As a leading provider of cold storage solutions, CORE X Partners is dedicated to continuous improvement within its facilities, operations, and overall output. All CORE X PROs approach this endeavor with the same commitment; which presents in different ways given their locations, infrastructure, and services. For CORE X COMPLETE, continuous improvement includes design and technology innovation. Through the implementation of mobile racking systems, the operation has increased storage capacity by 41% and efficiency by 22%.
Mobile racking systems are a type of high-density storage system that allows for significant space and energy savings. By eliminating the need for permanent aisles, mobile racking systems maximize the productivity of the building’s cubic feet, increase thermal efficiencies, and decrease operational time within the warehouse. This leads to:
- Increased pallet intake: A mobile racking system allows CORE X COMPLETE to stack up to 50-feet high, to store pallets at a very high density and allow the facility to hold 51% more pallet positions than would be allowed via traditional racking. In the building’s original site plan, standard racking provided for a pallet availability of 11,520. With the move to mobile racking, that capacity increased to 17,400 pallets.
- Increased productivity: Mobile racking systems improve productivity by reducing the time that workers spend traveling between aisles and significantly reducing double handling of the pallets. As seen in the schematics below, pallet capacity is organized into eight blocks, with 13-14 rows, or racks, within each block. Access to each row is easily manipulated, thanks to three, ½-horse power motors that move each rack along a track. Warehouse workers use specialized inventory tracking technology to know exactly where each pallet is, and move racks efficiently to access and move product.
- Improved energy efficiency: Mobile racking systems can help to improve energy efficiency by reducing the amount of space that needs to be cooled. Compared to traditional space requirements of standard racking, the thermal mass of the frozen product in that densely packed area reduces power consumption.
As Bryan Hedge, President of CORE X COMPLETE, explains, “Temperature loss happens through the roof. The smaller we can keep the roof, the less energy we lose.”
- Reduced costs: Mobile racking systems can help to reduce costs in a number of ways. First, they can help to reduce the cost of new construction or expansion projects. In Sturbridge, Massachusetts, the cost to add onto the building—with conventional rack footprint—would be nearly $2,000 per pallet position. With mobile racking implemented, the cost to construct the building and install racking is reduced to $1,493 per pallet position, a 45% savings. This savings in energy consumption is also financial. To further improve efficiencies, Hedge’s team has a standard practice of opening up all the racks at night, or evenly spacing them to allow for better airflow through frozen product.
CORE X COMPLETE is one of the first cold storage companies to implement mobile racking systems on a large scale. In partnering with FLEXSPACE, a leading vendor of mobile racking systems, they have developed a comprehensive solution that helps them better manage their inventory and serve their customers.
As Hedge and his team continue to analyze the improved efficiencies within their Sturbridge facility, he looks forward to implementing the system into new projects in the pipeline. This structural and technological shift in cold storage practice is just one of the ways in which CORE X supports innovation and change within its industry. Stay tuned for updates on the system and news on future innovations and initiatives!