Long steel inventory behaves differently from palletized goods. A bundle of 12-metre pipe does not simply occupy floor space; it creates access, deflection, and retrieval problems that compound as SKU variety grows. A rack sized around the average length will sit half empty when the next order arrives in a longer dimension. A rack sized around the heaviest item may waste vertical clearance that could have been used for additional storage levels.

The practical starting point is not the rack catalogue. It is a short list of load facts.

Start With the Longest Piece, Not the Average

A fabricator that regularly receives 6-metre pipe but occasionally handles 9-metre lengths needs a bay that can accept the longer dimension without overhang into an aisle. Overhanging pipe ends are more than an inconvenience; they are a struck-by hazard and a common reason aisle clearances fail inspection. Herochu’s HC-H6024-02 is configured for 6,000 mm material, while the HC-H9032-03 and HC-H12036-03 extend the same honeycomb architecture to 9,000 mm and 12,000 mm respectively. Each bay count is customisable, so the rack can be matched to the actual mix of pipe diameters and profile types rather than forced into a fixed slot count.

Load Rating Follows the Heaviest Bundle, Plus a Margin

Published load ratings are usually stated per level or per compartment. What matters in daily operation is whether the rating reflects a uniformly distributed load or a realistic bundle with uneven weight distribution. The HC-H6024-02 carries a 2,000 kg maximum per level, while the larger HC-H9032-03 and HC-H12036-03 step up to 3,000 kg per level. For heavy-wall pipe or dense solid bar, the per-level figure should be checked against the actual bundle weight, not the nominal pipe diameter alone. A 3000 kg-rated level loaded to 2,800 kg with uneven bundle placement still leaves less margin than a 2000 kg level loaded to 1,500 kg with even distribution.

Overhead Crane Compatibility Is a Layout Decision, Not an Accessory

Honeycomb racks are frequently paired with bridge cranes for bundle loading. The rack geometry determines how close the crane hook can approach the compartment and whether the bundle can be lowered without contacting adjacent cells. Herochu’s design integrates a mechanical assistance discharge method, which allows the stored bundle to be moved outward for crane pick without requiring the operator to reach deep into the honeycomb grid. This is particularly relevant for 12,000 mm material, where the reach distance and the weight at the pick point both increase.

Compartment Count and Clear Space: The Two Numbers Buyers Underestimate

The number of bays is visible on the quotation. The clear space within each bay is often buried in a drawing. Herochu lists a clear space of 720 mm as a customisable dimension across the HC-series. For mixed inventories—small-diameter hydraulic tubing alongside large-diameter industrial pipe—a single clear-space figure applied to every bay produces either wasted volume in the small-diameter zones or insufficient clearance in the large-diameter zones. A compartment count of 24, 32, or 36 bays becomes useful only when the clear space is matched to the diameter bands actually stored.

A Selection Checklist for the First Site Visit

Before comparing quotations, settle four items: the longest pipe length, the heaviest bundle per level, the lifting method (overhead crane or forklift), and the diameter range that must be separated. A rack that answers those four questions with a modular configuration is more likely to remain useful when the inventory mix changes. Herochu’s modular construction allows additional bays to be added within the same vertical structure, and the top level can serve as a base for a mezzanine when vertical space permits. That expandability matters because storage requirements rarely shrink.