System 01 · The default for most warehouses
Selective pallet racking: every pallet, first time, no shuffling.
Selective racking is the system nine out of ten Indonesian warehouses should start with. Every pallet faces an aisle, so a standard counterbalance forklift reaches any position without moving another load. It has the lowest cost per pallet position of any system — and the lowest storage density, which is exactly the trade-off you need to understand before you sign a purchase order.
In brief
Selective pallet racking stores one pallet deep on both sides of every aisle, so a standard forklift reaches any pallet without moving another. It is the lowest-cost system per pallet position and the starting point for most Indonesian warehouses.
- Every pallet is directly accessible — 100% selectivity, no shuffling, any SKU mix.
- Lowest cost per pallet position of any racking system, and the lowest storage density at 30–40% of floor area.
- Beam capacity is a uniformly distributed load per beam pair at a stated clear span, with deflection held to L/200.
- Aisle width is decided by your forklift, not by the racking — moving to a reach truck recovers roughly 0.7 m per aisle.
01 — What you are buying
How a selective run is put together
A selective run is a repeating grid: upright frames set at a fixed pitch, beam pairs hooked between them at chosen elevations, and a load-carrying surface on top.
Upright frames
Two roll-formed perforated columns with diagonal and horizontal bracing, welded to a baseplate. Rolled in single lengths up to 13 m, so tall runs avoid the splice that becomes a weak point in a jointed frame.
Beam pairs
Box or step section with welded end connectors, bolted into the upright perforation rather than pinned. The bolted connection resists uplift better than a clip-and-pin joint when a forklift catches a beam on exit.
Baseplate & anchors
Each frame is anchored to the slab. Anchor size and embedment follow slab thickness and concrete grade — this is checked at survey, not assumed.
Wire mesh decking
Required whenever cartons, drums, slip sheets or undersized pallets are stored. Mesh also lets sprinkler water through, unlike solid panels.
Pallet support bars
Front-to-back bars for damaged or non-standard pallets. Far cheaper than the incident that happens without them.
Column guards & row spacers
Guards at aisle-facing uprights and at row ends; spacers tie back-to-back rows into one stable double run.
02 — Specifying the bay
Four numbers define your bay
Give us these four and the rest of the design follows. Get them wrong and you buy either wasted air or a forklift you did not need.
The distance between uprights, sized to fit your pallets side by side plus 75–100 mm clearance between loads and at each upright. Two 1,200 mm pallets typically land on a 2,700 mm clear span; three pallets on 3,900 mm, though beam capacity drops as span grows.
Normally 100–150 mm less than the pallet depth, so the load overhangs the beams slightly and sits on the beams rather than on the frame. A 1,200 mm deep pallet usually sits on a 1,100 mm frame.
Product height plus 100 mm lift clearance plus beam depth. Do not distribute levels evenly out of habit — set them around your actual load heights and you often gain a whole extra level.
Top beam elevation plus the top load height, checked against your forklift’s lift height with the mast under load, sprinkler clearance and any building regulation limit.
03 — Capacity planning
Indicative selective racking configurations
A planning table for early layouts and budgets. Every shipped project is confirmed by a structural calculation against the real load case.
| Duty class | UDL per beam level | Clear span | Frame depth | Levels | Typical application |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light | Up to 1,000 kg | 1,800–2,300 mm | 800–1,000 mm | 3–5 | Cartons, light FMCG, spare parts |
| Standard | 1,000–2,000 kg | 2,300–2,700 mm | 1,000–1,100 mm | 4–6 | Distribution, 3PL, two pallets per bay |
| Heavy | 2,000–3,000 kg | 2,700–2,900 mm | 1,000–1,200 mm | 4–6 | Beverage, chemicals, dense goods |
| Extra heavy | 3,000–5,000 kg | 1,800–2,700 mm | 1,100–1,200 mm | 3–5 | Steel, batteries, dies, raw material |
Beam capacity falls as clear span increases — a section rated 2,000 kg over 2,300 mm will not carry 2,000 kg over 2,900 mm. Beam deflection is limited to L/200 of the clear span under full load.
- Capacity is a uniformly distributed load per beam pair, not a point load in the middle of the span.
- Total bay load is limited by the upright frame, so you cannot simply multiply level capacity by the number of levels.
- Every run leaves our factory with a load notice plate stating maximum load per level and per bay.
04 — Aisle and equipment
Match the aisle to the truck you already own
Aisle width is the single biggest driver of how many pallet positions fit in a building. It is decided by your forklift, not by the racking.
| Truck type | Working aisle | Practical lift height | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Counterbalance forklift | 3.2–3.9 m | Up to about 6 m | Most common in Indonesia; also drives outside the building |
| Reach truck | 2.6–3.0 m | Up to about 11 m | Indoor only, needs a flat slab; the usual upgrade path |
| VNA turret truck | 1.6–2.0 m | 12 m and above | Requires a superflat floor and guidance; see the VNA page |
| Hand pallet truck | 1.8–2.2 m | Ground level only | Ground-level picking under a racked upper structure |
Tell us the exact truck model and load centre. We design the aisle around your equipment rather than quoting a generic 3.5 m.
Questions buyers ask
Frequently asked questions
Why is selective racking still the most common system in Indonesia?
Because it has the lowest cost per pallet position, works with the forklift most warehouses already own, and handles any SKU mix without re-planning. The cost is storage density: aisles consume 60–70% of the floor, so only 30–40% is used for storage.
How many pallets fit per bay?
Two 1,200 mm pallets in a 2,700 mm clear span is the most common layout in Indonesia. Three-pallet bays are possible but need a heavier beam section for the same load, so the steel saving from fewer uprights is partly given back.
Are the beams bolted or pinned?
Our beam end connectors are bolted into the upright. A bolted connection resists uplift better than a clip and safety pin when a forklift snags a beam while reversing out of a bay.
Can I add levels later?
Yes, provided the upright was designed for the final total bay load. Tell us your two- to three-year plan at the design stage; sizing the frame for it costs little now and saves replacing every upright later.
What steel do you use?
JIS G3101 SS400 and JIS G3131 SPHC, roll-formed, punched, welded and coated in our own plant in Bekasi. Material is tested by BPPT and Sucofindo under an ISO 9001:2015 system certified through Moody International.
What is the lead time?
Typically three to four weeks of fabrication after drawing approval for standard selective racking, then delivery and installation. Send your target date early and we will tell you honestly whether it is achievable.
Talk to engineering, not a call centre
Send one pallet weight and your building height.
We return a selective racking layout with the pallet position count, bay elevations, verified capacities and a firm price. Free site survey across Greater Jakarta.