It’s not uncommon to walk into a warehouse and see several different brands of pallet racking sitting side by side. In most cases, it hasn’t been done deliberately, it’s simply the result of a business growing, relocating, and adding storage over time.
To unpack why this happens, and what it can mean for compliance, maintenance, and long-term cost, we spoke with Mennolt Regtien from QLD Storage Systems. Drawing on years of experience inspecting, repairing, and redesigning warehouses across Queensland, Mennolt explains why mixing racking brands is so common, and why it can quietly become a problem if it isn’t managed properly.
Why do you think warehouses end up with multiple brands of pallet racking?
Mennolt Regtien (QLD Storage Systems):
We call it the magpie approach. As businesses grow, they often start in a small warehouse, then move, then grow again. Each time, they take their racking with them and add more. Maybe they go bigger, maybe heavier duty, maybe just whatever suits at the time. Over ten years, you start seeing different brands appear.
It’s a bit like tyres on a car. A lot of cars are running around with four different tyre brands; Bridgestone on the back, Kumho on the front, and they all wear differently. That’s why people rotate tyres but they should try to keep the same brand across all four. Racking is very similar. Mixing brands seems harmless at first, but it can create problems over time.
What sort of complications does that cause for customers?
Mennolt Regtien:
The biggest issue we see comes up during racking inspections and maintenance. There’s an annual inspection requirement, and inevitably repairs are needed. In older warehouses with a mix of brands, some of those brands are no longer supported. You can’t get replacement parts, or they can’t be load-rated anymore.
In those cases, we can’t issue a compliance certificate. So instead of repairing or maintaining the racking, you’re forced to replace it. That’s exactly what happened with a recent client from a worksafe racking inspection. Their racking wasn’t compliant with Australian Standards, and we had to replace it entirely.
That’s where the real cost shows up. People don’t always appreciate that having multiple brands in one warehouse can turn into a very expensive and difficult maintenance program if the racking isn’t compliant.
Why do you think businesses make those decisions in the first place? Is it about price?
Mennolt Regtien:
Price is definitely part of it, but it’s not the whole story. First, it’s just human nature, people often go for what’s cheapest at the time, without thinking about the long-term cost. In reality, the true cost is just being kicked down the road.
Another big factor is staff turnover. You might have one warehouse manager who’s always used Colby, so they stick with Colby. Then a new manager comes in who’s familiar with Dexion or Macrack, and they go back to what they know. Over ten years, you might have three different managers, each with their own preference.
If you tracked it, you’d see those brand preferences slowly spreading through the warehouse. That’s just how it happens.
Because of that, we always try to anticipate where a business is likely to be over the next five to ten years. We focus on making sure whatever we install is easy to repair, easy to maintain, widely available, and simple to add to or modify later. That’s why we stick to tried and trusted brands and avoid obscure or “compatible” brands that don’t have proper load data or certification behind them.
So if someone already has a mix of brands in their warehouse and they’re looking to add more racking, what would your advice be?
Mennolt Regtien:
My starting point is always to look at what brand they have the most of. If it’s a reliable brand that we can support, I’d advocate for adding more of that same brand.
Over time, instead of being a 30/30/30 split across three brands, you might move towards something like 60/20/20. As changes happen, modifications are made, or sections are replaced, you slowly increase the footprint of the most reliable brand in the warehouse.
That approach reduces maintenance costs, simplifies compliance, and just leads to a better outcome overall.
QLD Storage Systems supplies Colby, Dexion, Schaefer, and Macrack. What’s the advantage for customers working with you in situations like this?
Mennolt Regtien:
The big advantage is that we’re not a franchise. We’re not tied to a single brand. That means we can supply and support four or five of the major racking brands in Australia.
We can inspect them, repair them, maintain them, add to them, or relocate them. That flexibility lets us support a much wider range of customers and help guide them towards a warehouse setup that’s more productive, more compliant, and more efficient over the long term.
Mixed Brands Need To Be Managed
Mixing pallet racking brands isn’t unusual, and in many warehouses it’s already a reality. The issue isn’t that it exists, it’s what happens when it’s left unmanaged. Over time, unsupported brands, missing load data, and changing compliance requirements can turn what seemed like small decisions into expensive problems.
The key, as Mennolt explains, is consistency and forward planning. Understanding what you already have, standardising where possible, and choosing systems that are easy to support, repair, and expand can significantly reduce risk and long-term cost or headaches.
Whether a warehouse is growing, relocating, or simply adding capacity, taking a strategic approach to pallet racking, rather than a piecemeal one, leads to safer, more compliant, and more efficient operations in the years ahead.
QLD Storage Systems Supporting All Major Brands
If you’re considering mixing pallet racking brands or looking for a more cost-effective storage solution, QLD Storage Systems can help you make the right call from the start. With access to compliant, high-quality second-hand racking across major Australian brands, they can design or extend your warehouse without locking you into costly mistakes later, keeping your storage flexible, compliant, and ready to grow. Contact Mennolt and the team today on 07 5537 5999 or complete our online form here.
The use and operation of pallet racking in Australia falls under the Australian Standards AS4084-2023. There are very specific requirements in terms of managing damage, aisle spacing, load capacities, corrosion, protection systems. It can get complex but QLD Storage Systems is here to help.
About Mennolt Regtien
Mennolt Regtien brings more than 20 years of hands-on experience in the storage and pallet racking industry in Australia, backed by a broader career spent helping businesses grow, improve productivity and solve operational challenges. Before moving into pallet racking and storage systems, he spent around 10 years consulting to small and medium businesses on growth and development, and earlier worked in venture capital and startups, including helping Australasian companies expand into Asian and US markets.
His experience helps him look beyond the racking itself to understand each client’s wider business goals, identify operational issues quickly, and recommend storage solutions that support both efficiency and future growth.
