A new bolt-together racking system from Italian company GS Scaffalature could create efficiencies for timber merchants as well as additional storage space, according to its exclusive UK distributor, Filstorage.
Paul Taylor, managing director of design, storage and fit-out specialists Filstorage said Master Racking was quicker to assemble than other products and easier to repair, while retaining the characteristic strength of GS’s other top selling line, Variant.
Filstorage, which was appointed as the exclusive UK distributor of Master Racking earlier this year, officially launched the system at the NMBS exhibition in September.
As well as providing a fantastic solution to the builders’ merchants sector, Mr Taylor said Master Racking also brought a number of benefits to timber merchants.
“Master Racking is a new type of pallet racking that can be used to store all sorts of items commonly found in timber merchants,” he said. “But one area where it really brings benefits is as pigeonhole racking.
“Pigeonhole racking is a fantastic solution for storing PSE as it provides an extremely space-efficient system, even for long pieces of timber.
“But there is an extra benefit that pigeonhole racking provides too,” continued Mr Taylor. “By adding a platform on top of the system, the floor space that it takes up is recovered and extra storage space is created. Master Racking in particular is great for this because it is extremely robust so you can store heavy items on top of your racking system without the risk of damage.”
Master Racking also scores points when it comes to damage, says the company. The system is designed to bolt together, meaning it is quicker and easier to assemble, and if individual parts are damaged due to consistent use or accidents, they can easily be replaced.
“One of the real innovations of Master Racking is the way it fits together,” said Mr Taylor. “There is no fuss, no fancy fittings. It simply bolts and unbolts and that brings both time and cost efficiencies to a timber operation.
“Master Racking is also galvanised. So, whereas most timber merchants traditionally use cantilever racking to store treated wood outdoors, if PSE or other products need to be stored horizontally outside, it will withstand everything the weather can throw at it for years.”
Filstorage is the only business in the UK to hold both Master Racking and GS Scaffalature’s other top selling line, Variant, in stock. And Mike Gorman, sales director for Filstorage, added that the new system had all the hallmarks of GS Scaffalature in terms of quality and robustness.
“We’ve been supplying products from GS Scaffalature for a long time, and they have always been very good quality,” said Mr Gorman. “Master Racking is no exception. It has GS’s trademark strength, which is loved by the builders’ merchant industry, but has other features that make it very attractive to timber merchants as well.
“The system is very flexible. It can be used as standard pallet racking or pigeonhole racking, but however you use it or configure it, the extra space that can be created by adding a platform is a real bonus.
“Master Racking is also favourably priced due to efficiencies in the manufacturing process, so whichever way you look at it, it represents fantastic value when you consider how adaptable it is.”
Yorkshire-based Filstorage displayed the racking in the UK for the first time at the NMBS exhibition at the Coventry Building Society Arena in September.
The product attracted a flurry of interest as builders’, plumbers’ and timber merchants saw the attraction of a bolt-together system.
“It was great to be back at NMBS and see people in person for the first time in two years,” said Mr Gorman, who was manning the stall.
“It was also great to come armed with an entirely new product and a UK first. Everyone who saw Master Racking could see the benefits of such a simple and efficient system so there was a lot of interest in it.
“We’re expecting it to be really popular with new depot builds and with merchants looking to update their warehouses to a more efficient and cost-effective solution.”
