Pallet Flow Rack in Columbia, Maryland

Medical and electronics inventory often carries lot numbers or expiration dates. With static rack, rotating them depends on the driver choosing the right pallet every time.

Pallet flow racking removes that choice. The first pallet loaded is the only one a picker can reach, so lots leave in order without anyone checking.

A flow block has a loading aisle on one side and a picking aisle on the other. Receiving fills lanes from the back while order pickers work the front.

In Columbia flex buildings, that layout also separates dock traffic from the packing area beside the office.

Buildings along Snowden River Parkway and in Oakland Mills often run 18 to 32 feet clear. A gravity flow rack in that range usually stacks two to four levels.

Lanes slope downhill, so the loading end sits higher than the pick end. That rise is part of the height calculation, along with the pallet and lift clearance.

Consumer-brand and medical suppliers rarely hold dozens of pallets per SKU. Lanes three to six pallets deep usually match the volume and keep lanes full.

Deep lanes that sit half empty waste the extra rollers. We size depth from pallets on hand during busy weeks.

Speed controllers along each lane hold pallets to a steady pace. At the exit, a separator holds the second pallet back while the first is removed, so loads never press against the forks.

Lightweight pallets of electronics need enough slope to move; heavier cases need more braking. Both are set during design.

Rollers support the bottom boards. A cracked board or a pallet with boards running the wrong direction can hang up mid-lane.

Agree on one pallet type for flow lanes. Inbound freight on other pallets goes to selective rack or gets re-palletized at receiving.

Pushback also stores several deep, but it is last in, first out and uses one aisle. If lot order matters, flow is the right call. For reserve stock without rotation rules, pushback rack in Columbia uses less floor.

Kitting lines that pick parts by the case or tote often pair the flow block with carton flow rack in Columbia at the pick face.

Smaller Columbia operations often have one block of a few lanes. That makes each lane important: one stuck pallet can hold up a full SKU.

Walk the lanes weekly. Check that rollers spin, brakes are intact and nothing hangs under the lane. A gravity flow rack in good condition rarely needs attention beyond that, and the weekly look takes minutes.

Label both ends of every lane with the SKU. When lots change, a quick label check at the load end prevents a new lot from going into the wrong lane.

Baltimore Pallet Racks, a division of Warehouse Equipment & Supplies Co., has quoted, supplied and installed rack since 1997.

Look through the pallet flow rack product page and the Columbia service area page. Email us your pallet dimensions, load weights and how many pallets each lot brings, and our team will lay out your pallet flow racking at no charge.

Baltimore Pallet Racks

1400 W. Lombard St.

Unit #687

Baltimore, MD 21223

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

Can pallet flow rack keep medical-device lots in order in Columbia?

How many levels fit in an 18 to 24 foot Columbia building?

How deep should lanes be for moderate volumes?

What pallets work best in flow lanes?