Pushback Rack
Push-back racking packs more pallets into less space without slowing operations. Gravity-fed lanes boost storage density, speed up access, and keep handling safe and efficient at the aisle face.
Push-back racking delivers high-density pallet storage.
Push-back racking is a high-density pallet storage system that stores pallets multiple positions deep using gravity-assisted carts or rollers. Pallets are loaded from the aisle face and pushed back into the lane, allowing the next pallet to advance forward when one is removed.
Operating on a LIFO basis, push-back racking delivers greater storage density than selective rack while maintaining easier access than drive-in systems.
High capacity storage without the congestion
Warehouses use push-back racking to increase capacity, improve throughput, and reduce forklift travel inside rack structures. Because forklifts load and retrieve pallets from a single face, handling time is reduced and rack damage is minimized.
Push-back systems are ideal for distribution and fulfillment operations with multiple SKUs, fast inventory turnover, and a need to balance dense storage with efficient, safe pallet access.
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A pushback racking system is a high-density pallet storage solution where pallets are loaded from the front onto a series of inclined carts or rollers, pushing previous pallets deeper into the rack until the last one rests on rails, allowing for Last-In, First-Out (LIFO) inventory management with more density than standard racks.
As the front pallet is removed, gravity causes the remaining pallets to flow forward, always presenting the next available pallet at the pick face without the forklift entering the rack structure, maximizing space.
- Better use of warehouse space – up to 90% more product storage than selective rack systems
- Store a variety of SKUs on different levels of lanes for easy product access
- Interlocking carts help prevent jamming and costly product damage
- Increased selectivity – up to 400% more selectivity than drive-in racks
- High storage density coupled with selectivity for faster pick rates
- Color coded carts for easy visual inventory
- LIFO inventory control – Last In First Out
A pushback rack system uses inclined rails and nesting carts to store pallets, allowing forklifts to load from the front and, using gravity, automatically move pallets back, creating dense, Last-In, First-Out (LIFO) storage where the last pallet loaded is the first one retrieved, saving space and eliminating the need to drive into the rack.
- Loading: A forklift places the first pallet on the top cart in a lane. To load the next pallet, the forklift pushes the first one back, revealing the next cart, and so on, up to several pallets deep (often 2-6).
- Storage: Pallets sit on wheeled carts that travel along angled rails, using gravity to move them back.
- Unloading (LIFO): When a pallet is picked from the front, the subsequent pallets automatically roll forward, making the next pallet easily accessible for the forklift.
Some key benefits to using a pushback system are:
- High Density: Stores more pallets in less floor space, often 2-3 times more than selective racking.
- Increased Safety: Forklifts don’t drive into the rack, reducing damage and improving safety.
- Improved Selectivity: Offers more selectivity than drive-in racking while maintaining high density.
- Simplified Operation: Simple, efficient LIFO system where the next pallet is always ready at the front.
Pushback rack systems are best suited for:
- Product SKUs with high volume and lower inventory turnover where LIFO is acceptable.
- Industries like food, beverage, and pharmaceuticals that need high density and clear product access.
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