When it comes to organising your warehouse, choosing the right shelving system is crucial. Longspan shelving is widely used in various industries, including warehousing, manufacturing, retail, logistics and  office settings due to its versatility and efficiency

This heavy-duty shelving offers a practical solution for storing a wide range of items, from small parts and tools to larger bulkier items. Its design allows for easy access and retrieval of goods, maximising productivity in busy warehouse environments.

 

 

 

What is Longspan Shelving?

Longspan shelving is a type of storage system that is designed to provide durable and versatile storage solutions for various items. It is commonly used in warehouses, distribution centres, and retail environments where there is a need for organised and efficient storage.

It typically consists of upright frames, horizontal beams, and sturdy shelves. The shelves are adjustable in height, allowing for customisation based on the size and weight of the items being stored. This flexibility makes this industrial shelving suitable for storing a wide range of products, from small parts to bulky items.

Industrial Shelving for a small business
Industrial Shelving

The Key Benefits of Longspan Shelving

Durable and built for long-lasting performance

Longspan shelving is built with high quality heavy-duty steel frames and high-capacity beams, designed to withstand heavy loads and are perfect for medium to heavy goods in warehouse and commercial environments.

Versatile and easy to configure to meet your storage needs

One of the biggest advantages of longspan shelving is its unmatched versatility. With adjustable shelf levels, you can easily reconfigure each unit to accommodate a wide variety of item sizes, shapes, and weights. This makes it ideal for businesses that deal with mixed inventory or products that change frequently. Longspan shelving adapts to your needs—no need for separate storage systems or costly reconfigurations. You can add or remove shelves as your stock changes, shift beam heights without special tools, and even integrate different shelving materials (e.g., chipboard, steel, mesh decks) depending on your environment.

This flexibility makes it an ideal solution for warehouses, retail stockrooms, workshops, and e-commerce operations where efficient, accessible, and customisable storage is essential.

Easy access for steamlined operations

When speed and efficiency matter in a warehouse operation, longspan shelving stands out. Its open-face design ensures that items are always visible and within reach, no doors to open, no drawers to slide, no delays. This feature alone can dramatically reduce the time spent on picking, restocking, or inventory checks.

With clear line-of-sight access to stored goods, employees can quickly locate and retrieve items without second-guessing or navigating complex systems. This makes longspan shelving particularly effective By minimising the number of steps between identifying and retrieving a product, longspan shelving helps streamline workflow, reduce picking errors, and increase overall productivity. It’s also compatible with barcode scanning and labeling systems, enhancing order fulfillment accuracy and speed even further.

Whether you’re running a fulfillment centre. parts warehouse, or a retail backroom, the fast-access design of longspan shelving keeps your operation running smoothly and efficiently.

Cost effective storage solution

When it comes to balancing performance and budget, longspan shelving is one of the most cost-effective storage solutions available for businesses. Compared to more complex systems like pallet racking, mezzanines, or custom-built installations, longspan shelving offers a lower upfront investment with long-term value.

Its simplicity and modularity mean you’re only paying for what you need—no over-engineered components, no expensive customisation, and no specialised installation requirements. Most units can be assembled quickly in-house, saving on labor costs and downtime. For businesses looking to maximise storage efficiency without stretching the budget, longspan shelving is a smart, scalable investment that pays off both immediately and over time.

At Secondhandracking.com our longspan and industrial shelving systems accommodate large and weighty items that necessitate manual picking. They possess sturdy load capacities and wide spans for storing goods that surpass the limits of standard shelving systems. The flexibility of adjustable shelves along with their modular design provides an attractive proposition for efficient and well-organised storage of products.

With nationwide coverage, and team of industry experts on hand you can be assured that we can support with your storage solution whatever size of project. Contact us to discuss your storage project today.

The differences between pallet racking and longspan shelving

Pallet Racking

  • High load capacity: Each beam level typically holds 1,000–3,000+ kg.
  • Forklift accessible: Designed for pallet storage and retrieval using material handling equipment.
  • Optimised for vertical space: Can stack goods up to 10+ meters high.
  • Expandable: Easily integrated with mezzanines, conveyors, or automated systems.
  • Requires forklifts: Not practical for hand picking unless combined with carton flow systems.
  • More expensive to install and maintain.
  • Wasted space if not used with pallets or if items are too small for pallets.

Longspan Shelving

  • Hand loading: No forklift required; items are loaded manually.
  • Medium capacity: Supports weights usually between 300–800 kg per shelf (varies by brand/spec).
  • Adjustable shelves: Shelves can be reconfigured easily to suit different item sizes.
  • Smaller footprint: More suitable for tighter spaces.
  • Flexible usage: Ideal for storing cartons, tools, bins, or oddly-shaped items.
  • Not forklift compatible: Not suited for palletised goods.
  • Lower weight capacity than pallet racking.
  • Not optimal for high stacking (limited height options compared to pallet racking).
OFFERS ON LONGSPAN SHELVLING

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