When properly designed to meet the specific inventory and storage requirements,
pallet flow racks maximize storage space and improve shipping logistics
Any warehouse or distribution center with limited density pallet flow system can essentially cut the
floor space that needs high density storage or required square footage for a warehouse in half,”
automatic rotation of inventory on a first-in, first- says Ryan Wachsmuth, Dynamic Storage Sales
out (FIFO) basis can benefit by implementing pallet Manager at Steel King Industries (www.steelking.
flow storage racks. com), a designer and manufacturer of warehouse
However, achieving the full performance
capabilities of this type of rack system requires
careful planning and implementation. When this
is done properly, pallet flow systems can be the
material handling, storage and safety products
with a national dealer network. “The savings can
be significant in terms of reduced property and
building costs.”
warehouse manager’s best friend; without it, the There are substantial logistical benefits to using a
system may underperform expectations. dynamic rack system as well.
Simply defined, this type of racking system Pallet flow rack can drastically reduce the labor
is designed so that when the pallet in front is required to pick pallets, because a forklift is only
removed by a forklift, the pallets behind gently needed for initial loading of the pallets as well as
“flow” forward to replace it. Inclined tracks, final unloading. With static racks, forklifts must
rollers, and brakes – with an assist from gravity – travel further down aisles and often must spend
are used to accomplish this task. time rearranging inventory to access the correct
New inventory is then loaded at the back end of
items.
the rack, facilitating FIFO product rotation, which When a large number of pallets with a single
is particularly valuable for items with expiration product SKU are routinely loaded into trucks,
dates. locating the pallet flow rack near the loading
In this type of “dynamic” racking approach,
goods can be stored 3, 10, even 20 pallets deep
and on multiple levels. This eliminates the need
dock can also minimize the distance that forklifts
travel to as little as 20 feet each way, which speeds
material handling.
for wide aisles between every row of traditional Even pallets with varied SKUs that are being
“static” rack required for forklift access and shipped to the same location can be located near
maneuverability. each other to further speed truck loading.
By storing more palletized goods in less space, Designing to Meet Specific Requirements
facility managers can dramatically increase the
amount of inventory in a specific warehouse
footprint or, on the flip side, reduce the amount of
Although the concept of a pallet flow rack
may seem straightforward, installing a system
space required for new warehouse construction. that optimally meets a specific warehouse’s
“Compared to traditional fixed racking, a high collaboration with the vendor.
requirements takes some planning and