If your business moves, stores or ships materials, you have almost certainly come across the words “stillage” and “cage” – often used interchangeably, and often without a clear explanation of what they actually do. This guide sets out exactly what stillages and cages are, the main types available in the UK, and how the right unit can make your warehouse safer, tidier and more productive.
At Lowe Stillages & Cages we design and manufacture steel handling and storage equipment here in the UK, from off-the-shelf ranges through to fully bespoke fabrication. Below is a plain-English introduction to help you decide what your operation needs.
What is a stillage?
A stillage is a rigid, free-standing steel container used to store, stack and move materials. Think of it as a heavy-duty box on legs: strong enough to hold awkward or weighty loads, and built so it can be lifted and stacked rather than left loose on the floor.
Most stillages share a few common features:
- Steel construction – welded frames and either mesh or sheeted (solid) sides and bases.
- Stackability – corner posts and locating feet let units stack safely, using vertical space instead of spreading loads across the floor.
- Forklift and pallet-truck access – fork pockets or a base that suits handling equipment, so full units can be moved in one lift.
- Durability – unlike timber pallets, a well-made steel stillage lasts for years of repeated handling.
You will find stillages in warehouses, factories, foundries, construction sites and distribution centres – anywhere materials need to be kept together, protected and moved efficiently.
What is a cage?
A cage is a type of stillage, usually with mesh sides, designed with transport and secure storage in mind. Many are collapsible metal pallets that fold flat when empty, which slashes the space needed for return journeys and dead-stock storage.
Because the sides are enclosed, cages are ideal for loose, small or high-value items that would fall off an open pallet. Like stillages, they stack and can be paired with trolleys and A-frame trolleys for quick, safe movement around a site. For controlled-access applications, lockable security stillages add a further layer of protection.
Types of stillages and cages
“Stillage” is a broad term, and the right specification depends entirely on what you are storing and how you handle it. The main types we manufacture include:
- Mesh stillages – open weld-mesh sides give visibility and ventilation, making them well suited to components that need airflow or quick visual stock checks.
- Sheeted (solid) stillages – solid steel walls and bases contain smaller parts and shield contents from dust, damage and the weather.
- Post pallets – a base fitted with removable corner posts, giving a stackable, load-bearing unit that is easy to load from any side.
- Tyre stillages – purpose-built to store and transport tyres safely and space-efficiently.
- Gas bottle cages – designed for the secure, ventilated storage of compressed gas cylinders.
- Collapsible metal pallets and cages – fold flat to cut return-transport and empty-storage costs.
- Metal stillages and bespoke solutions – standard ranges plus fully custom units built to your exact dimensions, load and process.
The current Lowe range is more granular than a simple “mesh versus solid” choice, covering everything from IBC frames and bulk bag holders to sector-specific handling equipment. If you are unsure which type fits, our buyer’s and design guide walks through the decision step by step.
Why does your company need them?
Better use of space
Stackable stillages and cages let you build upwards rather than outwards. Making full use of vertical space means you can hold more stock in the same footprint, often deferring the cost of an extension or a move to larger premises. Collapsible units go further by folding flat when empty, so you are not paying to store fresh air.
Safer handling
A stable, purpose-built steel container is far safer than loose stacking or overloaded timber pallets. Contained loads reduce the risk of items falling, toppling or being struck during handling – a key factor in cutting workplace incidents. Safe stacking and storage practice matters too; our guides on keeping stillages stable and stillage safety in the workplace cover this in detail.
Improved efficiency
When stock is contained, labelled and easy to see, staff spend less time locating and retrieving it. Units that lift and stack as one load speed up loading, put-away and dispatch, keeping goods moving through your operation with less handling.
Long-term value
Steel stillages are built to be used again and again. Because they outlast disposable timber alternatives by a wide margin, reusable steel handling equipment can lower the whole-life cost of moving your goods and reduce the waste your operation sends to landfill.
Compliance and lifting: what to check
Stillages that are lifted while loaded fall under UK workplace regulations, so it pays to understand your responsibilities:
- LOLER 1998 (the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations) applies to equipment used for lifting loads – including certified lifting stillages. Our LOLER compliance guide explains what this means in practice.
- PUWER 1998 (the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations) covers the safe provision, use and maintenance of work equipment. See our PUWER and stillages guide for how it applies day to day.
- UKCA marking is the UK conformity assessment used to show that products meet the relevant standards. Lowe stillages are manufactured and certified to the applicable UK requirements, so you can be confident they meet recognised safety and quality standards.
Bespoke stillages made to your specification
Not every load fits a catalogue product. When you need something specific – unusual dimensions, a particular load rating, internal partitions, castors, or integration with automated handling – our in-house design and fabrication team can build it. We produce bespoke stillages and custom cages to suit your exact requirements, whether that is a single trial unit or a full production run.
Providing accurate information up front – sizes, weights, quantities and how the unit will be handled – helps us quote quickly and correctly. Our guide to getting an accurate quote sets out exactly what to include.
Find the right solution for your business
If your business handles, stores or transports materials, the right stillages and cages are one of the simplest ways to save space, work more safely and keep goods moving. With a wide range of mesh, sheeted, collapsible and bespoke options available, there is a solution to match almost any application.
Ready to talk it through? Get a free quote for standard or bespoke units, or contact the Lowe team and we’ll help you specify the right equipment for your operation.