There are many benefits of using drive-in pallet racking. The drive-in pallet is one of the most popular high-density rackings for large quantities of homogeneous products. Businesses with high-volume, homogeneous products needing dense storage get a competitive edge using this racking system.
It optimizes the warehouse spaces by minimizing aisles and uses the Last-In, First-Out (LIFO) stock management system. The forklifts drive directly into the storage to ensure fast loading and quick retrieval.
Advantages of using drive-in pallet racking
Drive-in pallet racking offers several benefits for warehouses requiring high-density storage. Here are the top benefits of drive-in pallet racks.
1. High-density storage heavy load
The drive-in pallet is designed to store 6-8 pallets deep, allowing large quantities of heavy inventory to be stored. The structure is made of steel to withstand the heavy load. This is ideal for businesses with similar yet large storage density needs. You can maximize the horizontal and vertical space. This is ideal for business environments where space is at a premium.
2. Optimize warehouse space
Drive-in pallets utilize the warehouse space better than most other pallet racks. This system optimizes around 70-80% of available space. The rack eliminates the aisles between racks, creating more space for pallet storage.
The system is highly suitable for businesses with limited storage capacity. You can easily store more inventory without expanding the racks or relocating the storage.
3. Adaptable to structure change
Another great advantage of drive-in systems is their adaptability to structure change. The racks are assembled with bolts, making them easy to move and change the structure for upgrade. This is particularly suitable for dynamic warehouse environments where storage needs change over time.
The adaptability also makes it a cost-effective solution for a growing business. Moreover, easy assembly and disassembling reduce downtime while reconfiguring, saving time and money.
4. Suitable for storing large quantities of homogenous materials
Drive-in pallets can handle a high volume of identical products. This makes them suitable for industries like food and beverage, manufacturing, and Distribution centers where inventories are common. Products will have a longer shelf life and product batches will be stored and retrieved instead of a single product.
5. Low maintenance and low assembly costs
The design of the Drive-in racking is straightforward. Installing them is easier compared to other complex pallet racking systems. Maintenance costs are relatively lower than those of many other storage systems because of the strong structure and materials.
Cleaning the racks from dust, tightening bolts, and checking for wear and tear are enough for maintenance unless something major happens. The design simplicity and strong structure lead to low assembly and maintenance costs, saving a lot of money every year.
6. Improve safety
Drive-in racking contributes greatly to the safety of your inventory, let alone the rack itself. Its strong construction provides enough support and stability to heavy loads to prevent accidents caused by shifting or collapsing pallets.
Besides, its design allows forklifts to drive into the racks to load, unload, and retrieve, reducing the need for excessive product handling. Thus it minimizes the risks of injury or product damage.
Moreover, load beams and upright protectors keep the pallets in place, reducing the chance of falling or being displaced. Safety is a major concern for warehouse businesses.
7. Improve product organization
Drive-in rackings ensure systematic arrangement of pallets, allowing similar products to get organized together. It makes the loading and retrieval easier for better warehouse efficiency. The deep storage design stores large quantities of identical products in a single location. It simplifies inventory management.
Disadvantages of using drive-in pallet racking
1. Limited Selectivity
Drive-in pallet rackings have high-density storage capacity. That means access to specific products is restricted. You need to remove other items first to retrieve that specific item. This limited selectivity causes problems for businesses requiring regular access. It will reduce efficiency and productivity while promoting bottlenecks in inventory management.
2. LIFO Inventory Limitation
In LIFO inventory management, the last pallets need to be removed first. That means the first pallet stored in the rack will be the last one to be removed. This can be a problem for perishable products. LIFO inventory management is suitable for non-perishable goods.
3. Complex Forklift Operation
The forklift must enter into the rack structure to load, unload, and retrieve any items. This requires proper forklift operation since mistakes in operation lead to a collision and damage to the structural integrity and goods. The forklift operators have to be well-trained and the operation has to be perfect.
4. Storage space may be lost
It is impossible to utilize 100% of the space. However, in drive-in racking, much storage capacity will be lost if you do not have enough similar pallets. This is a major problem for businesses with varying products.
5. No versatility
Drive-in pallets are suitable for similar products. That means it will be tough to utilize the space if you have a wide variety of products. The costs will be higher, especially where maximizing every square foot of storage is critical.
When should you use the drive-in rack?
- Storing a large quantity of homogeneous products
- No requirement for direct access
- Order of loading and retrieval is not necessary
- LIFO stock management is suitable
- Businesses with higher storage needs
- Handling Non-Perishable or Long Shelf-Life Items
- Storing Seasonal or Bulk Inventory
- Businesses with low inventory turnover
- Need to reduce operation cost
- Adapting to Future Changes in Storage Layout or Capacity
FAQ
What types of businesses benefit most from Drive-in racking systems?
Businesses with low inventory turnover, higher storage needs, homogeneous products, and so on will benefit most from Drive-in racking systems.
What is the cost of installing a drive-in rack?
The cost will be $275.00/ pallet ($225 for material + $50 for rack installation). However, it will vary depending on the materials and labor costs.
Can drive-in pallet racking be customized for different pallet sizes?
Yes, you can customize drive-in pallet racking for different pallet sizes, shapes, and weights.
Can drive-in pallet racking be used for mixed or varied inventory?
No, you cannot use drive-in pallet racking for mixed or varied inventory since it will reduce space utilization.
Can I integrate the drive-in rack with other racking systems?
Yes, you can integrate drive-in pallets with other rackings to expand the capacity or add versatile products to the storage.
Wrapping up
A good pallet rack will improve the efficiency of your storage system. The drive-in pallet racking system is perfect for businesses with higher storage needs for homogeneous products and low inventory turnover.
It will also benefit warehouses where space maximization is important for higher storage prices. However, make sure your business goes well with drive-in pallet racking to get the most out of it. Otherwise, the cost will be higher and inefficient for inventory storage.\
Matco Distributor offers different types of storage solutions for you- Selective Pallet racking, Drive-in Pallet racking, pallet flow rack, and push-back racking.
