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Bay Area, California Office 510-409-1989 | Phoenix, Arizona Office (480) 773-1118

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8 Common Mistakes With Pallet Rack

Here are 8 common mistakes we find in pallet rack warehousing applications:

#1 Under Engineering Pallet Rack System

Understanding true weights / future weights of product

It is common for clients to underestimate the actual weight of pallets being stored in pallet rack. Pallet heights also have a significant factor in properly engineering a pallet rack system. The greater vertical distance between beams levels, the greater the upright capacity will need to be down rated. Formal data with pallet weights, pallet height/width/depth are important metrics to prevent under engineering.

In addition, under engineering wire decks is common and over time results in a wire deck with permanent deflection between channel supports that make the deck appear to have a “wave” like effect. Wire decks capacities are designed based on a uniform distributed load (UDL)

#2 Failure to Forecast Future Growth

Future growth should be considered when engineering a pallet rack system. This could relate to an increased weight of product going onto beam levels, or taller pallets requiring beam heights to change. Future growth can also be accomplished by adding beam levels, and if applicable, extending the height of uprights using a column splice / upright extension. Pallet rack can also be re-configured into higher density storage.

Addressing these scenarios in the preliminary design phase allows for potential changes to be pre-engineered into the system.

#3 Inadequate Sprinkler System

The sprinkler system in the warehouse will have a significant factor on how high and what types of commodities can be stored. It is important to know how your insurance provider classifies the commodities that will be stored in the pallet rack.

Commodities are most commonly classified as “Class I – IV” and “Group A – C Plastics”

If the building is not equipped with an ESFR (Early Suppression Fast Response) sprinkler system and the commodities are higher up on the hazardous/flammable scale, a sprinkler system modification or in-rack sprinklers may be required. In-rack sprinklers can still be required with an ESFR sprinkler system depending on the commodities/height of storage.

#4 Fall Protection of Pallets

A corporate culture committed to safety has been significantly shown to improve employee moral. Storing pallets on beams without fall safe support is not recommended. One accident is all it takes to more than justify the investment. Wire decks are the ideal solution for pallet fall-safe prevention. Pallet supports (snap-in, bolt-on, etc.) are also viable solutions.

#5 Incorrect / Inefficient Slotting

In an order fulfillment application, a velocity slotting map identifying “through put” of product mix helps determine how the warehouse storage should be slotted to achieve optimal efficiency. As the product flow changes, re-slotting will take place to maintain peak performance. We find some clients don’t have a planned slotting schedule, and in many cases do not have a formal plan in place for identifying and adjusting product slotting in the warehouse.

#6 Pallet Height Variance (Dead Space)

In applications where pallet heights vary significantly, optimizing pallet storage requires accounting for various pallet heights. For example, a 6′ vertical beam to beam clearance does not optimize the storage of a 3′ tall pallet. In larger scale, these types of inefficiencies when properly addressed add up to significantly increased space utilization.

#7 Permitting

A High Piled Storage Permit is required when a building or portion thereof intends to store commodities in excess of 12 ft. for an area greater than 500 sq. ft., as dictated by Section 105.6.22, Chapter 23, or when required by the Fire Marshal.

If your company has relocated into a new warehouse and there is the potential that the local municipality will be inspecting the facility, it is a prudent to plan accordingly that a high piled storage permit will be required.

#8 Pallet Rack Damage

Rack damage can occur for various reasons. When the warehouse is strapped for space, tighter aisles help to increase storage space, but enhance the direct effect of forklift damage to uprights and lower beams. A common area for damage is at the end of aisles or in tunnel bays. End of aisle protectors can help to prolong the life of pallet rack in those problem areas. Column protectors can help prevent damage to the base of the upright columns commonly experienced with reach truck applications.

Material Handling & Storage, Inc. has been incorporated since 1992. MHS specializes in the design, integration and installation of storage systems, automated systems, pallet rack and conveyor. Our focus is on improving cube utilization and increasing productivity within manufacturing, warehousing and distribution centers.

Contact MHS to learn more on improving efficiency in your warehouse

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4 More Solutions to Gain Back Floor Space

In June of 2015 we presented 5 Ways to Gain Back Floor Space. Today we highlight 4 more potential solutions to gain back valuable square footage in your warehouse.

#1 Freestanding Mezzanine

Warehouses with clear heights exceeding 20′ can potentially add valuable square footage allowing unused space to be utilized within the vertical cube. Free standing mezzanines typically have a 125 lbs/ per square foot capacity allowing up to 2,000 lb pallet storage on the mezzanine level. Free standing mezzanines provide a significant increase of floor space. When compared to the costs of warehouse relocation or new construction, mezzanines can yield valuable savings There is also the alternative solution of a pallet rack supported mezzanine which can prevent requirements for footings and still provides for an increase to the warehouse footprint. Mezzanines can be removed and relocated to a future warehouse for increased value of ownership.

#2 Overdock Pallet Storage

The loading dock area typically goes under utilized as strictly a loading and unloading area. The real estate above the loading dock is a perfect location to store empty pallets.

#3 High Density Pallet Storage:

Double deep

A double deep rack system allows for storing pallets two deep. This system is used in conjunction with a double deep reach truck. Double deep is a higher density storage that has a much lower initial cost of ownership compared to alternative high density pallet storage systems. There is a 50% increase in storage capacity compared to selective rack. Some of the limitations of a double deep system are the fact that there is poor visibility of the rear pallet at higher beam elevations. Double deep is LIFO – Last in First out configuration.

Push Back

Push back pallet rack systems are designed around the principle of organizing space by depth rather than width. This depth arrangement greatly reduces aisle space and increases storage density. In this configuration, each bay can be up to six pallets deep; each pallet stored on wheeled carts that fit onto rails. The rails are slightly angled toward the load/unload side of the rack in order to take advantage of gravity, saving enormous amounts of energy for moving heavy pallets. When a forklift sets the pallet onto the cart, it drives forward and causes the pallet to bump the next pallet, causing the entire row of pallets to roll backwards. When removing a pallet from the front position the remaining pallets immediately stage themselves forward so that the next available pallet can be accessed. Push back rack is a LIFO (last in, first out) storage system.

Pallet Flow

Pallet flow systems are high density pallet storage systems that utilize depth to increase capacity. This system uses a slightly inclined rail with rollers that allow pallets to move easily along the sloped plane. These systems are also called gravity flow or dynamic flow systems. The pallet flow system often has complex motion and braking systems to control the speed of the moving pallet. Pallet flow racking systems are either a FIFO (first in, first out) or a LIFO (last in, first out) storage system. If the system is loaded from the back and unloaded from the front, its FIFO; if the system is loaded and unloaded from the front its a LIFO system.

#4 Forklift Aisle Reduction VNA Forklift (Bendi/Drexel)

Majority of counterbalance sit down forklifts require a 12′ aisle to operate. Standup reach trucks can operate in as tight as a 9’6″ aisle. For an even greater reduction in aisle width, a very narrow aisle forklift is a potential solution. A Bendi forklift can operate in as small as a 6′ aisle, can lift up to 30′ tall and handle up to 3,000 lb loads.

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6 Solutions to Accelerate Order Fulfillment

Reducing order fulfillment time and logistics is a competitive advantage Amazon and Zappos have mastered. Improvements in order fulfillment will continue to change the future of distribution. While there is no one size fits all order picking solution, we have highlighted 6 ways to help accelerate order fulfillment.

Pick-To-Light

Pick-to-light is ideal for high picking speed, low error rate order fulfillment. This technology allows order pickers to reduce the thought process require for picking and improve accuracy. Light displays direct the operators to specific stock locations.

Pick-To-Voice

Pick-to-voice provides voice instructions to operators through headphones and a microphone. This technology can direct interface with most Warehouse Management Systems and provides up to 99.9% picking accuracy. Pick-To-Voice is a great candidate in large scale order fulfillment applications. Freeing operators from needing to reference paper or computer monitors provides a significant improvement in picking productivity.

Carton Flow

Carton Flow systems incorporate a gravity feed rear-load design. Materials are loaded from the rear and picked from the front. Items directly behind the pick are indexed forward. The main advantage of carton flow is storage density and automatic replenishment. Merchandise also can be better organized in a carton flow setup.

Vertical Lift Modules (VLM)

Vertical Lift Modules can reduce order picking times by 30% to 50%. VLMs are a condensed automated storage system that stores product on trays which are delivered to the picker. Compared to traditional static shelving for storage, VLMs allow for a greatly reduced footprint in the building. VLMs also provide a reduction in manpower needed to pick materials. Instead of having to walk around an entire shelving system to locate products, a VLM will automatically sequence the picks required for order fulfillment.

Accumulation Conveyor

Zero Pressure Accumulation Conveyor improves material flow and reduces product damage. For applications where items are picked then staged for further QC, packing or shipment, accumulation conveyor can help in improve the queue. Boxes/totes are segregated into zones typically separated by photo eyes. Materials are indexed forward, and can further be routed to a specific lane based on barcode/RFID information programmed into the system.

Doublewide Drive-In

Twinlode enables a forklift to load or unload two pallets at a time allowing for doubling productivity. Dual pallet handling can reducing labor by up to 50%, and increase pallet positions up to 35%. This solution is popular in the beverage industry. It also has merit in food manufacturing and cold storage applications.

Material Handling & Storage, Inc. was incorporated in 1992. MHS specializes in the design, integration and installation of storage systems, industrial automation, pallet rack and conveyor. Our focus is on improving cube utilization and increasing productivity within manufacturing, warehousing and distribution centers. We have operations in Northern California and Phoenix, Arizona. Our portfolio of projects are throughout the United States.

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The most dangerous phrase in language….

The most dangerous phrase in language is… “we’ve always done it this way.” Employees and entire companies get comfortable with executing day to day operations congruent with how operations were executed in the past. This mindset has a tendency to lead into inefficiencies. Left unaddressed, these inefficiencies place a strain on business growth, and as a result have the potential to create a logistics Armageddon. Taking the proper steps early on to identify bottlenecks and develop realistic solutions will allow for greater innovation, and preparation for future growth.

Let’s address some of the common “always done it this way” mistakes in the Material Handling Industry:

  • Products being handled too many times – In distribution centers / 3PLs / manufacturing facilities: an item or group of items can pass through several hands before making its way out the door or to its final destination. In most cases, materials don’t get more valuable the extra times they are touched. Eliminating unnecessary touches paves the way for increased profitability.
  • Inefficient storage – It may not be to your advantage to operate under a premise of “We have run out of storage space…getting a larger warehouse or an additional warehouse is the solution”. An alternative option to increasing the footprint is to take a look at how efficient the current layout is designed. Are there cube utilization inefficiencies that need to be addressed? Are there higher density storage options that will function better with your storage requirements?
  • Inventory management – Doing a thorough analysis on throughput and pick locations/frequency of picks can pay dividends, and can suggest re-positioning of SKUs in order to improve efficiency.
  • Failure to use vertical space – Your warehouse has a 30′ clear height, but are only utilizing 16′ tall pallet rack . There is a good amount of dead space that can regain value. The wasted space is an opportunity to gain pallet positions. When it comes to small parts storage or materials being stored in shelving, you can also incur dead space between the shelves and aisles required to access the items. Implementing automation, (Vertical Lift Modules) can allow for a significantly greater utilization of the vertical space. This will free up the footprint for more profitable operational activities in your facility.

Learn about the solutions today that will drive growth for your business tomorrow.

To learn more about improving business processes contact MHS

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6 Solutions to Improve Warehouse Safety

Employee safety on the job is a crucial metric all companies should pay close attention to. Here are 6 solutions to improve warehouse safety and keep your most valuable assets out of harms way.

1. Collision Awareness Sensor Alert Warning System

Collision awareness is important to the operation of every company. This system will alert forklift drivers and pedestrians to potentially hazardous locations and situations. The product is intended to target the locations most typically involved in near-misses and collisions: Blind corners, intersections, loading docks and overhead doors. The Collision Awareness warning systems feature visual indicators (red or amber flashing lights) and optional audible alarms to let employees know where and when collision danger is near to improve safety awareness and help to reduce collisions.

Our manufacturer has a 30 day demo program available on their collision awareness devices. Discover why many of the leading companies in the United States have decided to implement this safety measure into their facilities. There are over 20 different models to protect the entire facility.

2. Safety Netting

Help raise employee morale and lower accidents by protecting staff and customers from falling objects or stock that may fall off pallet racks, mezzanines, conveyors or shelves. The rack guard can be installed vertically or horizontally; below conveyors, above sorting lines, on the sides, rear or front of racks – anywhere you need custom nets to reduce product loss and keep people safe.

3. Loading Dock Safety

Vehicle restraints are simply designed, easy to use, and can apply up to 35,000lbs of restraining force to keep a truck or trailer stationed at the dock. They safeguard against unscheduled departures, trailer creep, and trailer walk, and require minimal maintenance.

Vehicle restraints service a wide range of carriers, including those with bent or damaged ICC bars, and may be interlocked with dock levelers for enhanced performance. Hydraulic, electric, and mechanical models are available to accommodate site and sustainability requirements.

Dock Door Gates

To help companies comply with their internal safety standards as well as OSHA fall protection regulations, dock gates create awareness and act as barriers to help reduce trips, falls and collisions.

4. Column Protectors

Column protectors can help mitigate structural damage that can lead to costly and time-consuming repairs that may also disrupt daily operations. It can also help reduce the severity of personal injury and forklift damage.

Building/mezzanine column protectors prevent major damage to the building structure in the event of a collision. Ask someone who has experienced the repercussions of damaging a buildings column and the costs associated with getting the damage repaired. In seismic zones it is an absolute nightmare to deal with repairing a damaged building column caused by forklift impact.

5. Machine Guarding

Woven and welded wire machine guarding and perimeter guarding systems allow for protection and to separate property, equipment, and personnel.

6. Driver Cages & Building Access

Driver Access Cages provide an area to keep visitors confined; preventing them from wandering into dangerous areas or gaining access to inventory or other facility equipment.

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5 Ways to Gain Back Floor Space

Companies can become more efficient AND increase profitability by managing the functionality of their storage.

Here are 5 ways to increase efficiency of your storage to gain back valuable square footage:

Vertical Lift Module (VLM):

The VLM is a board controlled automated vertical lift module. Inventory within the VLM is stored on front and rear tray locations or rails. When a tray is requested, either by entering a tray number in the built in control pad or by requesting a part through software, an extractor travels vertically between the two columns of trays and pulls the requested tray from its location and brings it to an access point. The operator then picks or replenishes stock and the tray is returned to its home upon confirmation.

Mobile Aisle Pallet Rack:

Motorized mobile pallet racking is designed to maximize the use of warehouse storage space. Mobilized compact pallet racks can reduce your pallet storage area in half, or double the capacity of your pallet rack storage in the same floorspace area. Mobilized pallet racks save space by converting static access aisles into productive storage space. The mobilized compact rack storage system mounts rows of pallet racks onto heavy-duty rolling carriages and places them on floor tracks. Rows of pallet racks (up to 96’ long) move sideways along the floor tracks creating a movable floating access aisle. Typical warehouse storage facilities may have dozens of static access aisles but only one or two forklifts capable of accessing stored materials. Mobilizing pallet racks reduce the number of access aisles to match the velocity requirements of your storage area. Rows of pallet racks are moved by pushing a button or by remote control, which opens access aisles when and where they are needed.

Mobilized pallet racks have helped many organizations reduce or eliminate new building construction costs, auxiliary warehouses, building expansions, and decrease ongoing operational costs (lighting, energy, insurance) by maximizing the use of their storage floor space.

Some disadvantages of high density pallet storage systems are; less access to all stock at any given moment (although if the stored product is all the same, it should not matter), and the expense of such systems. Selective pallet rack systems are considerably less expensive per pallet position than their higher density counterparts. In most medium to large facilities, however, high density pallet rack systems are essential, since they provide the efficiency of time and high cost facility space is better optimized.

Mobile Aisle Shelving:

By eliminating the need for an aisle between every shelving unit, more floor space can be utilised for storage. Each unit is mounted on a level trackway (to eliminate gradients in the supporting floor), making it possible to move heavy units with minimal effort. Mobile shelving can be moved manually or by the use of electrical motors.


A typical bank of mobile aisle shelving units offer close to 50% reduction of floor space or a 50% to 100% increase in storage space compared to traditional shelving.

High Density Drawers:

High Density Drawers can combine with shelving to achieve a greater storage density than static shelving alone. Drawers can be integrated into a mobile aisle system to further increase efficency of the storage footprint. One HD drawer unit holds as much as five bin units. HD drawers are heavy-duty with 400lb capacity per drawer.

Pallet Shuttle for bulk SKU storage:

The shuttle system consists of a shuttle vehicle and docking station. The docking station and the shuttle vehicle (orbiter) form a single unit that can be moved flexibly in the warehouse. Racks where the shuttle system is used have a centring console fitted onto the front.


The forklifts pick up the docking station, including the orbiter, and places it into the centring console on the required rack. The forklifts then pick up inward storage pallets and position these onto the orbiter.


While the forklift takes care of picking up the next pallet being stored, the orbiter conveys it quickly and safely into the desired storage location. The driving commands are communicated to the shuttle vehicle via wireless remote control.

Check out this video on this pallet shuttle technology for deep lane pallet storage:

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Advantages of Modular Wall & Building Systems vs Traditional Construction

Applications requiring In-plant offices, clean rooms, machine enclosures and industrial walls can benefit from pre-fabricated modular construction.


Modular wall and building systems have the following benefits when compared to traditional construction:

  • Relocate and Reuse the building system: All components are capable of being reused. The #1 reason companies choose to purchase a modular system is the ability down the road to take down the modular building and relocate it. Should you need to relocate to another facility or you will never have to be concerned with loosing your original investment.
  • Superior sound reduction: Greater Sound Deadening than Conventional Rooms: These sound controlled modular offices are acoustically designed to outperform any typical conventional construction. Applications with a significant amount of noise are very well qualified for a modular solution .
  • Reduction in Labor Cost by Up To 50%: This may be a very conservative figure. Factoring in the installation speed of modular constructed products and the reduction in trades necessary to build, you could find this savings tremendous. It takes only one crew to assemble a modular office, and several trades like drywall crews, glazers, carpenters, painters, and electricians etc. to build conventionally. The larger the project, the more the savings.
  • No engineering requirements or architectural expenses
  • Most applications avoid needing a permit
  • In-plant Modulars qualify for a 7-year depreciation period while conventional construction is depreciated over 39 years.
  • Industrial modular wall (Hi-Wall System)

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Your warehouse is a goldmine

Are you effectively mining the gold in your warehouse? Lets examine the type of gold we are mining for…

#1 Productivity

Does your warehouse have optimal material handling processes in place allowing for maximum productivity? It can be as major as an ineffective WMS (warehouse management system), or as small as a faulty pallet jack. If the gears are not properly in motion ,your company in the long run is losing money with inefficient productivity in its warehouse operations.

#2 Storage Efficiency

Storing bulk quantities of 3,500 lb pallets and 3,500 SKUs of small parts have different requirements in relation to storage effectiveness. Too often the efficiency of storage goes overlooked and companies fall back on the idea of what has worked in the past is still viable for the future. The short and sweet answer is that owning commercial real estate is not cheap (especially in the Bay Area). Optimizing your storage footprint is a crucial metric in improving profitability for your operation. Utilizing high density storage (when applicable) can help clear space for more profitable ventures that previously were unachievable. Increasing your footprint without needing to build out is another solution to help improve efficiency that a structural mezzanine can help to create. Mezzanines can also be self supported by pallet rack or shelving.

Taking efficiency to the next level, industrial automation can provide high density and high security storage. An increasingly popular automated storage product, the Vertical Lift Module (VLM) this computer-controlled system will automatically place and retrieve loads from defined storage locations

#3 Process Improvements

As the saying goes, “things don’t get more valuable the more times they are touched.” Identifying solutions that will improve processes in manufacturing and distribution can yield an increase in operational efficiency. A deeper analysis of step by step processes will allow for identifying opportunities to achieve optimal throughput.

Our management team has over 40 years of experience improving productivity, increasing storage efficiency, and identifying process improvements that add value to operational excellence. We invite your team to join ours in finding the gold inside your warehouse. Contact MHS

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Automate to gain back floorspace

Automating your storage has several benefits. It allows for an improvement of inventory management and security. VLMs also maximize what you can fit in a confined space. Our business partner, Systems Logistics has put together a great 7 minute video that displays the advantages of integrating a Vertical Lift Module into your application.

The VLM is a board controlled automated vertical lift module. Inventory within the VLM is stored on front and rear tray locations or rails. When a tray is requested, either by entering a tray number in the built in control pad or by requesting a part through software, an extractor travels vertically between the two columns of trays and pulls the requested tray from its location and brings it to an access point. The operator then picks or replenishes stock and the tray is returned to its home upon confirmation.

For more information on storage automation contact MHS

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