Dynamic Pallet Racking

Pacific Westeel's pushback rack has enjoyed rapid growth in popularity due to offering similar space savings as drive-in but with typically 3 to 5 times greater selectivity.  This growth has been spurred by marketing trends such as rapid increases in number of SKU's, mass customization and more rapid product obsolescence.

To load the lane, the first pallet loaded in the lane is loaded onto the top cart. To load the next pallet in the lane, the lift truck operator lines up in front of the first pallet and pushes against it, causing the first pallet to roll back away from the pick face, and exposing the next cart, which the second pallet can be lowered onto, once it's in position. The process is repeated until the lane is full. To empty the lane, the operator slowly removes the last pallet in, and the others roll back forward, down to the pick face. Similarly, the process continues until the lane is empty.

Key Benefits:

• High densities - three and four deep systems are common, which allows blocks of 6 or 8 deep, with back to back rows. .
• Improved selectivity over drive-in - which pushback often replaces.
• Efficiency vs. drive-in - trucks do not need to drive into rack loads come to them at the pick face.
• Less rack product damage vs. drive-in - with no trucks driving inside rack.

Advantages:
Over Single Selective Racking

• In a typical three deep, back to back pushback system, space savings would amount to around 40% vs. single selective rack.
• Converting an existing space from single selective to pushback would accommodate an increase of about 60% in pallets stored.
• Over-head pushback (loaded and unloaded from replenishment aisle in rear) ensures optimal use of vertical space above floor level pallet flow picking system.