3 Ways Breweries can Increase Warehouse Efficiencies with Pallets

Is your brewery storing and aging beer in barrel racks? What if we told you pallets can increase your warehouse efficiencies - both in space and time.

If you're stacking casks and barrels of brew, swapping out barrel racks for pallets can introduce a 15% product density increase. That's because pallets let you move 4 barrels at a time. As an added bonus, more beer on a pallet saves time by reducing the number of handlings or trips needed to the barrel house.

Use pallets instead of barrel racks for barrel-aged beer to save space and money.

Breweries Face Growing Pressure to Succeed

Barrel-aged beer is a challenging industry. Any opportunity to save money and be more competitive must be seriously considered. Take, for example, the short timeframe for aging. Beer ages in under 12 months, with most brews aging in just 2-3 months. That's fast, especially in comparison to wine or spirits like bourbon or whiskey. Shorter aging durations increase handling costs.

Here are 3 ways pallets can make the whole process more efficient:
  

1. Pallets Take up Less Space
   Storing barrels vertical increases usable warehouse space by about 15%. With the help of pallets, more product can fit into a smaller warehouse footprint. Warehouse efficiency saves money per sq ft.
     
2. Pallets are Easy to Move and Stack
   Empty metal barrel racks can be difficult to store. It is labor intensive, almost like playing a game of Jenga. Empty pallets store incredibly well and are very maneuverable with fork trucks or pallet jacks. Most pallets will stack 20 high.
     
3. Pallets Cost Less
   Pallets offer a cost effective solution and can even be repaired if damaged.

Start Saving Money

Stacking barrels on pallets can significantly reduce costs for craft brewers offering barrel-aged beer. As illustrated above, savings come in the form of less storage space and reduced labor costs. Plus, pallets simply cost less. Just be sure to talk with a pallet professional to determine the proper pallet design for your application. Not all pallets can do the job. You won't be saving money if your barrels get damaged from using the wrong pallet.

Have questions about using pallets to barrel-age beer? Get in touch or post your questions below.

Post by: Nelson Blog Team