Drive-In Rack in Baltimore, Maryland

Upright frames stand in rows with no beams across the front at the lower levels. Pallets sit on rails that run the depth of each lane, supported along their edges.

The operator drives in, places the first pallet at the back, then backs out and returns with the next. Lanes fill from back to front and empty from front to back.

That is the source of the density. Aisles disappear inside the block, and drive-in pallet rack often stores far more pallets in the same footprint than selective rows.

In a one-sided drive-in, the last pallet loaded is the first out. That suits product with no date pressure, or items that ship in whole lots.

If the oldest pallet must leave first, drive-in is the wrong choice unless you build it as drive-thru.

Drive-thru racking opens both ends of each lane. Pallets load from one side and leave from the other, giving first-in, first-out rotation with drive-in density.

It needs an aisle at both ends, so it uses more floor than one-sided drive-in.

Port-related distributors around Curtis Bay and Locust Point often hold large lots of a single import item. Food and beverage warehouses near the I-95 / I-895 corridor hold deep runs of a few SKUs.

Both patterns fill drive-in lanes completely, which is when the system pays off.

Much of Baltimore's warehouse stock is older, with tight column grids and moderate clear height. Lane width and depth have to fit between columns while leaving room for the truck to enter and turn.

We measure the grid first and draw lanes around it.

Rails must suit the pallet: wide enough to support the edges, with the lane opening wide enough for the truck's mast and overhead guard.

Send the make, model and mast dimensions of the truck that will work the lanes. The lane is built around it, with clearance on every side.

Floor-mounted guide rails at lane entrances keep the truck centered. Upright protectors at the openings take the bumps that come with driving into steel every shift.

Operators need training to drive straight and slow inside the lanes.

If SKUs hold two to six pallets each, pushback rack in Baltimore keeps trucks out of the lanes and gives more separate faces. If strict FIFO is required with moderate depth, a Baltimore pallet flow system is often the better tool.

Heavy beverage or canned-food pallets set rail and upright capacity in a drive-in rack. We size every part for the heaviest pallet you store, lane depth and height.

Light, tall loads in a drive-in rack need stable wrap so they do not lean into uprights.

Check entry posts and rails weekly. A dented rail can catch a pallet, and a bent post near the opening should be reviewed before more loads go in.

Keep lane floors clear of broken boards and wrap, which can foul the truck as it enters.

Behind this site stands Warehouse Equipment & Supplies Co.; we operate as its division, and it has put up storage across the region since 1997.

Read the drive-in rack product guide or the Baltimore service area page, then send pallet sizes, weights, pallets per SKU, truck specs and building measurements for a free layout.

Baltimore Pallet Racks

1400 W. Lombard St.

Unit #687

Baltimore, MD 21223

Monday - Friday: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM

When does drive-in rack make sense in a Baltimore warehouse?

Is drive-in first in, first out?

Can drive-in fit an older city building with tight columns?

What truck information do you need?