What Is Very Narrow Aisle Pallet Racking (VNA)?

Very narrow aisle pallet racking condenses standard pallet racking into a smaller area which creates a high-density storage system enabling you to store more product without having to increase floor space.

Aisle space can be reduced to less that 1,500mm between the racks, making this system ideal for warehouses where maximum storage capacity is required.

Flexibility is ensured with very narrow aisle pallet racking as the height and depth of the rack is variable. This allows you to take advantage of the the height available in your facility.

Automated storage and retrieval systems can be combined with very narrow aisle pallet racking which helps to improve the throughput rate further.

Advantages of Very Narrow Aisle Pallet Racking:

• Completely selective – all individual pallets are accessible, increasing stock rotation
• Improved utilisation of the floor space – requires less floor space for the aisles which frees up more storage space
• Faster picking rates can be achieved
• Automation – potential for automated storage and retrieval systems

Disadvantages of Very Narrow Aisle Pallet Racking:

• Lower flexibility – all pallets need to be the same size to get the most from the racking
• Requirements for specialised equipment – narrow aisle trucks are required to allow for manoeuvring between the narrow aisles
• Fitting of guide rails or wire – a guidance system is required at floor level to ensure the precise positioning of the forklift trucks
• Warehouse floor must be perfectly flat – very narrow aisle racking us usually higher than standard racking, so any tilt is accentuated at the top level and could cause damage to the racking or the products
• Unless an articulated truck is being used, an additional truck is required outside if the very narrow aisle racking to load and unload vehicles.

Things to Consider:

Very narrow aisle pallet racking requires the use of specialised narrow aisle forklift trucks that can manoeuvre between the narrow aisles. ‘Man-up’ or ‘man-down,’ articulated or Flexi trucks are used to ensure precision in facilities using very narrow aisle pallet racking.

The guidance system that is installed to aid the positioning of the specialised forklifts also has the benefit of reducing the risk of any damage to the racking as well as improving safety within your facility. The accuracy and speed of retrieving pallets is also increased.