In the plastic extrusion business, inventory integrity is everything. You aren’t just storing raw metal; you are storing finished surfaces—glossy window frames, intricate trim moldings, and flexible pipes that warp if looked at wrong.
Stop accepting “scratch and dent” losses as a cost of doing business. If you are tired of watching forklifts gouge your profit margins or finding your bottom-layer PVC profiles crushed into ovals, it is time to upgrade to a storage system designed for delicate, long-length inventory.
The Hidden Cost of Storing Plastic Profiles
Unlike structural steel, PVC and plastic profiles have a “memory.” If you store them on uneven ground or stack them too high, they bow, sag, and warp. Once a 20-foot run of vinyl siding takes on a permanent curve, it’s scrap. Furthermore, the surface finish of extruded plastics is critical. A single scrape from a forklift tine or a collision during “secondary handling” renders the product unsellable to your downstream construction or automotive clients.
Standard static cantilever racks force you into a corner: you need wide aisles for forklifts to maneuver, and you risk damage every time you try to pick a bundle from a lower level. The Crank out arm rack changes this dynamic entirely by moving the shelf, not the machine.
Single-sided crank out rack optimizing vertical space for long profile storage.
Eliminating “Forklift Trauma” with Overhead Access
The primary advantage of our system for the plastics industry is the 100% extension capability. By turning a hand crank (or using an electric drive), the entire cantilever arm extends out into the aisle, fully exposing the PVC bundles.
Why does this matter for plastics?
- Switch to Slings: You can stop using steel forks that scratch soft vinyl. With the load fully extended, you can use an overhead crane with soft nylon slings or vacuum lifters to pick up the material gently.
- Full-Length Support: Our arms are designed to prevent the “sag” common in flexible plastic pipes and trims.
- Zero Contact: Because you are lifting straight up (vertical lift) rather than sliding forks in, there is zero friction between bundles.
Full extension allows overhead cranes to access specific bundles without touching adjacent stock.
High-Mix Inventory Management for Extruders
Plastic extrusion facilities often manage hundreds of SKUs—different dies, colors, and lengths (12ft, 16ft, 20ft). In a floor-stacking scenario, getting to the “White Window Profile Type B” at the bottom of the stack requires moving the “Grey Door Frame Type A” on top of it. This double-handling is where 60% of warehouse damage occurs.
With a crank out arm rack, every level is a pick face. You can access the bottom drawer just as easily as the top one. This allows you to maintain a high mix of inventory in a compact footprint without burying your fast movers.
Technical Specifications for Plastic Storage
We configure these racks specifically for the lighter-weight but high-volume nature of plastic profiles. While the racks are heavy-duty, the configuration focuses on maximizing density and preventing material deflection.
| Caratteristica | Specification for PVC/Plastics | Benefici |
|---|---|---|
| Lunghezza del braccio | Customizable up to 48″ (standard) or longer | Accommodates wide bundles of profiles or large diameter pipes. |
| Capacità di carico | 1,000 lbs – 6,600 lbs per arm level | Sufficient for dense packs of rigid PVC or solid plastic rods. |
| Dividers | Adjustable vertical pins | Separates different SKUs (e.g., different colors) on the same arm level. |
| Extension | 100% avviamento completo | Allows vacuum lifter access to prevent surface damage. |
Adjustable dividers allow for organized storage of multiple SKUs on a single level.
Organization and Space Optimization
Space is money in a manufacturing plant. By utilizing the vertical height of your facility and eliminating the need for wide forklift aisles (since you are loading via crane), you can often reduce your storage footprint by 50%. This frees up floor space for more extrusion lines or assembly stations.
Furthermore, the organized nature of the rack simplifies inventory counts. No more guessing how many feet of pipe are hidden in a pile. Everything is visible, accessible, and protected.
Single-operator usage ensures quick retrieval of specific profiles without waiting for a forklift driver.
Frequently Asked Questions (Plastics Industry Edition)
Q1: Can we store very flexible profiles (like rubber seals or thin PVC) without them sagging?
Yes. We can customize the number of vertical columns (uprights) to reduce the span between arms. By placing arms closer together (e.g., every 3-4 feet), we provide continuous support that prevents sagging and permanent warping of flexible materials.
Q2: Will the steel arms scratch our finished glossy surfaces?
We offer optional protection for the arms, including UHMW (ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene) liners or rubber stripping. This ensures your high-gloss white PVC rests on a soft surface, not bare steel.
Q3: How do we handle 24-foot extrusions?
Our systems are modular. We simply add more columns to the rack lineup. A system for 24-foot material would typically have 4 to 5 towers to ensure the load is evenly distributed and the profile remains straight.
Q4: Can this system work with our existing vacuum lifter?
Absolutely. The crank out arm rack is specifically designed to open up the top of the load. This makes it the perfect partner for vacuum lifters, which are the gold standard for handling non-porous plastic surfaces without damage.
Q5: Is it hard to crank out a fully loaded arm of solid plastic rods?
Not at all. The gearing ratio on the crank mechanism is designed so that a single operator can easily move a load of up to 5,000 lbs with just about 20-30 lbs of ergonomic force. For even higher frequency operations, we offer electric versions.
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