Custom cantilever racking for storing long and heavy products
Pipes, sheets, profiles, timber, wire rods. When you have material that doesn’t fit on a pallet, cantilever is the right structure, provided it is properly sized.
We have been designing and manufacturing single-sided and double-sided cantilever racking at our facilities in Mornico al Serio (Bergamo) since 1975.
When cantilever is the right choice
Cantilever is not just “larger shelving.” It is a structure without front uprights, designed for long items that do not fit in a pallet rack and must be picked from the side, not from the top.
If you have any of these materials to store, you likely need cantilever racking.
A bolted structure that performs like a welded one
For years, cantilever structures were sold in two variants: welded (rigid and robust, but difficult to transport and assemble) or bolted (easy to install, but with lower load capacities).
We were the first company in Italy to produce a bolted base-to-column cantilever with the same load capacity as a welded structure.
The difference lies in the connection system, not the strength of the profiles.
One cantilever racking system, six ways to configure it.
The difference lies in the warehouse layout and the type of handling equipment you use. We always start by analyzing how you move between bays before deciding on single-sided or double-sided.
Actual load capacities depend on the configuration and the materials stored. For specific sizing, our technical department provides a free custom calculation.
Single-sided
Arms on only one side of the column. For warehouses with a single access aisle, placed against a wall.
Double-sided
Arms on both sides. Maximum density in open spaces, with aisles on both sides.
For stacker cranes
Tall structures with arms that allow the crane to pass. For automated or semi-automated handling.
For side loaders
Arms sized for side picking with a forklift. Standard for the metalworking industry.
For manual handling
Low heights, arms accessible from the ground. Typical of light-duty cantilever for SMEs.
Combined with pallet racking
Hybrid structures for warehouses managing both long and palletized goods within the same system.
From site survey to final testing, without intermediaries
When we install a cantilever system, we don’t use subcontractors. Our technical department conducts the site survey, we manufacture the structure in our 10,000 sqm facility in Mornico, and our own technicians handle the assembly.
What we achieve is a short supply chain: a single point of contact, changes managed in real time, and clear responsibility at every stage.
Cantilever compliance and safety
A cantilever racking system’s lifecycle doesn’t end at testing: UNI EN 15629 and UNI EN 15635 standards require periodic inspections by qualified personnel. As an employer, the responsibility for the racking in use is yours.
Installed cantilever systems, explained in detail
Frequently asked questions about cantilever racking
The load capacity of cantilever shelving depends on the configuration, the profile cross-section, and the load distribution across the arms. MCT cantilevers achieve capacities equivalent to welded versions thanks to their high-strength bolted joint system. For precise sizing, a case-specific calculation is required: we provide this free of charge during a site visit.
Light-duty cantilever is designed for manual handling and lighter products: it is commonly found in SMEs that work with sheet metal, lumber, pipes, and small-sized profiles. Standard (heavy-duty) cantilever supports much higher loads and requires handling with side-loader forklifts or stacker cranes. The choice depends on the unit weight of the products and the type of handling equipment available.
Yes, a cantilever can be expanded after installation, and this is one of the advantages of the bolted system. Spans can be added, arms can be moved, and the configuration can be modified as inventory changes. A welded structure, once installed, cannot be modified without significant rework. A structure can be converted from double-sided to single-sided and vice versa.
The duration of cantilever installation depends on the size of the system. For a cantilever system of 50-100 linear meters, MCT’s in-house installation teams complete the installation and testing in 3-5 business days. For larger systems, the timeline is determined during the quotation phase based on client constraints (e.g., production shutdowns).
For heavy-duty cantilever racks, the most common options are sideloaders or extended-fork pallet jacks. For very high-level handling, stacker cranes are used. In the case of light-duty cantilever racks, manual handling or a standard forklift is sufficient.
Yes, MCT cantilever structures are designed following the guidelines of UNI EN 15629 (design) and UNI EN 15512 (structural calculation). For areas with significant seismicity, we size the structures according to the seismic criteria outlined in the Technical Standards for Construction.
