Pallet Flow Rack + Custom Pallet Design – A Case Study

Solution at a Glance  

• Services Provided: Design & Engineering 
• Products Provided: Pallet Flow Rack, Custom Pallets
• Location: Archbold, OH 

Concern: Inefficient storage system for unique products 

A manufacturer of scaffolding was seeking a storage solution to eliminate product damage, improve product flow, and increase storage density. 

The company’s existing storage method was to stage the scaffolding in lanes on the ground by leaning the product against each other. This storage method was providing a first-in, last-out product flow. This caused the scaffolding in the back of the lane to rarely be picked. Because of this, these stagnant products often had to be repainted once they were eventually picked due to the paint rubbing off from extended periods of friction against the other scaffolds. 

Additionally, this storage method did not utilize the vertical space within the facility. Therefore, the company was using much of their warehouse’s footprint for storage.  

Solution: Pallet Flow Rack with Custom Pallets 

The company hired REB to design a storage solution for their scaffolding. The company stores a large quantity of only a few SKUs and requires a first-in, first-out product flow. Because of this, it was determined that a pallet flow rack system would be an ideal storage solution.  

However, pallet flow requires using high quality pallets to ensure consistent performance, and palletizing the scaffolds on a standard pallet was problematic. The scaffolds being stored flat on a pallet were unstable and would therefore require the company to shrink wrap the scaffolds to the pallet. But the company wanted to continue having the flexibility to pick only the number of scaffolds needed. It was not efficient for them to pick a pallet, remove the shrink wrap, pick the scaffolds, and re-shrink wrap the remaining scaffolds to the pallet.  

As a solution to this issue, REB engineers designed a custom pallet to work with a pallet flow system. This design included a metal structure mounted to the top of a pallet. The metal structure contains slots along each side so that the legs of each scaffold could be placed in them. This allows the scaffolds to be stored upright on the pallet. Additionally, it allows the company to quickly pick only the number of scaffolds needed from each pallet. The custom pallet was prototyped and tested to confirm it would flow properly within the pallet flow system. 

Outcome: Efficient High-Density Storage

The result was a pallet flow system with four bays, two lanes high by 15 pallets deep. This system doubles the storage capacity within the same footprint, provides a first-in, first-out product flow, and eliminates product damage. 

Contact REB for a Storage Solution for Your Unique Products 

REB’s dedicated team of material handling experts will provide a solution that will optimize your warehouse storage. We have the flexibility to integrate products from multiple manufacturers based on the requirements of your rack system including pricing and lead time. This combined with in-house engineering, planning, and permitting support expertise allows us to provide you with a storage solution unique to your operation. 

We’d appreciate the opportunity to help you further, whether that be more information or a quote. Fill in the contact form on this page or call us at (800) 252-5955 to get in touch with a REB representative.