Drive-In/Drive-Through Pallet Racking

Optimize warehouse space with a high-density rack solution ideal for multi-pallet storage. Highly customizable and adaptable to work as LIFO (drive-in racking) or FIFO (drive-through racking).

The product

Advantages of drive-in/drive-through racking

• Maximizes space: It makes the most of both floor space and height, increasing storage capacity compared to standard pallet racks.
• Simple and cost-effective: It is the simplest high-density storage system and requires the least investment.
• Customizable: The depth and height can be adjusted to fit each customer’s needs and the type of goods being stored.
• One or two aisles: It can be set up with one aisle (LIFO: last in, first out) or two aisles (FIFO: first in, first out).
• Forklift-friendly: Interlake Mecalux drive-in racks include accessories that guide forklift movements and help position pallets correctly.
• Energy-efficient: A smaller footprint reduces the area that needs cooling in cold storage and freezer warehouses.
• Simplified inventory management: Each lane holds one type of product (SKU), making it easy to track stock.
• Fits various pallets: This system works with pallets of different sizes and weights.

“

We opted for a drive-in storage system because it’s enabled us to expand our center’s capacity considerably

Read more

Drive-in pallet racking applications

Ideal for warehouses with few SKUs and many pallets

Drive-in racking is ideal for companies that manage homogeneous SKUs with a large number of pallets per SKU and want to maximize their available surface area and storage capacity.

Facilities with largely homogeneous goods

Drive-in warehouse rack systems are especially suitable for a small variety of SKUs and many pallets per SKU.

Logistics centers in large cities

The space savings makes drive-in racks a perfect fit for warehouses in areas with high logistics real estate costs.

Cold storage warehouse

This solution is extremely common in cold storage warehouses that need to leverage all space allocated to controlled temperature storage.

Buffer warehouses

In its drive-through configuration (two aisles), the racking system functions as a buffer.

How does a drive-in racking system work?

Loading and unloading operations with the drive-in and drive-through varieties

Load management depends on the configuration of the racks. With drive-in pallet racking, storage and retrieval are carried out from a single working aisle. With drive-through pallet racking, two different aisles are used.

Inserting the pallet into the racking

The forklift enters the rack storage lane with the pallet raised above the level on which it will be placed.

Depositing the pallet

The pallet is placed in the deepest free location, beginning at floor level, and moving upwards until reaching the highest level. Each lane stores the same SKU.

Unloading with drive-in racks

With the drive-in modality, operators work from a single aisle. Thus, unloading follows the reverse order of loading. The highest pallet is removed first, finishing with the pallet at floor level.

Unloading with drive-through racks

The drive-through configuration works with two aisles, with pallets extracted from the aisle opposite the loading aisle. The highest pallet is removed first, working downwards to floor level.

Case studies

Mecalux drive-in racks demonstrate their earthquake-proofing in Alifrut’s plant in Chile

Earthquake resistance meets drive-in racks at the Alifrut frozen storage installation in Chile, developed by Mecalux. Read more

Warehouse with Coca-Cola soft drinks of Refrescos Bandeirantes in Brazil

Coca-Cola Refrescos Bandeirantes has expanded the storage capacity of its center in Trindade (Goiás, Brazil) with two high-density solutions from Mecalux: drive-in racks and racks run by the Pallet Shuttle system, including a tunnel with live channels to speed up order fulfillment. Read more

Caromar: Storage of cleaning products, perfumes, cosmetics, and diapers

Caromar, an Argentine wholesale company specializing in cleaning products, perfumes, cosmetics, and diapers, has renovated its warehouse in La Tablada (near Buenos Aires). Mecalux has installed pallet racks and drive-in pallet racks. It has a 9,728 overall pallet capacity. Read more

See more case studies

Drive-in racking components

Interlake Mecalux drive-in racking is engineered in accordance with the RMI design standards, recognized by ANSI, and referenced in the International Building Code. Its designs also comply with AISI specifications and meet regulations set by IAS.

The structure of drive-in pallet racking is made up of a set of upright frames that provide the system’s vertical support. These frames incorporate interior lanes equipped with support rails, i.e., horizontal profiles on which the pallets are placed.

Interlake Mecalux drive-in pallet racks have a series of components — some optional — that reinforce the safety of the system and help to prevent accidents when forklifts operate inside it.

Upright frames

Vertical elements formed by 2 posts (also known as columns) connected using horizontal and diagonal struts. The posts are slotted every 2" to accommodate the beams and arms.

Top tie beams

Horizontal profiles that connect the upright frames at the top, forming a portal frame structure. They are placed in all storage lanes.

GP-5 rails

They are the most standard and cost effective option for a bolted drive-in racking system. Rails are roll-formed and pre-drilled every 2", making them easy to install and adjust.

Z rails

They are the most standard and cost-effective option for a welded drive-in racking system. Rails are roll-formed and pre-drilled every 2", making them easy to install and adjust.

C rails

Alternative for bolted drive-in rack systems, consisting of a flat top that accommodates pallets of varying sizes in the same lane. They are pre-drilled every inch for easy installation and adjustability.

DR rails

Formed channel rails used on welded drive-in racking systems. Two models are available (3" x 3" and 1.625" x 3"). A bolted receptacle on the DR arms will allow the rails to connect and accommodate pallets of varying sizes. They are pre-drilled every 2" for easy installation and adjustability.

FC rails

Formed channel rails used on welded drive-in racking systems. They are made from structural steel and require pre-welded tabs to connect to the FC Arms. They allow for pallets to sit lower when resting on top of the rail compared to other rails.

Bolted arms

Compatible with bolted drive-in racks, they allow the connection between the rail and the upright post.

Welded arms

Compatible with welded drive-in racks, they allow the connection between the rail and the post.

Footplates

Bolted or welded to the base of the upright posts and anchored to the floor. Different types of footplates are available, depending on the post model and the load to be supported.

Anchoring

Rigidity and stability are achieved by connecting the upright posts to the beams and securely fastening the post footplates to the floor with anchor bolts.

Horizontal cross-bracing

Should be placed at the top of the drive-in/drive-through racking system on the same lanes where vertical cross-bracing is used or adjacent to the bracing aisles/dead bays.

UNISTAR supply professional and honest service.

Vertical cross-bracing

Vertical cross-bracing helps transfer forces along the length of the structure to the floor and is commonly employed in drive-in and double-entry systems. For drive-through racks, bracing aisles or dead bays are used instead. The number of braces needed depends on the number of levels and the weight of the load.

Column protectors

Optional. Installed at the front of any post facing a loading aisle to protect against small impacts.

Guide rails

Optional. These components assist in guiding forklift movements and help prevent accidental collisions with the sides of the racking structure. Two heights are possible using the LPN option: 2" or 4".

Pallet centralizers

GP-5 rails are equipped with two yellow centering devices at the front of each load level to help guide pallets into place at the entry of each lane.

Rail stops

Attached at the end of rails, they prevent the operator from pushing the pallet too far into the lane. Available for the following rails: GP-5, C, Z, and FC.

Pallet stop beams

Optional. They prevent the pallets or loads from overhanging the lane or colliding with the wall. They also protect the vertical cross-bracing.

RMI signs

RMI signs are commonly placed at the end of aisles to alert the warehouse or storage facility personnel charged with loading/offloading material of the pallet racking’s capacity limits per the current RMI standards.

Catalogs

Drive-In/Drive-Through Pallet Racking

Warehouse space optimization and multi-pallet storage

Download

Warehouse Management System

Technological innovation for efficient warehousing

Download

FAQs

Drive-in racking

What is drive-in pallet racking?

Drive-in pallet racking — also known as drive-through pallet racking (or drive-in/drive-thru racks) — is a high-density pallet racking system made up of multiple racks that form internal lanes with support rails to hold pallets. Forklifts enter the structure, moving inside these lanes to load and unload goods. Thanks to the height and depth of the lanes, this solution makes excellent use of the available space and increases storage capacity compared to conventional pallet racking.

What is the difference between drive-in and drive-through pallet racking?

Depending on the type of load management strategy required, this high-density storage system can be configured in two ways: drive-in or drive-through racking. In the first and most common variety, loading and unloading operations are carried out from the same working aisle. Thus, stock is managed following the LIFO (last in, first out) principle. With drive-through racks, on the other hand, pallets are deposited and retrieved in two different aisles: goods go in on one end and are removed from the other. In this case, the loading/unloading sequence is done in line with the FIFO method (first in, first out). This configuration is typically employed when the system is used as a buffer or interim warehouse to effectively regulate flows between two work areas (for example, between production and shipping or between different manufacturing stages).

What are the advantages and disadvantages of drive-in & drive-through racking?

The drive-in/drive-through racking system is a compact storage solution that meets a wide range of requirements. Its storage capacity is greater than that of conventional racking. Additionally, it is the simplest and most affordable system compared to other high-density storage solutions. However, since the forklifts have to enter the racking, more maneuvering time is required for storage and removal operations. Furthermore, as each storage lane is reserved for a single SKU, drive-in pallet racking is not recommended for warehouses that manage a broad array of products. For these scenarios, Interlake Mecalux has other compact solutions that facilitate the management of more diverse goods. These include Pallet Flow Racks, Push Back Racking Systems and the Pallet Shuttle system.

Drive-in pallet racking dimensions

What is the maximum height of drive-in pallet racking?

There are no structural limitations to a drive-in racking system design. However, the maximum height of these racking units will be conditioned by the maximum lifting capacity of the handling equipment employed and by the maneuvering assistance systems they incorporate (camera, height pre-selector, etc.).

How high is each storage level?

The height of each drive-in racking storage level is determined by the height of the pallets and the construction system used (either GP, C, Z, FC, or DR rails). For GP, Z, and FC rail systems, the storage level height equals the pallet height plus 8" to 10", while for C and DR rail systems, it equals the pallet height plus 10" to 12".

How deep is each storage lane?

The depth of each lane is the sum of the depth of all the pallets (including the load dimensions if the load overhangs) plus a clearance per unit load of at least 1". Meanwhile, the number of pallets stored in each lane is usually a multiple of the production batches or of the pallets that fit in a truck. For instance, the lanes of a drive-in unit used to store finished orders could be designed to hold 11 pallets deep and 3 high. This would add up to the 33-pallet capacity of a trailer.

Use of the drive-in racks

How are goods distributed in drive-in pallet racking?

To achieve maximum efficiency, all pallets deposited in the same storage lane should have the same SKU. This avoids unnecessary handling.

On which side are pallets handled in a drive-in racking system?

Depending on the type of pallets to be used, both the width and depth can serve as the loading side for the system. GMA pallets are recommended to be loaded by their width, while CHEP pallets can be loaded by the width or depth. The loading equipment should also be considered since this will also affect the required bay width.

Which type of forklift is right for drive-in racks?

Drive-in racking uses both counterbalanced forklifts and reach trucks. Counterbalanced forklifts typically reach up to 25', while reach trucks can go beyond 40'.

Since forklifts operate inside the storage lanes, it is important to ensure there is enough clearance for safe movement. There should be at least 3" of space between each side of the forklift and the vertical racking elements. Additionally, the first level of support rails must be high enough to avoid interfering with forklift parts, like the cab enclosure.

Ask an expert

Drive-in racking is a space-saving storage system for storing multiple pallets of slow-moving inventory in warehouses. Forklifts access pallets in multiple rows in drive-in pallet racking by going directly into the system.

Drive-in pallet rack is great for warehouses and distribution centers that need cost-effective, high-density storage solutions. Drive-in racking eliminates extra aisles. This allows users to store more than twice the amount of goods compared to regular selective pallet racking.

Drive-in pallet racks usually store 2 to 10 pallets per row but can be adjusted to hold more pallets if needed.

If you want a drive-in rack system to maximize your warehouse space, call 800-722- to contact one of our pallet rack design specialists, or click the button below to get a quote today!

Drive-in racking systems store pallets in multiple positions deep on sturdy horizontal rails. Pallets are driven into this type of rack system by a forklift and removed from the same entry point when unloaded. 

Drive-in racking offers first-in, first-out (FIFO) or last-in, first-out (LIFO) inventory management, depending on whether the racking is a drive-in or drive-thru configuration. 

While drive-in rack storage is a wonderful space-saving storage system, it is much more susceptible to damage from forklifts as they drive in and out of the system.

We often recommend structural steel racking because structural applications have a higher resistance to upright damage, although roll-formed racking is quite common in drive-in systems as well and can be bolstered with column protection and other safety features.

Depending on the application, drive-in can be designed with structural or roll-formed pallet racking. We always review the application and present the best rack style for our customer’s unique storage needs.

Drive-in racking systems are typically placed against a wall or are otherwise closed at one end of the system, meaning the last pallet placed is the first to be removed (LIFO). On the other hand, drive-thru pallet storage systems are located in an open area so that forklifts can drive completely through the rack system. Drive-thru rack, also called “Drive-through racking,” is accessible from either end of the system – pallets loaded on one side are retrieved on the opposite side (FIFO).

Like drive-in pallet rack systems, the “honeycombing” effect is somewhat common among drive-thru rack systems, but both offer equal storage density. 

Want more information on drive in racking system? Feel free to contact us.