What the Port Shepstone team needed
The client was a busy plant bakery in Port Shepstone serving daily production runs, with mixed bakeware moving between the oven line, cooling area and dispatch. The store room was getting cramped and trays were being stacked where they should not be, which made it harder to find the right pans quickly and caused avoidable damage at the corners and rims.
The brief was to build pan storage racks that could handle repeated use, take the weight of stacked steel trays, and fit into a working bakery where floors get washed down every day. The site also needed a layout that would suit coastal humidity, because in that part of KZN you cannot leave steel sitting in damp corners and expect it to stay in good shape for long.
- Improve tray flow between production and storage
- Keep bakeware off the floor for cleaner handling
- Reduce edge damage from loose stacking
- Make room for cleaning and walkways
Site limits and practical constraints
We worked to the space available in an active bakery, so the racks had to fit around fixed walls, door openings and daily foot traffic. There was no option to block the route to the prep area, and the client still needed enough space for trolleys, sweep cleaning and early morning loading. In a plant setting you do not have the luxury of shutting everything down for days on end.
The other constraint was load bearing. Pan stacks get heavier than people expect, especially once you are holding full sets of oven floor tiles or bread pans. We allowed for real working weight, not just a light store-room solution. The frame spacing had to support repeated loading without bowing, and the finish had to suit a place that sees steam, wash-downs and salted air from the coast.
- Measured to suit the available wall run and aisle width
- Designed for daily wet cleaning and humid conditions
- Kept access clear for moving trays by hand and on trolleys
- Built for commercial bakery weights, not light duty storage
What Bakerite supplied and built
We supplied purpose-built pan storage racks made for industrial bakeware handling, with a steel frame, orderly shelf spacing and open access for fast stock rotation. The system was set up so the bakery could sort pans by size and use, which helps when one shift hands over to the next and nobody wants to waste ten minutes looking for the right tray.
The racks were fabricated in our Westmead, Pinetown base and delivered to Port Shepstone for installation. We set the unit up with clear levels for easy lifting and safer stacking. The finish was chosen to handle regular cleaning and day-to-day contact, and the frame was arranged to keep trays straight rather than leaning at odd angles that can twist them over time.
- Heavy-duty steel frame construction
- Open rack access for quick loading and unloading
- Stacking levels set for bread pans and custom trays
- Built to support regular wash-down cleaning
- Suitable for plant bakeries, hotels and retail back-of-house storage
Build details and key specs
The final rack set was planned around common bakery pan sizes and the way the client actually works, not just what looks neat on paper. That matters because storage that is too tight slows everyone down, while storage that is too open leads to trays slumping and getting bent. We kept enough spacing for gloved hands and for staff moving quickly during busy runs.
The structure was fabricated for floor standing use with stable load distribution. In a bakery store room, if the base is not level or the frame flexes, the whole set becomes annoying very fast. We also made sure the layout would still allow access for future maintenance, cleaning and any changes if production volume goes up later.
- Steel floor-standing rack system
- Set for commercial bread pans and custom trays
- Built in weeks: 3 from measure to handover
- Designed for everyday use in a humid coastal town
- Clear aisle-friendly layout for store room control
- Made to support repeated loading and unloading
Installation and handover in three weeks
The full project ran over three weeks from site measure to handover. First we confirmed the space, the loading point and the route through the bakery. Then fabrication was completed at our Pinetown base and the racks were delivered for final placement. Because the client was still producing, installation had to be done with minimal disruption and careful timing around shift work.
Once installed, we checked tray fit and the working gaps between shelves. We also walked the team through the best loading order, so the lightest and most used pans could be placed where they were easiest to reach. That small step makes a difference in real operations, especially when the line is short staffed or running under pressure during peak hours.
Results in the store room and on the floor
The result was a cleaner and more controlled storage area. Pans were no longer scattered across the floor, the walkways opened up and staff could move trays without weaving around loose stacks. The bakery also had a better count of what was in storage, which helps with planning and reduces the chance of missing trays on a busy production morning.
From an operations point of view the biggest gain was flow. The store room no longer slowed the line down, and the racks made it easier to keep damaged pans separate for repair, recoating or replacement. That kind of organisation matters when you are trying to keep an oven line moving and you cannot afford unnecessary delays.
- Cleaner floor space and safer movement
- Faster tray selection at shift change
- Less edge and corner damage from loose stacking
- Better control over repairable and serviceable pans
- Improved stock visibility for production planning
What we would do again on a similar job
If we were doing the same project again in another coastal bakery, we would follow the same process: measure the live working space, check how pans are actually moved, and build storage around the real production pattern. That approach avoids wasted room and prevents racks from becoming just another obstacle in a tight store area.
We would also keep the design open enough for wash-down access and future changes. Bakeries change their tray mix over time, and storage should be able to adapt without a full rebuild. For operations in Port Shepstone and other KZN towns, that flexibility is worth having. It saves money later and keeps the floor clear now.
If your bakery needs pan storage racks, tray sorting or repair advice, we can look at the layout, the tray mix and the space you have available. Sometimes the fix is a rack. Sometimes it is the rack plus straightening, recoating or a few new pans to get the whole store working properly again.
Key facts
| Project | Port Shepstone pan storage racks |
|---|---|
| Client type | Plant bakery |
| Town | Port Shepstone |
| Timeline | 3 weeks |
| Build | Steel floor-standing rack system |
| Use | Bread pans, oven floor tiles and custom trays |
