Stone Materials Handling Systems: The Good, The Bad, and The Sturdy
In a sector where heavy lifting is required, proper stone materials handling and storage solutions are a must. The question is; which style best fits your needs?
There are three main types of stone storage solutions on the market: rack and poles, A frames, and rack-and-rails. Here’s our take on the pros and cons of each, drawn from years of experience.
Basic stone materials handling systems: the rack and post
The most commonly used basic slab storage solution is the rack and post. Think of a series of racks, held up by posts which can be used to accommodate more slabs.
The benefits? A high volume of slabs can be stored, with the capacity to stretch storage volume by moving posts. The cons? This can quickly become dangerous.
“We had a customer in Queensland that had 200 slabs break due to failure on posts, leading to a domino effect,” says Dominik. Our Stone, Glass, and Tooling rep.
By a stroke of luck, no workers were near the failing system when it buckled. Sadly, not every case ends this way. One Newcastle worker was crushed and killed when the system failed in the factory. The company was taken to court and fined hundreds of thousands of dollars, a sum that could never compensate for a life lost. It’s always better to be safe than sorry – and in this industry, safety must always come first.
Showcase your slabs with A frames
While rack and post systems allow for a large volume of slabs to be stored, it’s not always easy to differentiate between types of stone. A popular alternative is A frames – a system that puts slabs on display, while taking up minimal space.
This gallery-style option showcases the unique characteristics of the stock materials. Stacked in a vertical, details like marble veins and subtle colour shifts are visible at a glance. This setup is perfect for customers who are looking to pick out a custom benchtop for their kitchen – but it’s not ideal for high-volume manufacturing. So, what’s the alternative?
Mistrello rack and rail systems
While high-volume rack and post systems often fail under the weight of the stone they hold, Mistrello’s rack-and-rail (or rack-and-wheel) solutions have the advantage of being extremely sturdy, yet easy to work with.
These user-friendly systems are engineered for operator safety, while keeping stone materials organised and easily accessible.
Composed of a base board, with rails on top, anything from 200-800 slabs can stay on one rack – and expansion is possible. Mistrello’s semi-automatic compact slab systems require only one operator to move the device along the factory floor. Stock can be sorted by material type, colour, or thickness; either on the one rack, or with a series of racks to cover a range of materials.
The fully automated Mistrello rack and rail system is designed for large factories with a high productivity yield. By shaving minutes off loading and unloading times, these floor-integrated solutions increase productivity, while removing the risk of falling slabs in one efficient step. The concept is simple, yet very powerful.
Get a better understanding of the value these solutions provide by chatting with our Stone experts Dominik and Greg – or call 1300 404 512 and our team would be happy to help.
