Drive-In Rack in Sparrows Point, Maryland

With deep-water berths and CSX / Norfolk Southern rail access, single-SKU lots arrive at a scale few other locations see. Drive-in pallet rack stores those lots compactly.

Each lane holds one item, emptied front to back as orders ship.

Large tenants usually have a safety team already, so adding the rack walk to their weekly checklist is simple. Pair it with lighting checks inside lanes, since dim lanes lead to more contact and slower put-away at upper levels.

Good lighting also helps camera aids work as intended on tall trucks.

Buildings at 32 to 40 feet clear allow many levels. Upper levels need truck reach checks, mast clearance inside lanes and operator visibility aids.

When older lots must ship first, drive-thru racking loads from the receiving side and empties toward shipping. Large buildings often have room for both aisles.

At this scale, a pallet program matters: one pallet type for drive-in lanes, receiving inspection and a station to swap damaged pallets.

Rail spacing follows pallet width.

Lanes are built around the truck. Large fleets may run several models; lanes must fit the widest one. Guides at entrances and protectors at openings take daily wear.

E-commerce tenants carry thousands of SKUs, most unsuited to deep lanes. A small drive-in block for promotional builds can still free floor for pick modules.

Summer heat in large non-air-conditioned buildings affects crew scheduling. We install by zone with material staged near each, planning deliveries around Bethlehem Boulevard and I-695 access.

For moderate depth, pushback rack in Sparrows Point keeps trucks outside the lanes. Fast, dated SKUs fit a Sparrows Point pallet flow system.

Depth follows lot size. A ship lot of two hundred pallets stacked six high might fill several lanes eight deep.

Splitting large lots across lanes lets each empty and refill independently. A drive-in rack sized from real lot history stays full.

Large buildings carry heavy truck traffic. Approach aisles in front of the block should be wide enough for trucks to turn and enter squarely, and separated from pedestrian routes.

Mark lanes clearly at both ends so receiving and shipping crews can confirm SKUs.

Import freight varies widely in weight. Our engineering pass starts from the weightiest pallet in the program, multiplied out over every position, and the result goes on posted load signs.

Large tenants often grow in phases. Building the first block with standard frames lets later phases match, and we keep the drawing on file.

At this scale, inspections need a schedule. Assign someone to walk openings weekly and review upper rails periodically from a lift.

Inspect empty lanes before refilling. A drive-in rack with hundreds of positions sees damage somewhere every week; catching it early keeps lanes open.

Keep spares on site and log repairs.

Repeat damage in one lane often points to an approach or lighting issue worth correcting.

Baltimore Pallet Racks is a division of Warehouse Equipment & Supplies Co.; that company has been supplying and installing rack since 1997.

See the Sparrows Point service area page or the drive-in rack page and send lot sizes, pallet specs and fleet details for a free layout.

Baltimore Pallet Racks

1400 W. Lombard St.

Unit #687

Baltimore, MD 21223

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

Is drive-in rack worth it for ship and rail lots at Tradepoint Atlantic?

Can drive-in ship older lots first at Sparrows Point?

How do you handle a mixed truck fleet?

Does drive-in fit e-commerce buildings?