Differences Between U.S. Shelves and Chinese Shelves

Major distinctions between American pallet racking and Chinese racks are as follows:

High standardization level

In the U.S. and Canada, nearly all shelf hole types are universal (teardrop shape), greatly facilitating customer use and component selection. This means almost all components are interchangeable. Currently in China, there are numerous shelf manufacturing companies, many of which have different hole types that are not universal. Even in the production base of Nanjing, while the hole types appear almost identical, subtle differences still exist, and universal compatibility needs further improvement.

2. Different structural designs

In the U.S., it's more common to find shelf pillars that are fully welded, although this does increase transportation costs. On the other hand, the pillars don't require on-site assembly, which saves a significant amount of labor costs.

Another distinction in column design is that Americans prioritize functionality over aesthetics. When shelf columns bear heavy loads, U.S. designers often weld an additional column or rectangular tube at the bottom 2 to 3 meters to enhance the column's load-bearing capacity. In China, such a design is generally not well-received by customers, as it is unattractive, and everyone prefers a uniform column from top to bottom. The pursuit of aesthetics results in a waste of steel, as the top of the shelf does not require such a large cross-section, as the load-bearing capacity of the top column is minimal.

3. Differences in Racking Surface Treatment

In China, nearly all shelf surfaces are electrostatically spray-painted, while some U.S. companies opt for baking-painted surface treatment.