Advance Blog

Drive-In Systems: What You Need To Know

Drive-In systems are designed to provide many years of safe storage in high frequency loading service.  They offer the ability to store a large amount of similar SKUs in a small storage area.  Selectivity is sacrificed, but storage density is outstanding. In a drive-in system, a lift truck drives into the rack to access pallets […]

How To: Loading and Unloading a Pushback Pallet Racking System

  Prior to loading the pushback system: Check the quality of your pallets – If using standard Lo-Pro Pushback your pallet should have 5 left to right bottom boards in good condition and properly fastened. Double check to make sure there is no overhang from a pallet because this could cause the cart to hang […]

How To: Maximizing Safety In Your Warehouse With A Winning Culture

A comprehensive safety protocol is important for maintaining a culture of checks and balances amongst management and employees to mitigate as much potential risk as possible and to keep warehouse employees and equipment safe.  Here are some suggestions to promote safety in your warehouse operations. COMMUNICATION IS KEY: Communication between management and employees in the [...]

Market Trends: How Grocery Stores are Evolving to Meet Customer Demand

The grocery industry has evolved to meet customer demand during the pandemic and is just now understanding what the new buying cycle looks like moving forward.  Having to adjust to meet buying preferences while continuously being hit with volatile shifts in the market exposed flaws in the grocery supply chain in 2020.  Consumer panic buying [...]

5 Advantages Automation Can Bring To Your Warehouse Operation

What advantages can automation bring to your warehouse operations? Depending on throughput level, warehouse footprint, storage density and real-time inventory requirements, an automated material handling system can benefit a warehouse across all operations while mitigating (eliminating in many cases) all the risk and damage associated with employee-run warehouse configurations.  Here are the main advantages to [...]

5 Repair Options for Damaged Pallet Rack

Rack Replacement – Replacement of damaged rack components with identical parts approved by the OEM is recommended when the OEM can be identified and when original or revised engineering documentation is available. When load-bearing components of a rack structure are replaced with components that are not identical, the owner should request an engineering evaluation to [...]

Pallet Flow: 7 Things To Consider

Pallet flow systems are one of the most efficient ways to cube a warehouse.  The pallets are loaded first in - first out, can vary from 2 deep to 35 deep, and can go 2 to 5 high (in most cases).  A loading aisle and a discharge aisle are required for a pallet flow system.  [...]

10 Lo-Pro™ Pushback Advantages: Learn Why Advance Does It Best

Advance's Lo-Pro Pushback pallet racking systems are used extensively in high-cube storage facilities and provide superior selectivity and cost benefits when compared with other deep warehouse storage alternatives.  Advance Storage Products' pushback rack systems are available 2-6 deep and offer a number of advantages including: High Density Storage - As mentioned, Advance manufactures 2, 3, [...]

SMALLER, FASTER, SMARTER

How Distribution Centers and Warehouses are Evolving to Meet Customer Convenience Ecommerce is changing supply chains as we know it.  You have heard this sentiment before and witnessed the apparent effects across material handling.  Consumers have more access to information than ever before and fulfillment centers must figure out the ideal distribution n storage configuration [...]

The 6 Components of Drive-In Pallet Racking

Interior Support Arms Interior support arms are used on the interior upright posts.  Interior double and single arms are both constructed with a structural steel channel mounted to a flat plate.  The plate is configured with a (2" on center) hole pattern for maximum adjustability.  Single arms are used on end of row upright frame [...]

Racking 101: Pushback System Types

Pushback pallet racking is a high density solution for warehouse and distribution centers.  Learn more about the different types of pushback systems below: LoPro Pushback - Advance's LoPro pushback carts and rails are made from 3" channel and 3/16 angle.  Carts are linked together to prevent separation and captured within the rail.  The Advance rail [...]

Load Beams: Capacity and Definitions

Structural Load Beams Capacity - Based on uniformly distributed loads per pair of beams with a minimum of one cross bar per pair of beams. Selective Beams - Selective beams are available without holes or with two holes per pallet position to allow for cross bar installation.  They are used in single or double deep [...]

Selective Racking: What You Need To Know

“Quality Storage and Handling Systems Built by People You Trust“

4 Accessories to Strengthen and Protect Storage and Handling Systems

Quality Storage and Handling Systems Built by People You Trust

Application: Bolt-In Safety Bars vs. Cross Bars vs. Pallet Supports

“Quality Storage and Handling Systems Built by People You Trust“

Double Deep Selective Rack: What You Need To Know

Beam Length – To calculate your beam length take the pallet width plus 4″ for the right plus 4″ for the left multiplied by 1, 2 or 3 based on 1 wide, 2 wide or 3 wide applications respectively. Upright Depth – to calculate upright depth take the pallet depth minus 2″ for front overhang […]

Modex 2020 Details: Storage and Handling Solutions in Atlanta March 9 – 12

Advance is headed to Modex 2020 in Atlanta, March 9 - 12, 2020.  Please see event details below and learn more about one of the biggest supply chain events of the year. Date:  March 9 - 12, 2020 Georgia World Congress Center 285 Andrew Young International Blvd NW, Atlanta, GA 30313 Show Exhibit Hours: Monday [...]

RACK COMPARISON: Pushback vs. Drive-In

CASE STUDY: In 4,000 sq. ft. (200′ x 20′), the following number of bays can be laid out: Drive-In Rack: 42 bays (56″ c/c bays) x 5 high x 5 deep x 1 wide = 1,050 pallet positions Pushback: 24 bays (100″ c/c bays) x 5 high x 5 deep x 2 wide = 1,200 […]

How To: Drive-In Loading Instructions

Start pallet loading from rear floor position to rear top position and continue with this pattern until loading is completed. When loading the rail levels, it is advised upon entry to lower the pallet 1″ below the angle rail to act as a guide as you drive the pallet into position. Loading of pallets should […]

How to: Selecting the Right Depth of Pushback

1.  One of the risks with any deep storage system is the risk of “checker boarding”.  This happens when a deep lane storage system is selected, but there are too many individual SKU’s in the facility to efficiently fill the deep storage lane.  FOR EXAMPLE:  If you only have a single SKU of an item, [...]

Inventory Mix Madness: Meeting increased demand and delivery

People want more options, faster delivery and unlimited access to product.  Traditional warehousing is equipped to move large amounts of the same product efficiently and cost effectively.  This means a large shift in inventory management is underway to meet larger SKU counts and more diverse customer demand.  The warehouse landscape is evolving to support omni-channel [...]

3 Upright Features To Strengthen Racking Impact Protection From Fork Lifts

Material handling operations inside of a warehouse require constant forklift movement depending on racking configuration. This means potential impact of forklifts into the racking structure and can cause a compromise in structural integrity and safety. To increase impact protection from forklift contact, a number of features are available including doublers, heavy horizontals and post protectors […]

Grocery Digitization: Your Local Market Evolved

Grocery is evolving…this comes as no surprise but how grocery stores are re-structuring in 2019 and beyond answers many distribution and fulfillment questions.  Customers expect more than ever from retailers and providing the best customer experience is paramount to success.  Grocery shopping is no longer a chore but an event!  Grab groceries, cooked meals, a [...]

When Is Structural Rack The Best Choice?

4 Advantages To Using Structural Racking In Your Warehouse Structural pallet rack is the strongest, most durable type of pallet rack available and is the most appropriate solution in temperature controlled and ambient warehouse environments that have heavy forklift traffic. Structural pallet rack may cost more up front but with greater durability, structural rack will […]

4 Selective Pallet Racking Advantages

Selective pallet racking is commonly used in racking systems that accommodate flexibility in slotting design, which is ideal for high turnover, high SKU stock count and quick product accessibility. Single selective pallet rack is a cost-effective design that allows the maximum number of SKU pick facings in a standard rack and adds a number of […]

What Type Of Warehouse Picking Is Right For Your Operation?

3 Advantages To Using Pushback Pallet Racking Solutions

Pushback racking is a type of pallet storage system that allows 2 – 6 pallets deep to be stored on both sides of an aisle, providing high storage density than other pallet rack systems. A pushback rack system is a LIFO system normally composed of an inclined rail section that extends the full depth of […]

North American Freight Trends In 2019

More Complex Distribution Landscape Ecommerce and an immersive customer relationship approach is increasing the need for a diversified distribution landscape with omni-channel capabilities. No longer do distribution center’s operate solely on a pallet in, pallet out basis. The increase in eCommerce fulfillment and omni-channel customer support require an increase in local warehousing and shorter freight […]

5 Tips To Maintain Warehouse And Rack Safety Compliance

Communication Is Key: Understand risk factors, develop a plan for addressing key problem areas and give employees the platform for addressing key problems on the job during day-to-day operations Bottom-up communication is vital for successful risk management because although management understands potential issues, workers working in risky environments have a more sophisticated understanding of each […]

4 Advantages To Utilizing Double Deep Selective Pallet Racking In Your Warehouse

Double deep selective racking solutions provide twice the pallet positions per aisle of single selective racking, maximizing pallet storage while remaining a very basic rack configuration. Inventory flow changes to a FILO (First In, Last Out) configuration, which decreases selectivity, but the storage to aisle space ratio improves significantly. Here are 4 advantages to using […]

3 Benefits Of Omni-Channel Distribution Integration

Omnichannel – “A multi-channel approach to sales that seeks to provide customers with a seamless shopping experience, whether they are shopping online from a desktop or mobile device, by telephone or in a brick and mortar store.” Ecommerce and the Amazon effect have affected the distribution landscape in such a way that it may no […]

FIFO vs LIFO Inventory Flow

FIFO (First In, First Out) – An inventory flow where the first item in is the first item to leave the warehouse or racking solution.  Stock Keeping Units (SKU’s) enter and the first in is the first to leave a DC or warehouse.  This type of inventory flow is ideal for perishable goods and SKU […]

How to Make a Rack System That Lasts 20 Years

When properly designed, constructed, installed and maintained, a pallet rack system will provide years of safe, trouble-free service.  When properly engineered, pallet rack systems are loaded well within their ultimate design capacity and the stress caused by day-to-day loading and unloading cause virtually no “wear” to the structural components.  If properly used and not damaged, we […]

When is Your Operation a Good Candidate for an automated storage and handling system?

Automated storage and handling systems can substantially increase your throughput and storage density capabilities but how do you know if an automated storage and retrieval system will benefit your warehouse operations?  Here are a few things to consider: When your operation is running 18-24 hours a day, 5 to 7 days a week: Typically single […]

How Much Weight Can a Rack System Hold?

While this is one of the most frequently asked questions, the answer is unfortunately, “it depends”.  How much weight a rack system can hold depends on a number of factors including: Load Beam Capacity: The first step in determining a rack system capacity is what weight can each pair of beams hold.  Beam capacity varies […]

How Do You Maintain A Safe Rack System?

Rack systems should be inspected by a qualified rack system inspector at least once a year, more often if there is frequent system damage.  Results of the inspections should be documented and maintained for future reference.  While a visual inspection will show obviously damaged it is very important to follow a few simple steps. These […]

4 Things to Know when Installing Rack in a Cold Storage Facility

What things should you consider when you are installing rack in a cold storage facility? Warehouse operation in industrial freezer facilities requires special care to ensure that you have a safe and long lasting system.  A few factors to consider: 1.  Damage Control: Due to the harsh operating conditions, freezer rack is typically subject to […]

How Much Does a Rack System Cost?

When selecting a rack system, it is important to look at the total system cost, rather than just the rack itself to ensure that you are selecting the overall system that will provide the best long term value for the operation.  Some factors to consider: Style of Rack: Rack systems can range from single deep […]

What to do if a Rack System is Damaged

Rack systems are designed to meet a specific set of load and performance criteria based on the assumption that the components are intact and not damaged.  Any time a component is damaged, the capacity/integrity of the system is reduced and compromised.  Significant damage to a single component, or an accumulation of damage to multiple components […]

7 Mistakes to Avoid When Designing a New Distribution Center

Designing a new distribution center is a complicated process involving numerous factors that must be addressed to ensure success.  After observing thousands of rack system project installations, below are a few common mistakes that we have seen made during the design process that either delay or slow the opening of the facility, or longer term […]

How Does a Pushback Rack System work?

When distribution facility operators are looking to densify their storage layout (store up to twice as many pallets in the same facility when compared with selective rack), many times Pushback Rack systems can be an excellent alternative.  A pushback rack system is a LIFO system, normally composed of an inclined rail section that extends the […]

What are the different types of rack and why select one vs. another?

There are many different types of pallet racking configurations that can be selected by end users depending on their storage needs. They range from  low density selective rack all the way to high-density pushback , drive in, and pallet flow systems. Each configuration has advantages and disadvantages: Selective Pallet Rack: Single selective pallet rack is […]

What is the difference Between Structural and Roll Form Rack?

A pallet rack system’s basic function is to help warehouse operators to improve the storage density of their facilities by storing pallets vertically to make use of the vertical space in the warehouse efficiently.  Pallet racks can be configured in a wide variety of ways to meet customer’s needs ranging from low density, high selectivity […]

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