Pallet Flow Rack in Elkridge, Maryland

In most fulfillment buildings, a small group of SKUs drives a large share of pallet movement. Those items cause the most driver trips and the most congestion.

Pallet flow racking puts them in deep lanes with a constant pick face. Replenishment loads the back while pickers pull from the front, and neither waits for the other.

I usually ask for a week of shipping data before drawing anything. It shows which items really move and which only look busy on paper.

Many Elkridge operations near I-95 and MD-100 pick cases from pallets at floor level. A gravity flow rack makes that floor-level face refill itself, so pickers are not waiting for a replenishment truck.

Reserve can sit on the upper levels of the same lanes.

Every loaded lane needs speed controllers so pallets move at a controlled pace. An exit separator holds back the line while the front pallet is lifted.

Lane slope is set so the lightest pallet still moves and the heaviest stays under control.

Retail freight arrives on whatever pallets suppliers ship. Rollers need sound bottom boards running across them. Broken boards or loose shrink wrap catching a roller stop the lane.

Inspect pallets at receiving and route bad ones to selective rack or a repalletizing station.

Elkridge mixes newer distribution space with older buildings in the Patapsco corridor. Older buildings may limit levels, and column grids can limit lane length.

We measure columns and clear height at both ends of the planned block before setting depth.

Retail volume swings. Lanes that are full in November may run thin in March. We size depth for typical demand and plan which SKUs rotate into flow lanes for peak.

Clear lane labels make those swaps quick.

If rotation is not required, pushback rack in Elkridge holds reserve several deep from one aisle. For case picking of slower items, carton flow rack in Elkridge keeps the face compact.

The pick aisle is where the time goes. Place the fastest pallet flow rack lanes nearest to packing or the outbound doors, and keep the pick aisle one-directional so pickers are not passing each other.

Near Dorsey and the I-95 ramps, many fulfillment buildings have long, narrow footprints. Running the gravity flow rack block along the length of the building with the pick aisle facing shipping keeps routes short.

Most slow lanes trace back to how pallets were placed. Drivers should set each load square at the entry and let it roll on its own, never pushing it with the forks.

A short walkthrough for new hires during peak season prevents most early problems. Post a simple loading guide at the end of each aisle so temporary staff along US-1 see it every shift.

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 pallet flow rack overview. Share which SKUs move most and the pallets they ship on, and we will draft the pallet flow racking plan without cost.

Baltimore Pallet Racks

1400 W. Lombard St.

Unit #687

Baltimore, MD 21223

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

Is pallet flow rack worth it for fast SKUs in Elkridge fulfillment?

Can pallet flow feed a floor-level case pick area?

What causes jams in flow lanes?

How do you handle seasonal swings along US-1?