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Welcome To Shelving & Racking Limited

Shelving & Racking Limited are the UK's largest buyer, stockists and trade suppliers of new pallet racking, used pallet racking, warehouse racking, storage racking systems, industrial shelving, longspan shelving, steel shelving and warehouse storage equipment such as industrial cupboards, specialist cabinets and lockers.

Shelving & Racking Limited specialise in:

If you want to get in touch to discuss your shelving and racking requirements, you can call us on 0800 612 3210 or use our enquiry form.

Locking Pin

Are Locking Pins Needed on Pallet Racking?

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When setting up pallet racking systems, customers often ask about the purpose of the ‘clips’ or ‘pins’ that join the connector on the beam to the front face of the upright frame. The primary function of the locking pin (or beam lock) is to prevent accidental movement of pallet racking beams by the forklift truck. Locking pins are small but essential components that secure your beams, preventing unintended disassembly and improving safety. Let’s delve into why locking pins are so important.

The locking pin is a small yet strong device that locks the pallet racking beams in position.  These locking pins are designed to meet industry standards set by organisations like the Storage Equipment Manufacturers’ Association (SEMA). They are specifically designed to prevent the beam from dislodging when knocked from underneath, but also to break in the event of a more serious impact when an excessive amount of pressure is applied. This can result in limiting the damage of a localised accident to a few pallets rather than a more serious full pallet racking collapse. 

We often see nuts and bolts being used as an alternative (or in addition) to the beam locks supplied by the manufacturer. These should never be used as they are not designed to break under the same pressure. This could result in the collapse of your whole pallet racking run. If the beam does not dislodge the result will be to destroy the upright in the area of the beam connector which can result in a whole upright buckling and collapsing which in turn results in all the beams in that bay falling and rotating against the next upright down the aisle causing this to also collapse and so on. The ultimate result could be a chain reaction collapse along a full run of racking which can be catastrophic and very costly to replace.

When you purchase new or used pallet racking beams with Shelving & Racking we always include beam locks free of charge and we always hold stock of beam locks for all major pallet racking systems available for quick dispatch!

To summarise, the use of locking pins is a fundamental aspect of warehouse safety and racking stability. While their small size might make them easy to overlook, they play a crucial role in keeping the integrity of your storage systems.

Locking pins are an indispensable component in the safety and effectiveness of your warehouse pallet racking. Contact us today to order yours on 0800 612 3210.

warehouse racking system

Warehouse racking system – what else do I need?

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If you are looking to buy a warehouse racking system, you would start by working out how many upright frames and horizontal beams you need, and what size they need to be. But once you have a layout planned, you can broaden your search to other components that will ensure that your industrial racking is safe, secure and fit for purpose.

All of our pallet racking beams are supplied with 2 beam locks as standard, because they are important in helping to prevent the beams from being accidentally dislodged by your forklift. If you have beams without locking pins, we can supply as many as you need for all leading manufacturers.

Forklift trucks can also cause expensive and potentially dangerous damage to your racking uprights, so it is important to protect them. Column guards and rack end barriers are a relatively inexpensive way to avoid damage and are easy to install. All of our barriers and guards are supplied with fixing bolts.

If your pallets need extra support, or you want to use your warehouse racking system for hand loaded storage, we have large stocks of timber and wire mesh decking in stock to suit standard pallet racking sizes. Pallet support bars can also be used to help prevent your pallets from sagging.

All of our pallet racking accessories are compatible with leading manufacturers such as Dexion, Apex, PSS, Link 51 etc. If you aren’t sure what you need, or would like to discuss your options, our friendly and experienced team are here to help you. Click on the live chat option during office hours for instant answers, or give us a call on 0800 612 3210. Alternatively, you can send us an enquiry form and we will respond to you quickly.

Our deliveries cover the whole of the UK mainland, so whether you are in Blackpool, York, Bath or Maidstone, we can get you what you need, quickly and at a great price.