| Engineering and Load Capacity | Rack failure can cause product loss, equipment damage, and serious safety risks. | Request pallet-load calculations, beam-load tables, upright specifications, rack configuration drawings, and permissible deflection data. | Capacity must be calculated for the actual pallet size, load weight, bay width, beam level, and storage height rather than quoted as a generic maximum. | 20% |
| Compliance with Applicable Standards | Standards help control design, manufacturing, installation, and inspection risks. | Check whether the design references applicable requirements such as EN 15512, EN 15629, EN 15635, ANSI/RMI MH16.1, or local building and seismic regulations. | The supplier should identify the exact standard edition and provide supporting technical documents instead of displaying certification logos alone. | 15% |
| Material Quality and Traceability | Steel grade, thickness, coating, and production consistency directly affect rack strength and service life. | Verify material certificates, steel-grade information, thickness tolerances, coating specifications, and batch traceability. | Material documents should match the production order and be traceable to the relevant batch or component type. | 12% |
| Manufacturing Quality Control | Accurate forming, welding, punching, and coating improve fit, stability, and installation efficiency. | Review inspection plans, dimensional checks, weld inspections where applicable, coating tests, nonconformity records, and final inspection reports. | A documented quality system should include incoming-material inspection, in-process checks, final inspection, and corrective-action procedures. | 12% |
| Factory Capability and Capacity | Production capacity influences delivery reliability and the supplier's ability to handle repeat orders. | Confirm manufacturing location, key equipment, production flow, quality personnel, monthly capacity, and evidence of recent comparable projects. | Capacity claims should be supported by a factory audit, production records, or a verifiable third-party assessment. | 10% |
| Design and Project Support | Warehouse layouts require coordination between storage density, forklift access, fire protection, building constraints, and operating procedures. | Assess layout drawings, engineering calculations, revision control, coordination with other trades, and technical communication in English. | The supplier should provide controlled drawings and clearly state design assumptions, exclusions, and customer responsibilities. | 10% |
| Installation and Safety Guidance | Incorrect assembly, anchoring, or protection can reduce the designed capacity of a rack system. | Check installation manuals, anchor specifications, torque requirements, inspection checklists, training options, and after-sales support. | Documentation should cover assembly tolerances, anchoring, load notices, damage reporting, and periodic inspection practices. | 8% |
| Lead Time and Supply Reliability | Late deliveries can delay warehouse commissioning and increase project costs. | Verify raw-material availability, production lead time, packaging method, port options, shipment schedule, and contingency planning. | The quotation should separate design approval, production, packing, and shipping time and state the assumptions behind the schedule. | 5% |
| Total Cost of Ownership | The lowest unit price may exclude engineering, packaging, installation, spare parts, inspection, or future modification costs. | Compare a complete landed-cost breakdown including product price, tooling, documentation, freight terms, duties, installation, and replacement components. | Compare suppliers using the same specifications, Incoterms, quantities, accessories, and service scope. | 5% |
| Warranty and After-Sales Service | Professional support helps resolve installation issues, damage incidents, and future capacity changes. | Review warranty duration, exclusions, response times, spare-part availability, claim procedures, and responsibility for design or installation defects. | Warranty terms should be written, project-specific, and supported by a defined service contact and response process. | 3% |