Product · No. 03

Very-narrow-aisle (VNA).

Name: Very-Narrow-Aisle (VNA) Pallet Racking
Brand: 416 Industrial
Availability: InStock

5-6 ft aisles. Up to 45 ft height. Wire-guided or rail-guided. The max-cube system for warehouses where every square foot has to earn rent.

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Anatomy

The components, labeled.

Upright Frame

Structural C-channel frame, 11ga steel. Required for VNA height — taller frames load-multiply at the base.

Step Beam

Heavy-duty step beam. Same connection as selective, but tighter aisle tolerances require beam-end pinning + double-locking.

Guide Rail (Floor-mounted)

Steel angle anchored to the floor along each aisle. Forklift's bottom rollers track the rail — keeps forklift centred in the narrow aisle.

Wire Guidance (Optional)

Inductive wire buried in the floor slab. Forklift's antenna reads the wire signal. Smoother than rail; required for SOTOs (Stand-On Turret Trucks) at full height.

Footplate (Reinforced)

Larger footprint than selective — VNA load multiplication at the base requires a wider plate + additional anchor bolts.

Anchor Bolt

Larger gauge anchor (5/8" minimum). Embedment depth ≥ 5" into 6" minimum slab — slab spec is part of every VNA design review.

Aisle Protection

Steel pillar guards at every aisle entry. Required to prevent forklift-frame contact damage in narrow aisles.

Why very-narrow-aisle (VNA)?

Because square-foot rent forces you upward. VNA converts 30% wider aisles into 30% more vertical storage. The right choice when you can't expand horizontally and need 100% selectivity at height.

Specifications

Full technical detail.

Specification	Standard VNA	Heavy VNA	Max-Bay VNA
Aisle & Height
Aisle width	5'-6'	5'-6'	5'-6'
Max height	30'	40'	45'
Guidance	Rail-guided	Rail or wire-guided	Wire-guided
Frame & Beam
Post profile	3" structural	3" structural	3.5" structural
Post gauge	12ga	11ga	10ga
Beam profile	Heavy step beam	Heavy step beam	Structural C-beam
Capacity (Beam Pair)
Beam pair capacity	3,800 lb	4,500 lb	5,500 lb
Frame capacity	30,000 lb	45,000 lb	60,000 lb
Slab & Anchors
Slab spec	6" min, 3,500 PSI	6" min, 4,000 PSI	8" min, 4,000 PSI
Anchor size	5/8"	5/8"	3/4"
Anchors per footplate	4	4	6
Finish & Compliance
Finish	Powder-coat or galv	Powder-coat or galv	Galvanized
CSA A344-17 aligned	✓	✓	✓
ANSI MH16.1 (RMI) certified	✓	✓	✓
Operations
Lead time	3-4 weeks	4-5 weeks	5-7 weeks
Install crew size	4-5	5-6	6-8
Permit required	Usually	Yes	Yes

Applications

Where very-narrow-aisle (vna) wins.

Max-cube warehouses

When square-foot rent is the binding constraint. VNA converts 30% wider aisles into 30% more vertical storage.

Mixed-SKU + height-extreme

Where you need 100% selectivity AND height utilization. VNA preserves selective access while doubling stack height.

Automation-ready

VNA's strict aisle tolerances are the same tolerances autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) need. Easier upgrade path than wide-aisle selective.

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