Design

Warehouse Operations Improve Profits

How you ask?

Poor Warehouse Operations Create....

Order Picking Errors

Poor Warehouse Efficiency

Redundant Product Movement

Loss of Accurate Inventory Data

Increased Labor Costs

Incorrectly Shipped Orders

Unnecessary Product Damage

Frustrated employees

Low Company Moral

All in which hurt your bottom line, often times warehouse operations get neglected because of the bottom dollar but yet efficient safe warehouses are proven to improve profits. Businesses don't understand that a effective storage system / warehouse creates a smoother operating business and in turn creates the following:

Better Order Fulfillment

Better Workplace Practices

Better Utilization of Warehouse Space

Increased and Accurate Inventory control.

Dedicated Workforce.

Labor Savings

Fewer Mistakes

If you would like help on your next material handling project give us a call at 763-493-5015.

Posted by:



Senior Warehouse Design Specialist Jerry Fredrickson