Steve Richmond, director of Jungheinrich UK Ltd’s Systems and Projects Division, considers reasons for the growing interest in very narrow aisle (VNA) storage systems and describes developments in automated VNA technology.

The harsh economic climate has forced all businesses to look for ways of maximising the cost and performance efficiency of their assets. People, processes and equipment are being scrutinised as never before as companies from all industry sectors seek to make the most of what they have.

When it comes to the supply chain, one consequence of this ‘asset sweating’ philosophy has been a general reluctance to ‘trade up’ to bigger distribution centres.

“Companies have chosen to look to increase storage density and pallet capacity at their current site without incurring the type of costs that a move to new, larger facilities would involve,” says Steve Richmond, director of Jungheinrich UK Ltd’s Systems and Projects Division.

As a result of this approach, there has been a noticeable upturn in interest in Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) storage systems.

“Significant advantages can be gained by moving from a wide aisle to a narrow aisle storage configuration and, by making better use of an existing facility by increasing storage capacity, many organisations have realised very worthwhile financial benefits,”  says Steve Richmond.

However, a switch to VNA storage is not right for everyone, as Steve Richmond explains: “Each application must be analysed individually.  There are many factors that come into play - not just the type of forklift truck or materials handling equipment to be employed.

“For instance, reconfiguring the racking into narrow aisles will normally have operational considerations and may also impact on sprinklers, fire protection, lighting, heating etc. All of these factors must be taken into account.

“Other variables that must also be considered from the outset include, stock profile and product mix, operating environment and conditions as well as throughputs and the ratio of full pallets to picking within the storage cube.”

He continues: “VNA offers a higher density of storage than a conventional wide aisle warehouse layout, but this must be balanced against requirements for flexibility and accessibility to products and stock. The analysis and design process must look at all the base data, parameters and deliverables before an optimised solution can be developed.

“Of course, today’s VNA machines offer a high degree of flexibility by combining the ability to handle pallets to lift heights of up to 17 metres and order pick from every level at every storage location. At facilities where order picking is the main focus,  VNA trucks can also be utilised for high level picking of small parts or unit loads very efficiently.

“In addition, as most VNA trucks are manufactured for a particular customer or specific application, then load handling devices and order picking platforms can be customised to suit their proposed application or operation.”

So, when it comes to calculating the return on investment for VNA trucks, what are the key factors to consider?

According to Steve Richmod, it is essential that emphasis is placed on the whole life cost of the VNA machine from the outset of a project.