Clad Rack Warehousing

A clad-rack racking system (also known as a "rack-supported building") is a revolutionary construction method where the storage racks themselves serve as the primary structural skeleton of the entire warehouse. Instead of building a shell and then filling it with racks, the racks are built first, and the roof and wall cladding are attached directly to them.

How It Works: From Racking to Building

The system functions as an integrated structural unit that handles two types of loads simultaneously:

• Internal Loads: The weight of the stored pallets, materials, and the automated machinery (like stacker cranes).
• External Loads: The weight of the roof, the wall panels, and environmental stresses such as wind, heavy snow, and seismic (earthquake) forces.

Godrej Storage Solutions offers clad-rack warehouse solutions designed as self-supporting structures where racking forms the building's core, supporting walls, roofs, and external loads like wind and seismic forces.

In the strict technical sense, a clad rack warehouse solution cannot be "retrofitted" into an existing building because the racking is the building. However, there are two ways this technology is adapted for businesses that already have an established storage site:

1. The "High-Bay Annexe" (Expansion)

The most common adaptation is building a clad-rack structure as an addition to an existing traditional warehouse.

• The Process: A new high-bay clad rack is built directly adjacent to the current facility.
• The Benefit: This allows you to keep your current manual operations in the old building while adding a massive amount of high-density, automated storage in a small footprint right next door. They are usually connected by an airlock or conveyor bridge.

2. The "Demolish and Replace" Strategy

If your current facility has reached its height limit and you have no more land to expand, companies often demolish an older, inefficient section of their warehouse to install a clad-rack system on the same footprint.

• Vertical Gain: You can replace a 10-meter-high traditional warehouse with a 40-meter-high clad rack, effectively quadrupling your storage capacity without buying more land.
• Operational Shift: This is often done to transition from a manual "forklift" culture to an automated ASRS environment.

Godrej clad-rack systems improve safety with self-supporting racking that eliminates internal columns, reducing forklift collision risks, and features like mesh cladding, beam detectors, and seismic reinforcements to prevent falls or collapses. Anti-collapse mesh and FM-compliant fire safety ensure personnel protection.

Efficiency rises via maximised vertical density (up to 45 m), wide aisles for faster MHE access, and 25% cost savings over traditional builds. Integrated automation and WMS streamline inventory tracking, cutting retrieval times and boosting throughput.

• Collision-free layouts.
• Proactive damage alerts.
• Scalable high-volume storage.

Maintenance for a clad rack warehouse is unique because you are maintaining a storage system and a building envelope simultaneously. Because these structures often exceed 30 metres in height and are tightly integrated with ASRS, a "preventative-first" approach is mandatory.

1. External Building Envelope

Since the racking supports the "skin" of the building, the exterior requires regular inspection:

• Cladding Integrity: Check wall and roof panels for signs of corrosion, loose fasteners, or damage from high winds. Even a small leak can be disastrous in a high-density automated environment.
• Gutter and Drainage Systems: At 40 metres high, rain runoff is massive. Ensure gutters are clear to prevent water from backing up into the racking structure.
• Thermal Expansion Joints: Large steel structures expand and contract with the weather. Technicians must inspect the joints where the cladding meets the rack to ensure they remain flexible and watertight.

2. Structural & Foundation Checks

• Settlement Monitoring: Given the immense weight concentrated on the slab, periodic laser surveys are conducted to ensure the floor hasn't settled. Even a slight tilt at the base can translate to a dangerous lean at the top of a high-bay rack.
• Bolt Torquing: The vibrations from ASRS cranes can loosen structural bolts over time. A scheduled "torque check" on primary load-bearing joints is essential.

3. Integrated ASRS Maintenance

Since clad racks are almost always automated, the internal maintenance mirrors standard ASRS needs:

• Rail Levelling: Ensuring the crane rails remain perfectly true.
• Sensor Alignment: Keeping the "eyes" of the system clean and calibrated.

4. Fire Suppression Systems

• In-Rack Sprinklers: Most clad racks have complex, multi-level sprinkler systems. These must be pressure-tested regularly to ensure there are no leaks that could damage inventory or cause rust on the structural uprights.

Yes, Godrej clad-rack systems are well-suited for heavy-duty industrial storage.

Heavy-Duty Design

Engineered with robust steel racking that bears frame loads up to 5-12 tonnes and integrates multi-tier shelving for pallets over 1,000 kg per level, they support demanding applications like chemical fertilisers or bulk goods.

Industrial Advantages

Self-supporting structures handle seismic and wind loads, with corrosion-resistant coatings for harsh environments. Lifecycle services ensure long-term reliability and compliance in high-volume warehouses.