Warehouses today have become a must for any company that deals with numerous large products. As these companies are normally required to have inventory on hand to deliver when somebody makes a purchase, they would need a place to store these, hence the need for warehouses.
At the same time, many shipping and logistics companies — though they do not sell any products themselves — need the storage space to store the products that they are then tasked with delivering. Furthermore, since they do not own the products themselves, these companies are increasingly taking to outsourcing the management of their warehouses to contractors that supervise the daily operations inside the warehouse.
Hence, warehouses today are typically large complexes filled floor to ceiling with products. Thus, the biggest resource of a warehouse is floor space to store the products in. This is why warehouses are constantly looking for the perfect industrial cabinet that will allow them to maximize their storage space, and none is perfect for this job more than the mezzanine system.
What is the mezzanine system?
The mezzanine system consists of stacked cabinets, with the top levels being accessible through a staircase. Mezzanines are typically designed to be freestanding, meaning that they do not need to be connected to a wall. Thus, they can be positioned anywhere in the warehouse and can take up as much of the warehouse’s surface area as needed.
In its simplest form, a mezzanine system can simply consist of two levels of cabinets stacked one on top of another, similar to shelves. A larger system, on the other hand, would have another set of cabinets on a second floor. Thus, it is possible for a warehouse to utilize multiple kinds of mezzanine systems at the same time. It is even an option to have a mezzanine system outside the warehouse in order to truly maximize the allotted surface area.
When would mezzanine systems come in handy?
The mezzanine system is most useful to warehouses that store many items. In particular, these are smaller items that do not take up much space, hence their ability to be stored in cabinets. Using a mezzanine system allows more items to be stored, which will only be beneficial to the business of the warehouse.
Because of the option to add another level to the warehouse, mezzanines are also able to serve other functions other than storage. For example, they can be used as warehouse office spaces or operations centers. Hence, if a warehouse is really pressed for space, building upwards through a mezzanine system is an easily workable solution.
How can mezzanine systems be beneficial?
The foremost benefit of a mezzanine system is allowing a warehouse to maximize its storage space. It is possible to build a warehouse ever higher to avoid the high costs of land. Furthermore, the mezzanine system can also be built not only inside the warehouse, but outside as well, similar to a balcony. This allows a warehouse operator to truly make the most of the space given.
At the same time, the use of cabinets and drawers in a mezzanine system offers greater security compared with shelves. If a worker is retrieving a product from a shelf, there is a chance that the product may fall. Furthermore, using cabinets means that the worker must personally retrieve a product instead of relying on heavy machinery, which can prevent workplace injury.