Go With The Flow – Keg Storage Solutions
A toast to better handling and storage of kegs
With New Year’s Eve just now becoming a (possibly blurry) memory, beer providers are preparing not only for the next celebration but for the continued increase in consumption. With Covid-19 and its variants providing steady uncertainty, alcohol buyers are making sure their supply is stocked and that they have access.
To combat the demand and current supply chain woes, those that store and distribute beer, in particular, are faced with storage and accessibility challenges. You want to keep the flow (pun intended) moving so that sales are made and product is shipped on time, but what are some ways to help ensure this happens?
Tapping into the right storage and pick options
Let’s face it, beer keg storage is difficult: kegs are large, can be heavy, offer limited grip choices and add a bit of unbalanced load handling to boot. All of these factors lead to an increase in the risk of drops and tip-overs., not to mention creating an item that is constantly taking up space and difficult to store.
Putting these items individually on storage shelves can be difficult if shelves are made of wire where the items may tilt and not sit straight, making them unsafe for storage and handling. Storing them in pallet positions on the floor eats up tons of valuable space and makes for a risky, injury-prone pick. You want to store heavier items within the area closest to the picker’s waist, which doesn’t require them to bend or reach.
Continuing with the ergonomic problems that keg storage can create, the need to reach into the back of whatever storage situation you have your kegs in can lend itself to a myriad of issues. The reaching and pulling motion needed can cause increased pressure on a worker’s delicate musculoskeletal system, not to mention offering an unsafe condition of bending under, over or around items that could fall. All of these factors can also lead to worker fatigue just in the day-to-day handling of beer kegs.
It’s all about the flow
Creating better storage and retrieval options for kegs begins with the right flow solution. Whether your operation handles full-size or craft brewery kegs, you want to find a storage flow that combines efficient movement with ergonomic advancement.
Carton Flow storage should be your first choice. Utilizing first in first out storage methods, specific types of carton flow can install in your existing pallet rack and offer low-profile or high-profile installation options. When the first keg is pulled, the second moves (or flows) into its place for efficient stock rotation. No more costly reaching and picking at unsafe angles.
By also including labeled storage lanes, you can slot one keg type per lane to increase organization and picking accuracy. For more safety and keg protection, adding a high roller stop reduces keg damage while providing safer unloading.
Don’t leave out the smaller kegs
Another solution is adding keg flow rails to your existing rack. These steel inserts offer a durable way to create another first-in-first-out storage option for smaller (craft-type) kegs. By giving you a way to store these kegs off the ground, you not only gain efficient, safe storage but more space in your existing facility!
Another benefit (just like with regular keg storage) is increased picking capabilities. Don’t underestimate the ability to store your various product offerings in separate rails for better SKU management.
For extra employee protection, look to add keg lifters at all of your keg transporting areas to save time and injuries. By combining these highly maneuverable transports with keg flow rack technology, you instantly increase the entire output of your operation.
Cheers to easier keg storage!
All of these options add up to an efficient (have I said that enough? But it’s true!) beer storage environment where customers receive the freshest product in the shortest timeframe, thanks to creating a better and safer flow in your facility.
Download Our Carton Flow Guide
When conducting storage and picking operations the use of carton flow rack not only saves space and makes picking faster, but also reduces wasted motion. People don’t need to walk as much between pick positions, so they spend more time doing productive work like picking and packing. There are many options and configurations for carton flow, and to help you navigate those choices, we’ve published a guide to carton flow rack.
Download the guide today
Evan Fleishacker is a Marketing Strategist at Cisco-Eagle. You can find him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/evanf