Drive-In Rack in Elkridge, Maryland

Retail distributors near I-95 and MD-100 often pre-build inventory: holiday goods, outdoor products, back-to-school items. Those arrive as many pallets of a few SKUs and leave over several weeks.

Drive-in pallet rack stores that build densely, one SKU per lane, so the rest of the building keeps working normally.

Pre-season is also the right moment to refresh floor guides, since new drivers arrive just as volume climbs.

Density only counts if lanes are full. A lane holding two pallets of an item uses the same steel as one holding twelve.

We size lane depth from the typical build per SKU and leave smaller items to selective or pushback storage.

One-entry lanes release the last pallet loaded first. For seasonal goods without dates, that rarely matters.

Drive-thru racking, open at both ends, gives first-in, first-out flow for dated products, at the cost of a second aisle.

The truck enters the structure, so lane width is built around its body, mast and overhead guard. We need the make, model and dimensions of every truck that will work the lanes.

Entry guides center the truck and post protectors take bumps.

Pallets ride on rails along their edges. Rail spacing follows the pallet width you use, so mixed vendor pallets need a standard at receiving.

Overhanging loads should be avoided; they catch on uprights as trucks enter.

Elkridge mixes newer buildings near Dorsey with older Patapsco-corridor space. Older buildings may have lower clear heights and tighter column grids; we lay lanes between columns and confirm truck clearance.

Newer buildings allow more levels in a drive-in rack.

When the season ends, lanes empty and can hold the next build. Labeling lanes by season keeps planning simple and helps temporary staff put pallets in the right place.

For SKUs with fewer pallets, pushback rack in Elkridge keeps trucks out of the structure. Fast, dated SKUs fit an Elkridge pallet flow system.

Depth follows the build. If a seasonal SKU brings thirty pallets and you stack five high, six deep fits it exactly.

Oversized lanes sit partly empty for months, which wastes the floor you meant to save. A drive-in rack should be sized from real build history, not guesses.

The aisle in front of the block must allow the truck to turn and enter squarely. Counterbalance trucks usually need about 12 to 13 feet.

Place the block between receiving and the outbound docks so seasonal freight moves in one direction during the build and again when it ships.

When lanes empty after a peak, inspect each one before the next build. Empty lanes are the easiest time to see bent rails or loose anchors.

Replace damaged parts then, before pallets cover them again. That habit keeps a seasonal block in good shape for years and gives temporary drivers a clean start.

As a division of Warehouse Equipment & Supplies Co., our team brings experience supplying and installing rack that dates to 1997.

Visit the Elkridge service area page or the drive-in rack overview, then send seasonal build sizes, pallet types and truck specs for a free drawing.

Baltimore Pallet Racks

1400 W. Lombard St.

Unit #687

Baltimore, MD 21223

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

Is drive-in rack useful for seasonal builds in Elkridge?

What happens to drive-in lanes after the season?

Does drive-in work with mixed vendor pallets?

Can drive-in be first in, first out?