Drive In Racking

Drive-in racking is set up as a series of lanes where pallets sit on rails, usually four to five high and three to eight deep. It works on a first in, last out basis, so if you’re storing a lot of the same product, like frozen Christmas turkeys or chickens, and you want them in one condensed space, this is the way to go. If you’ve got a wide variety of stock though, it’s not as suitable.

Each lane is 1350mm wide, with levels spaced at about 1200mm so the pallets slide in and out smoothly. A typical three-level system stands around 5–6m high. Each pallet is generally about 1 tonne, with levels carrying up to 8 tonnes total. It works best in rectangular warehouses where space is tight, you only need one forklift entry point per lane. 

Note that in Australia, drive-through (both-end entry) is no longer allowed, because bracing at the back is required to keep the structure stable.