Getting the most out of your warehouse storage space is a constant challenge. There are many factors that warehouse managers have to balance when choosing and setting up their warehouse racking systems, including:
A higher-capacity racking system makes it easier for a warehouse to carry lots of products, but if the pallets aren’t easy to get off of the shelf and organize, then forklift operators will have to waste large amounts of time and energy retrieving products—reducing productivity and minimizing the cost-to-benefit ratio of the racking system.
Choosing the right kind of warehouse racking system is important for making the most out of the warehouse’s available space while improving efficiency for warehouse operations. But, which kind of racking system is the best for your warehouse? One popular type of warehouse racking system is the push back racking system.
What is a push back racking system, and what are its benefits?
Push back racking systems are a type of storage system intended to be used with pallets while creating a higher storage density than most other racking systems. A typical push back racking system can store between two and five pallets in a single lane—though there are some that support higher capacities than this.
Each shelf of the racking system has rails that are angled slightly towards the aisle, with a series of carts sitting atop the rails. These nested carts are pushed back each time a new pallet is loaded onto the rack (hence the name, “push back” racking).
When pallets are removed, the angled rails let the carts slide forward, presenting the next pallet in line for easy retrieval.
Some key advantages of a push back racking system over other warehouse storage solutions include:
Overall, push back racking systems provide an excellent balance of selectivity and density—better than drive in racking, even.
However, care should be taken when using push back racking systems for perishable goods storage. The pallet in the back of the row cannot be accessed until every other pallet is pulled out first—which is necessary when rotating product to distribute the oldest products first to avoid allowing product to spoil on the rack. For such applications, pallet flow racking or carton flow racking systems that feed product from the rear end of the rack to be dispensed through the front are preferable because they enable first-in, first-out loading/unloading.
Also, with push back racking, racking system maintenance can be a bit more intensive than a racking system that does not have moving parts. The carts need to be routinely inspected to verify that they can move back and forth with ease.
Many warehouses add pallet rack guard net systems to these kinds of racks because they are slanted—doing this helps to prevent items loaded onto a pallet from falling onto employees.
Need help finding the perfect warehouse storage solution for your needs? Contact the experts at Southern States Storage & Handling to learn more today!