When organizing the space inside your facility, a carefully selected pallet racking system is key to managing pallets and increasing productivity. Pallet racking turns a warehouse of unorganized pallets into an efficient and easy-to-navigate workspace. In addition, the right pallet racking solution will provide flexibility to scale while streamlining your product storage.
To choose the best pallet racking system for your facility, consider these areas:
- Customization: multiple configurations & availability of add-ons over time
- Structural safety: material that is sturdy and has longevity
- Accessibility: products easily accessed during daily use
- Design & Layout Support: expert assistance with layout selection
- Budget: compare the cost of materials to the lifetime durability
With those factors in mind, let’s check out the various pallet racking systems.
7 Types of Pallet Racking
Whether your industry is food & beverage, retail, pharmaceutical, e-commerce, agriculture, cold storage or manufacturing, there is a pallet-racking solution for you. Which system is best for your stuff? Check out the advantages and best uses for each of the most common pallet racking systems below.
Selective Pallet Racking
Selective pallet racking is the most common type of racking due to its ease of use. There are no rearranging pallets to find the one you want. Instead, each pallet is fully accessible, which makes this solution popular with all industries. The visibility of products and ease of access adds to the safety and efficiency of this system in day-to-day use. When it comes to setup, selective racking systems score high for ease of design and the ability to change height or layout with no special tools. Need a shelf 1” higher? Or need to switch to double deep availability? No problem with this system of high stability and interchangeable parts.
Advantage: ease & flexibility
Best used for: retail, food & beverage, wholesale, e-commerce, manufacturing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and many more
Drive-In Racking
Drive-in and drive-thru rack systems offer a space-saving solution for accessing pallets stored several deep. Minimize access aisles and simplify storage of low rotation products with First In, First Out (FIFO) or Last In, First Out (LIFO) system flexibility. This industrial-grade racking system is built to handle heavy-duty use and withstand forklift wear and tear. Its strong bolted connections at 360 degrees prevent dislodging even from upward vehicle pallet impact. In addition, this unique system allows you to maintain 1″ adjustability on 3″ and 5″ beams and 1″ adjustability at 75% of locations with 4″ shelf beams.
Advantage: heavy-duty, able to withstand forklift wear & tear
Best used for: food, retail, warehouse, pharmaceutical, chemical, transportation and agricultural applications
Pallet Mole
The pallet mole solution uses technological advances to increase efficiency in high volume-low SKU operations. Radiofrequency-controlled pallet moles run on rails to lift, lower and shuttle pallets to the picking location. With single- and double-wide availability, pallet mole systems ensure accurate pallet spacing and allow for product overhang. In addition, its built-in positioning controls, two or four-wheel drive options and regenerative braking control bring the latest technology to your storage facility.
Advantage: semi-automated system, expedited loading & unloading
Best used for: beverage, food processing, food service, cold storage, warehousing and manufacturing segments
Cantilever Racks
Cantilever racks are a customizable storage solution that provides wide-open access to bulky or oversized items. This sturdy system supported by structurally sound I-beams can store it all - from steel beams to boats - horizontally or vertically for even more space-saving. With mobile-based mounting and adjustable 2” vertical arm spacing, you can combine multiple cantilever rack kits for added customization.
Advantage: reconfigurable/customizable for large items & wide range load capacity
Best used for: furniture, appliances, lumber, steel bars, sheet steel, tubing, doors, conduits, rolls, pipes and even boats
Carton Flow Racks
Carton flow racks support FIFO box flows to offer greater visibility, minimize shelf times and expedite replenishment. This customizable system arranges fast- and slow-moving products more efficiently using gravity and durable carton flow rollers. In addition, carton flow racks have individually adjustable shelf frames on both the loading and unloading sides, allowing for single-bay or multilevel configurations.
Advantage: two configuration options, improved efficiency of FIFO systems
Best used for: mass consumer goods like pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, computer components and more
Pallet Flow Racks
Pallet flow racks maximize space and encourage fast turnaround rates in FIFO systems. With durable sloped racks, pallet flow racks enhance productivity by reducing handling times and employee travel time. With pallets stored back to back, this space-saving system requires less aisle space and uses gravity to support ergonomic case picking. This system cuts labor, equipment and utility costs by keeping a pallet consistently in the front position and ready to pick.
Advantages: increased productivity & reduced handling time
Best used for: facilities with high rotation SKUs and fast turnarounds, including frozen storage, food, beverage, retail, wholesale, warehousing, manufacturing and e-commerce
Push Back Rack
Pushback racking is a versatile storage system that brings the pallet to the aisle front without a special forklift. Since forklifts & drivers don’t enter the rack, warehouse productivity increases, and rack damage decreases. Push-back racks improve the use of space and provide better aisle selectivity and driver visibility.
Advantage: decreased congestion & reduced labor needs
Best used for: third-party logistics facilities, automotive, pharmaceutical, food distribution and manufacturing environments
Where to Start
Ready to get your pallets organized but still not sure how to start? Let’s find the best pallet-racking solution to meet your specific needs. Contact our pallet racking specialists today and schedule a free on-site consultation.
