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Maximize storage with racking and mezzanines

When a facility’s footprint is maxed out, warehouse managers often look up—not for divine inspiration, but for increased storage capacity in the form of rack and mezzanine storage systems. Here, four companies share their successes in using vertical space to achieve their goals of better customer service, organization, logistical control and picking efficiency.
By Sara Pearson Specter, Editor at Large
November 19, 2010

Puerto Rico’s largest food and beverage distributor, V. Suarez, had outgrown its patchwork of distribution facilities across the island. To enhance customer service, logistical control and efficiency when delivering 500 brands to 6,000 customers, the company consolidated distribution at a single facility.

“Consolidating warehouse operations under one roof allows us to pursue growth,” says Wallace Santos Guzman, vice president of operations at V. Suarez.

Concerned about fork truck impacts, the company specified that the durability of the pallet rack be an important consideration. Working with a consultant at St. Onge, management chose selective rack, push back rack, drive-in rack, decked rack and carton flow rack (Steel King).

About the Author

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Sara Pearson Specter
Editor at Large

Sara Pearson Specter has written articles and supplements for Modern Materials Handling and Logistics Management as an Editor at Large since 2001. Based in Cincinnati, Specter has worked in the fields of journalism, graphic design, advertising, marketing, and public relations for 15 years, with a special emphasis on helping business-to-business industrial and manufacturing companies. Specter graduated from Centre College in Danville, Ky., with a bachelor’s degree in French and history.


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