As the warehousing needs of small and medium-sized e-commerce businesses, new retail stores, 

and small manufacturing enterprises continue to grow, light-duty racks, which combine economy and flexibility, 

have recently performed exceptionally well in the warehousing equipment market, 

becoming the preferred solution for many companies to optimize warehouse space and improve operational efficiency.

Industry data shows that in the first half of 2024, the domestic light-duty rack market saw sales increase by over 25% year-on-year, 

with e-commerce warehousing, convenience stores, and small factories accounting for over 60% of purchases. 

Market demand exhibits significant characteristics of "lightweight, customized, and easy-to-install."

Light-duty shelving: A "warehouse optimization expert" for small spaces. Light-duty shelving typically refers to 

warehouse shelving with a load-bearing capacity of 50-200kg per layer. Its structure is primarily made of cold-rolled steel plate, 

featuring a modular design that offers advantages such as small size, easy assembly, and minimal footprint.

 It can be adapted to small storage areas of 8-12㎡, and can even be directly integrated into store back-end systems,

 office storage rooms, etc., perfectly solving the pain points of

"limited storage space and difficulty in managing scattered goods" for small and medium-sized enterprises.

“Previously, goods in the warehouse were piled on the floor, and finding a single product took forever, 

plus they were prone to moisture damage,” said Mr. Zhang, who runs a small home furnishing e-commerce business.

He explained that since installing light-duty shelving in March of this year, warehouse space utilization has increased by 40%. 

“Three shelves perfectly accommodate commonly used home furnishing accessories, 

and the time to find items by scanning barcodes has been reduced from 10 minutes to 1 minute, 

significantly improving delivery efficiency.”

From an application perspective, light-duty shelving is highly adaptable:

1. E-commerce warehousing: Used for storing small batches of SKUs of daily necessities, jewelry, 3C accessories, etc.,

 enabling precise location tracking with label management;

2. Retail stores: Convenience stores, stationery stores, etc., can use it as back-end storage to store inventory, 

reducing the pressure of front-end stockpiling;

3. Office settings: Used for the categorized storage of office documents and equipment, 

replacing traditional filing cabinets and improving vertical space utilization;

4. Small factories: Suitable for the temporary storage of parts and semi-finished products, 

facilitating “instant retrieval” next to the production line and reducing handling time.

Market demand drives product upgrades, with customization and intelligentization becoming new trends.

Faced with the diverse warehousing needs of SMEs, light-duty shelving manufacturers have recently accelerated product iteration, 

pushing "basic models" towards "customization + intelligentization."

 Currently, mainstream products on the market exhibit two major new characteristics:

1. Widespread adoption of customized services. Manufacturers can provide solutions with "adjustable shelf height, 

customized dimensions, and color matching" tailored to the characteristics of goods in different industries.

 For example, for the hanging needs of apparel e-commerce, light-duty shelving can be equipped with hanging rods; 

for the moisture-proof needs of food storage, it can be combined with moisture-proof shelves and

 ventilation designs to meet the needs of specific scenarios.

2. Integration of intelligent functions. Some brands have launched "light-duty intelligent shelving," 

equipped with weight sensors and LED indicator lights on the shelves to monitor the shelving's load-bearing status in real time. 

When inventory falls below a threshold, the lights automatically illuminate to remind replenishment, 

helping SMEs achieve "low-cost intelligent management." A representative from a shelving manufacturer revealed that the order

 share of this type of intelligent light-duty shelving has increased from 5% last year to 15%, 

and is expected to exceed 20% by the end of 2024.

Purchasing Guide: Three Tips for Choosing the Right Light-Duty Shelving

While light-duty shelving offers significant advantages, 

businesses still need to consider their specific needs and mitigate risks when purchasing it.

 Industry experts suggest considering the following three aspects:

1. Define Load-Bearing Requirements: Select shelving with a load-bearing capacity corresponding to the unit weight of the goods

 to avoid overloading and structural deformation (e.g., for storing 5kg/box of snacks,

it is recommended to choose shelving with a capacity of 100kg/layer or higher);

2. Prioritize Compliant Materials: Look for products using "cold-rolled steel plate + electrostatic spraying" technology. 

These shelving units are highly rust-resistant, environmentally friendly, and odorless, 

making them suitable for industries with high storage requirements, such as food and baby products;

3. Focus on Installation and After-Sales Service: Prioritize brands that offer "free installation guidance" or "on-site installation," 

and confirm whether a 1-2 year warranty is included to reduce subsequent maintenance costs.

Industry analysts believe that as SMEs increasingly value "lean warehousing,

" the light-duty shelving market will further develop towards "scenario-based and intelligent" solutions.

 Manufacturers with customization capabilities and technological innovation are expected to gain a larger market share.

 For companies with warehouse optimization needs, selecting suitable light-duty shelving based on 

their cargo characteristics and space conditions will be a key step in improving operational efficiency and reducing costs.