If you want to maximize your storage space, a sliding shelving system could be the answer. This type of mobile storage rack creates movable aisles, freeing up floor space for more productive purposes or additional storage.
Sliding shelving systems come in many different types, including manual, electric-powered, high-bay, industrial and art racks. They also have extensive accessory options and features, making them a versatile and beneficial choice for any industry. Consider the following benefits and the possibilities sliding shelving can bring.
Benefits of Sliding Shelving
Maximize space horizontally and vertically
Mobile shelving units can save up to 50% of your floor space, allowing for future growth. In addition, they can utilize the vertical space that conventional filing and storage units waste. Have high ceilings? Make the most of them with a high bay system.
Customizable and flexible
You can mount almost any type of shelving or cabinet options on a sliding shelving carriage to effectively store items of various sizes, increasing visibility and capacity within the unit. Old shelving can also be repurposed and mounted on your sliding system, creating a cost-effective solution. Additionally, multiple accessory options can easily be swapped out or updated in the future as needs change.
Industry Innovations with Sliding Shelving
Sliding shelving is a versatile storage solution that can benefit a variety of industries. From education to the military and corporate sectors, sliding shelving offers a customizable approach to maximize space, improve organization and save money. With expert guidance, you can tailor sliding shelving to meet the specific needs of any organization. Let's look closer at sliding shelving systems across several industries.
Athletics
Athletic departments often have vast amounts of equipment they need to store and access quickly, and sliding shelving can help use vertical space efficiently and optimize existing storage space. Sliding shelving is also an excellent solution for sports teams, because it can go beyond accommodating equipment storage to create an exciting atmosphere for potential recruits. Check out how Florida State University did just that, transforming their athletic storage rooms into eye-catching recruiting spaces.
Public Safety
Police and law enforcement departments often require high-density storage to manage a significant volume of evidence, files and documents. Sliding shelving can be an excellent solution for evidence storage because it is customizable, secure and compact. For example, the Volusia County Sheriff's Department uses 40-foot-long by 20-foot-high XTend High-Bay Mobile Storage Units. Loaded with XTend shelving, the tall units store all sorts of evidence items – some of which must be kept for decades or longer.
Industrial
Industrial processes, such as warehousing, manufacturing and e-commerce, require storage solutions that can handle bulk parts or heavy-duty items. Sliding shelving offers quick picking and visibility, making it easy for warehouse workers to efficiently find what they need. One example is One Stroke Inks, which doubled its storage capacity with three-tiered custom shelves built within sliding shelving. Not to mention, the average picking time went from one hour to 45 seconds.
Healthcare
Sliding shelving is an excellent solution for healthcare providers, as it provides flexibility and space efficiency. For instance, you can use sliding shelving units in sterile processing, supply and file storage rooms. The Owensboro Health Regional Hospital in Kentucky installed sliding shelving in its surgical core, lab and medical library. The hospital appreciated that they could adapt the sliding shelving system for their needs, enabling specialty nurses to quickly find what they need.
Museum
Museums require storage solutions that can accommodate art and archive materials. Manual assist mobile shelving and hanging art racks are just a couple of examples of the types of sliding shelving that can be used in museums. For example, the Bo Bartlett Center art storage facility in Columbus, GA, installed a sliding shelving system that could store a sizable collection of artwork in a small space.
Education
Sliding shelving can be used in educational institutions, including libraries, administrative buildings and athletic departments. One benefit of sliding shelving storage in education is that it creates more room for collaborative spaces or workspaces.
Library
For libraries, sliding shelving offers additional benefits beyond just saving space. By utilizing sliding shelving instead of traditional static shelving, libraries can free up valuable real estate within their buildings. This can create more space for patrons to study, work together and collaborate. In fact, the Georgia State Law Library used high-density sliding shelving to preserve the outer areas near the windows for study and collaborative space. This led to an overall more inviting, open and functional space.
Military
The military also relies on sliding shelving to organize and store equipment and gear, weapons and optics, small parts and records. For example, Fort Bragg in North Carolina stores 18,000 parachutes on industrial mobile shelving. Sliding shelving is more economical and allows more efficient use of space.
Corporate/Business
In the corporate and business world, sliding shelving is used for file storage, product samples and much more. Some organizations incorporate sliding shelving as retail store displays or to optimize backroom storage. By using sliding shelving in retail environments, businesses can increase storage capacity while keeping inventory easily accessible. For example, Helm, a retail shoe company, used sliding shelving to help with their backroom storage and store display needs.
Is Sliding Shelving Right for You?
No matter the size or amount of stuff you need to store, sliding shelving can help. With customized solutions and industry storage experts to help you with your vision and needs, sliding shelving can benefit any business or organization. Speak to a specialist today to learn how sliding shelving can work for you.
