Warehouse & Logistics

Conventional high bays light the floor, but in a racked warehouse what matters is vertical illuminance on the pick faces - the light that lands on the carton label at 6 m, not on the concrete at 0 m. Narrow aisles between tall racking create a tunnel effect where a standard wide beam wastes most of its output on the tops of racks. Re-lamping at 12 m usually means a scissor lift and a shutdown of that aisle.

For aisles we specify narrow-to-medium beam optics that push light down the aisle and onto the rack faces, rather than wide beams that spill onto rack tops. Mounting height and aisle width determine the beam angle - this is the first thing we calculate from your layout. We size the fixture count against your target lux at the pick face and at floor level. Where aisles are unoccupied for long stretches, occupancy sensing is specified per aisle rather than per zone, so one picker does not light the whole block.

In a −25 °C freezer, standard LED drivers are the first thing to fail - rated ranges assume a much warmer environment, and cold-start behaviour is often not specified at all. Condensation and ice form on fixture surfaces during defrost cycles, and every minute the door is open costs energy. Maintenance inside a freezer is slow, uncomfortable and usually scheduled around stock movement.

We verify the driver's low-temperature rating and cold-start behaviour before anything else, and specify low-temperature versions where the standard range does not cover it. IP65 minimum, IP66 where defrost washdown or ice build-up is expected. Fixtures must tolerate thermal cycling between defrost and operating temperature. We recommend confirming the actual set-point temperature and defrost method, since these drive both the driver spec and the ingress rating.

Cross-dock facilities run 24/7 with doors open on both sides, so lighting has to work in daylight at one end and darkness at the other. Truck bays and dock levellers need light positioned so drivers can see into trailers without glare. Throughput peaks make downtime expensive, and the building is rarely empty enough for a single shutdown window.

Daylight harvesting at the dock doors and perimeter, with occupancy sensing in the staging lanes. For dock positions we specify fixtures aimed to illuminate trailer interiors - this is a different optic from general area lighting and is often missed. We plan for phased retrofit so sections can be changed over without closing the building. Uniformity across the floor matters for scanner read rates at sortation points.

In an automated high bay, no human works in the aisle - but the machine vision and barcode scanners on the cranes do, and they need consistent light at every rack position. Aisles can be over 20 m tall and barely wider than the load. Access for maintenance is essentially impossible without stopping the crane, which makes long life and reliability worth more than lumens per watt.

Continuous linear or closely spaced fixtures that hold consistent vertical illuminance over the full rack height, with no dark bands between fixtures. Flicker-free drivers are mandatory here - strobe against a moving scanner produces read failures. We specify against the crane supplier's lighting requirement where one exists. Given access constraints, we recommend specifying the longest rated life available rather than optimising for first cost.

Container stacking areas are outdoor, large and lit from high masts - typically 20–40 m. Salt air at coastal terminals attacks housings and fasteners. Lighting has to reach into the gaps between stacked containers where people work, and glare at the crane operator's cab is a safety issue. Wind load on large fixtures at height is a structural consideration.

High mast luminaires with the beam distribution matched to mast height and spacing, on poles rated for the wind zone. Marine-grade coating and corrosion-resistant fasteners for coastal sites. We calculate aiming angles to control glare at crane cabs and at the ship's bridge where the yard is visible from the water. IK10 and high surge protection on the exposed positions.

Storing flammable liquids, aerosols or combustible dusts puts the space into the hazardous area classification regime, and the lighting has to carry the corresponding certification. This is the one warehouse type where the fixture choice is driven by the certificate, not by lumens. Temperature class and gas group must be verified against what is actually stored.

Ex d flameproof luminaires certified for the applicable zone, with the temperature class verified against the stored substance's ignition temperature rather than a generic rating. IP66 minimum. Where solvents are stored, gasket and lens material compatibility matters. We also flag that mixed storage - a warehouse holding both ordinary goods and limited quantities of flammables - still needs the hazardous area assessed, not assumed.

The recommended illuminance depends on warehouse activities. General storage areas typically require 100–200 lux, while picking and packing zones need 200–300 lux. Inspection or detailed work may require up to 500 lux. Proper lighting improves worker safety, inventory accuracy, and operational efficiency while reducing fatigue.

The ideal LED high bay light depends on ceiling height, mounting spacing, and required brightness. For warehouses with ceilings above 6 meters (20 ft), high-output fixtures with wide beam angles and high efficacy (180 lm/W or above) are recommended. Lighting simulations can help determine the correct wattage and fixture layout.

Replacing traditional metal halide or HID fixtures with LED high bay lights can reduce energy consumption by 50% to 80%. Additional savings are possible by integrating motion sensors or daylight harvesting controls, especially in warehouses operating 24/7.

Most warehouses require IP65-rated LED fixtures to protect against dust and occasional water exposure. For cold storage or harsh industrial environments, higher protection such as IP66 may be recommended to ensure long-term reliability.

High-quality industrial LED warehouse lights typically offer a service life of 100,000 hours, significantly reducing maintenance costs compared with traditional lighting systems. This is especially valuable for warehouses with high ceilings where fixture replacement is difficult.

Uniform illumination minimizes shadows between shelving aisles, improves barcode scanning accuracy, enhances forklift safety, and reduces employee eye strain. Proper optical design also helps maintain consistent lighting throughout the warehouse.