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Using a Drive-In Rack System

Drive-in Rack

A drive-in rack system is ideal for warehouses where the pallet sizes are standardized, and large quantities of the same product SKUs are stored. When these two factors exist, you can create a very cost-effective high-density storage system. This type of rack system can be designed to fit into your existing warehouse space due to the flexibility of being able to store pallets two to ten pallets deep in each lane of drive-in rack. The pallets are accessed with a forklift entering and exiting one side of the racking system. Therefore, the back side of a drive-in rack is often placed against a wall. Read more

How Pallet Flow Rack Can Improve Your Warehouse

As a business unit manager, you know how important it is to always be looking for ways to improve productivity. Improvements are often made through training or utilizing technology, but this is not the only way to increase your efficiency. By investing in pallet flow rack, you will find there are a number of benefits that will help create operational improvements.

Benefits of Pallet Flow Rack on Your Operations

Maximize Your Storage Space

Flow-Thru Pallet RackHow do you squeeze more product into an already full warehouse? For those operations that have lots of pallets of the same SKUs pallet flow racks may be the answer. The design of flow racks provides the highest density for pallet storage possible. This is accomplished by eliminating most of the aisleways found in typical warehouses. In many instances a 50% or more increase in the number of pallets stored can be achieved.

Increase Labor Savings

Businesses are always looking for labor savings in today’s tight job market. While traditional selective and drive-in racking require more labor to locate, load, and unload materials, pallet flow racks allow you to reduce the time it takes to store and retrieve pallets. The high-density design of flow racks storage allows for more product storage in a smaller footprint. This reduces the distance forklifts have to travel to load and unload pallets in the racking system.

The way flow racks are loaded from one side and unloaded from the opposite side helps minimize forklift congestion. With less traffic, trips to and from the racks can be completed in a timelier manner.

Improve Your Warehouse Efficiency

Flow-Thru Pallet Rack InstallationTraditional racking systems are not the most efficient way to store large quantities of pallets with the same SKUs, particularly if they have time-sensitive expiration dates.

Flow racks utilize first-in /first-out (FIFO). FIFO works effectively with the pallet flow racks by allowing forklifts to load the new products on the in-take side of the rack while taking the older products from the other side. This help to ensure proper product rotation, moving the oldest products out before the newer products can be accessed.

Improved Safety 

 

Pallet flow rack can reduce the chance of injury significantly. In a busy warehouse, it can be dangerous for fulfillment employees when forklift drivers are delivering products to the racks using the same aisles as the pickers who are filling orders. When pallet flow rack is integrated into a picking rack system this danger can be greatly reduced. Forklifts are designated for use on certain aisles while fulfillment occurs in aisles on the other side of the racks.

Professional Pallet Rack Installation Services

At Cranston Material Handling, we provide a variety of pallet rack options that we can customize to suit the needs of your business. With decades of experience in designing and building rack systems for our clients, you can expect us to deliver an effective and efficient storage system for your operations.

Contact us today to learn more!

Why You Should Make an Investment in a Rack Supported Mezzanine for Your Business

Why You Should Make an Investment in a Rack Supported Mezzanine for Your Business

Is your current building running out of space? Do you need to expand your pallet storage but don’t want to give up more floor space or move to a new facility? Then consider adding a rack supported mezzanine to create more storage. Read more

A Guide to Selective Pallet Racks

A Guide to Selective Pallet Racks

If you have been considering adding selective pallet racks to your business, it is essential to understand how this type of racking can benefit your operations and the things you should consider to allow your warehouse to function as safely and efficiently as possible. Read more

3 Ways to Utilize Wire Caging in Your Manufacturing Operations

3 Ways to Utilize Wire Caging in Your Manufacturing Operations

While having a great facility design can keep your operations running smoothly, another factor to consider during the planning process is the safety of employees and material in your plant. To keep your facility safe and productive, it is vital to strike a balance between smooth workflow and adequate safety. The modular post and panel design of wire caging allows you to easily and efficiently create barriers, secure product, and protect storage areas. Read more

Benefits of Using Mezzanines in Your Warehouse

Benefits of Using Mezzanines in Your Warehouse

Making the most of your warehouse space is essential to maximizing your warehouses capacity. Don’t waste valuable space; make use of it by integrating mezzanines into your warehouse layout. Mezzanines can provide a wide range of benefits to your operations. Read more

Calculating the Ideal Building Column Spacing for Your Pallet Rack System

Calculating the Ideal Building Column Spacing for Your Pallet Rack Syste

Laying out warehouse pallet racking can be a frustrating task, especially when it comes to figuring out how to accommodate building columns. It may seem that no matter how you rearrange your layout, you may still have difficulty placing the columns out of the rack or not in the aisles.

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What Are the Different Types of Pallet Racking? Which works best for my Location?

types of pallet racking

Whether you are looking to expand your current warehouse or build a new warehouse to grow your operations, one major decision will what type of racking you need to install to best meet your needs. Pallet racking, in simple terms, is a material storage system that is used to help you better manage your materials or products and keep your warehouse organized.

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Using Floor Tape for a Safer Warehouse

Floor Tape

Visual communication is key to safety and productivity in your facility. Floor tape and floor signage increase safety when it is used to guide employees, as they work in or walk through your warehouse or manufacturing operations. It has also become common practice to use floor tape and the principles of 5S to bring organization and efficiency to work areas. Read more

7 Common Warehousing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

pallet rack system

The various constraints and challenges faced in the warehousing and distribution industries have put a strain on overall operations and has made them more complex than ever before. With so many challenges and constraints, it is essential for distribution center managers and facility engineers to avoid these common mistakes. Read more