Pallet Flow Rack… It’s a One in 2 Billion Solution

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According to PackagingRevolution.net, there are roughly 2 billion (yes that’s “b” for billion) pallets in the U.S.  As a supplier in the warehousing industry, we see a lot of pallets, and we see a lot of business owners striving to find space so they can add SKUs and still fill orders faster and more accurately.  You’ve got a lot on your pallet!  Have you considered that a custom pallet flow rack solution might be all you need to make significant progress in that large list of demands?

Pallet flow is a dynamic, gravity-fed storage solution comprised of wheeled or roller-based rails installed on a slight incline within a pallet rack structure.  Here’s how it works… the pallet is loaded into the flow lane from the load side. With the help of gravity, it flows gently down the lane to the pick-side where it can be extracted via forklift or opened for carton fulfillment.  2 to 3 flow rails make up a typical pallet flow lane. Full-width roller pallet flow is also a solution for varying pallet sizes, containers, or totes that require greater surface area to ensure proper flow. Lanes are customized to accommodate the weight, depth, and height of the pallet load.

Apex Warehouse Storage Pallet Flow Racking Lane

Advantages:

  • Double the capacity vs. conventional pallet rack storage
  • Automatic pick-face replenishment
  • More productive – less traffic with separate load and pick aisles
  • FIFO (first-in/first-out) inventory rotation – ideal for dated goods
  • Limited fork truck interaction with racking
  • Gravity-fed so not dependent on electricity or expensive recharging batteries
  • Bulk storage solution for pick modules

Apex Case Flow Racking

Pallet flow racking provides superior density over all other storage systems with lanes that can run from 2 to 20+ deep.  Because pallets automatically fill in empty pick faces there is less forklift interaction with the racking than drive-in rack and better SKU selectivity.  Gravity flow is not dependent on electricity or batteries so it is an economical solution vs an ASRS for high-volume SKUs.

Standard pallet flow is a FIFO storage solution but pallet flow can also be very effectively used as a push-back system requiring only one aisle for both load and pick and thus supporting a LIFO product rotation.  This is often a solution where warehousing space is limited.

Pallet flow comes with optional accessories to further customize and get the fullest potential from your system.

Pallet Flow Ramp StopsAccessories:

  • Speed Controllers – regulate the speed and tracking of the advancing pallets
  • Entry Guides – help guide fork trucks for loading and unloading
  • Ramp Stops – ensure the pallets stay in the lane and do not pitch out into the aisle
  • Pallet Separators – hold rear pallets back from the front pallet for safer, easier pallet extraction

If you are looking to increase high volume SKU storage then pallet flow should definitely be a consideration.  At Apex Warehouse Systems we have decades of design and engineering experience helping customers solve material handling and storage challenges.  So give us a call and we can talk about your needs and determine what deep-lane solution is right for your operation and your budget.