Which Type of Pallet Racking Is Right for Me?

Are you storing many like products, or miscellaneous products in each bay of racking? If each bay of racking is storing identical pallets of the same product, you can utilize a much more dense storage method. This is due to the fact that you don’t require access to all of the pallets because they all have the same product on them, so the front most one will do. With this method of storage, you can store product many pallets deep, which cuts down on the number of aisles required in your facility. This is ideal for a warehouse facility that is tight on space or a company that manufacturers or stores only a few different products.

If miscellaneous items are being stored within each bay of racking, depth of storage cannot be utilized because it requires access to each individual bay. More aisles are required, which negatively effects storage density, but positively effects the ability to access different products. This is known as selective racking, because as the name implies, it allows the picker access to each pallet.

Do you require specific flow requirements? Certain products, especially in the food and beverage industry, require a first in first out inventory method. This is because products with expiration dates need to be sold before they expire, so products that have been there longer need to be sold first to avoid this. For storing these types of products, pallet flow rack could be utilized. This racking is a FIFO style of inventory, so time sensitive products are properly rotated. Products are loaded in the back of the racking and automatically slide to the front, making them the first to be picked as well. Pallets for everyone.

If you do not require a FIFO style of inventory for your products, you could consider push back rack. Like pallet flow rack, pushback rack allows for storage density, but it is a last in, first out style of inventory instead. This is because pallets are loaded in into the front of the racking and are then pushed back by the next pallet being loaded. Other styles of racking that utilize storage density are drive in and drive through rack. Both of these types of racking require the forklift to drive in to the actual racking, which can put it at risk of getting damaged. Pushback and pallet flow rack do not allow for a forklift to enter the structure, putting it at less risk of getting damaged.