Dual Pallet Shuttle Systems Drive High-Density Food Storage | Apex Project Spotlight
A New Greenfield Warehouse Designed To Maximize Capacity Across Cooler And Dry Storage
Talk about a gentle giant. There is something striking about a massive ASRS pallet shuttle structure designed to move and store one of the most delicate products in food manufacturing: pallets and pallets of eggs. For this new greenfield warehouse, Apex designed and installed two high-density pallet shuttle systems, along with supporting double-deep racking, to help this around-the-clock operation run efficiently across both cooler and dry storage areas.
The facility spans roughly 170,000 square feet with 50-foot clear heights and is split between 75% cooler space and 25% dry buffer warehouse space. That gave the customer the footprint for serious storage capacity, but it also raised the stakes on how that cube would be used. The goal was not just to store product. It was to create a high-density system that could support continuous movement, make full use of the building height, and keep pallet handling efficient in a food-grade environment.
Apex designed each storage zone around the product, pallet profile, and space available:
Cooler (Egg Storage)
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Dry Area (General Dairy Finished Goods)
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Supplementary Storage (Dry Area)
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The mix of systems gave the operation exactly what it needed: extremely dense storage for high pallet volumes, plus added flexibility in the dry area. Pallet shuttle was the clear fit for this project because it helped maximize cubic space, reduce labor tied to pallet movement, and support a high-volume storage environment built around consistent product flow. With two shuttle systems operating across both cooler and dry zones, the warehouse can handle significant volume while maintaining a streamlined operation.
As impressive as the finished system is, the installation came with real challenges. This was a tall, high-density build inside a relatively small footprint, with limited staging and working space throughout the project. Apex had to take a phased, measured approach to installation to keep the project moving while working safely and accurately within those space constraints. In a build like this, the difference is not just in the design. It is in how carefully the work is sequenced and executed in the field.
How The Shuttle System Supports Daily Throughput
Seventeen semi-automated pallet shuttles service the ASRS systems, which are controlled via iPads mounted on the forklifts. That integration gives operators a familiar, accessible way to manage shuttle movements as part of the normal workflow.
The end result is a warehouse built to perform. Today, the facility supports more than 24,000 total pallet positions across the shuttle and double-deep systems, operates 24/7, and relies on automation for the vast majority of pallet movement. Despite the scale of the operation, it takes just five material handlers per shift to manage pallet moves and support facility volume.
This project is a great example of what high-density storage is supposed to do: help a customer store more, move product efficiently, and build for growth with a system that fits the operation from day one.
Shared Material Handling Equipment Helps Simplify The Operation
An important consideration of the racking system design is the equipment that will service it. Apex spec’d double walkie pallet trucks for the dock activity, and stand-up reach trucks with pantograph fork in the warehouse.
The deep-reach forklifts can be used for both the ASRS shuttle rack and the double-deep system. This benefits the customer by reducing the number of lift trucks required, simplifying operator training, and supporting smoother day-to-day operation.
In a facility designed for continuous movement, that kind of consistency matters.
Over 20,000 Pallet Positions And 24/7 Operation
Today, the facility runs around the clock with a storage system built to support serious volume.
The completed installation provides:
- 20,242 pallet positions in the cooler shuttle system
- 2,760 pallet positions in the dry shuttle system
- 1,324 pallet positions in double-deep racking
- 24/7 operation
- Automated pallet movement for the vast majority of storage activity
- Just 5 material handlers per shift to manage pallet movement and facility volume
For the customer, the result is a warehouse that can support continued food manufacturing growth with the storage density, automation, and operational control needed to keep product moving.
Planning A High-Density Storage Project?
Whether you are building new, expanding cold storage capacity, or trying to get more from your existing footprint, Apex helps operations teams design systems that improve storage density, support efficient workflows, and scale with demand.
Talk to Apex about your warehouse project, and we’ll help you identify the storage solution that best fits your operation, building constraints, and growth goals.
