Self –supported warehouse (clad-rack warehouse) and its main characteristics
The clad-rack warehouse is also called rack-supported warehouse. It is relative to the separated warehouse. At present, there is no unified definition in China. As the name implies, “warehouse” refers to the warehouse, and “rack” refer to the racking system. According to the analysis of comprehensive professionals, warehouse-racking integrated warehouse is an integral structure formed by warehouse and racking. It is generally composed of high-rise racking system, wind-resistant structure, roof, fencing structure and drainage, fire protection, electrical lighting, material handing equipment, electrical control and software.
Zhao Yaowu, Chairman of Nanjing Huaruide(www.hrdasrs.com) Logistics Equipment Co. ,Ltd, has long been concerned about the technology of clad rack warehouse, he summarize the advantages of the clad-rack warehouse are clear and the difficulties are prominent.(see table 1)
In recent years, the market demand at home and abroad has risen rapidly.
Take China’s leading racking industry company HUADE as an example, its automation subsidiary Huaruide (HRD) has successfully built more than 20 warehouse integration projects in the world, including many representative cases, such as in 2014,HRD exported Chile’s earliest clad rack plus Mother & Child shuttle project; In 2015,it cooperated with SKA corporation of Korea to build the highest clad-rack warehouse in China. The height of “Kumho Tire Automated Warehouse” is 42 meters. In 2019,NetEase’s 100,000 pallet space warehouse is under construction. HRD now is contact with the warehouse of Israel, India, Indonesia and other Countries. It can be said that HRD has establishes many industry- first model projects in the field of clad-rack business and in the leading position.
Other racking enterprises also participated in the project of clad-rack project. For example, the WAP intelligence Storage Equipment (Shanghai) Corp., Ltd. implemented Clad-rack for a large cold storage in Shenzhen. The project was initially submitted to the fire department by means of equipment and passed the examination and approval, but it was considered irregular when it was re-examined after completion. At present, it has not been accepted. Xiong Zhenjun, deputy general manager of Suzhou Top Tiger technology co., Ltd., introduced that Top Tiger has also done some warehouses with Clad-rack technology, but it faces problems in the follow-up due to budget, approval and other reasons. Sun Changhan, general manager of Shanghai Speed Logistics Equipment Co., Ltd., said that the company had implemented a warehouse integration project in Guatemala and had not developed similar business in China.
It can be said that in the thousands of automated warehouse built in China, there are few successful cases of the clad rack warehouse project. While in Europe, America, Japan, Southeast Asia and other countries and regions, there are a large number of clad-rack warehouse projects, The industry believes that the main reason is that the lack of structural mechanics and fire protection design specifications in the clad rack warehouse leads to the lack of standards in the design, report and construction, and acceptance of such projects. The final project is difficult to acceptance, which affects the application of this technology in the market.
Zhao Yaowu analyzed the deep-seated reasons why it is difficult for the clad rack project to be applied in China. He believes that the first warehouse in China uses old-fashioned welded rack. Such rack have natural advantages in conformity with domestic norms. In earlier years, domestic norms and systems were not perfect, many fields could not be relied on and supervision was not strict, they were in a state of “All is permissible unless prohibited”. Later, with the strengthening of the national standardization control over all walks of life, especially in the construction industry, which involves safety, it gradually evolved into a “All is prohibited unless permissible”, which greatly limited the emergence of new systems, slightly innovative is beyond the limit, cold-formed thin-walled steel racking as a building is far beyond Chinese “Law” Restrictions.
In the aspect of fire protection, it can be divided into three categories: material defense, technical defense and civil defense. For warehouse with integrated rack, materials defense mainly refers to the use of fire retardant coating on rack, but neither the cost nor the way to achieve it is feasible;
Technology defense refers to the use of monitoring systems and other technical means, but at present, there is no fire protection standard for the project of integrated rack in China. In view of this, the warehouse built in China before can only be passed but avoiding architectural approval. However, besides the use value, warehouse is also an important asset of the enterprise. Because it is difficult to obtain the real estate certificate, the warehouse can only be treated as equipment risk for the owners. This also affects some owners’ choice of warehouse racking-in-one warehouse.
“The racking industry is a relatively small-scale industry, which has not been paid enough attention by domestic experts in the field of construction and steel structure. With the rise of the warehouse racking integration market, a warehouse racking integration design specification is urgently needed in the racking industry. This code should be compiled with the participation of influential domestic structures, fire experts and racking enterprises, and the combination of storehouses and shelves should be defined as a new structural form, so that it can be based on evidence and laws in China, and no longer be subject to the safety and fire protection requirements of buildings. Zhaoyaowu spoke of the aspirations of racking enterprises. At the same time, he sincerely said that as a racking manufacturer, HRD is not able to organize many experts independently to compile relevant standards. He hoped that through the publicity and reporting of “LOGISTICS & MATERIAL HANDLING magazine” and the media, the technology would be well known by more enterprises and experts, so that the road of standard compilation could be further advanced. HRD is willing to share its research achievements in the aspect of integration of warehouses for years to the industry for reference.
In summary, the advantages of clad-rack warehouse are obvious, but its popularization and application are facing many difficulties, which need to be paid attention by relevant departments and experts, and related enterprises should strengthen research investment. It is believed that the industry will make a breakthrough and have a good market prospects in the future through collective efforts and joint exploration. Our company Nanjing Huaruide (HRD)Logistic Equipment Co., Ltd will to help customer to build safety available clad rack warehouse with use our rich experience design/installation and implementation, and promote the development and application of this technology.
Any project consulting and cooperation, please send email to grace.yu@nj-hrd.com
Post time: Feb-21-2023