The essential points at a glance
A pallet flow rack is suitable when you store many identical pallets with high turnover in a small space and want to map FIFO cleanly. BITO uses separate inbound and outbound sides to keep material flow continuous and reduce travel distances. According to BITO, compared with a conventional pallet rack you can save up to 60% of storage space.
What we repeatedly notice in projects: the bottleneck is often not the hall itself but how the space is used. This is exactly where BITO with pallet flow racks starts when more usable storage capacity is needed from existing space.
When is a pallet flow rack the right solution?
A pallet flow rack is especially suitable when you move large quantities of the same item, need to secure replenishment and want to pick pallets according to the FIFO principle. Goods are stored by type and automatically prepared at the pick side, which simplifies processes in the warehouse, picking and shipping. BITO therefore describes the solution as suitable for fast-moving products with continuous access.
- High goods turnover with few products
- Clean FIFO storage with separate inbound and outbound sides
- Short paths between goods receipt, storage and shipping
- Sortiment-accurate pallet storage with secured replenishment
When is the solution not suitable?
A pallet flow rack is not the first choice if you store a very large variety of items with small quantities per item or if every pallet must be reachable at any time. In such cases other shelving systems are usually more flexible because direct access is more important than maximum space utilization. Also for very highly automated performance requirements another storage technology may better fit.
| System | When it fits better | Limit compared to pallet flow rack |
|---|---|---|
| Classic pallet rack | Many items, direct access to each pallet | Less space utilization for the same hall size |
| Entry or insertion rack | Large quantities of the same article without FIFO constraint | Less transparent and not designed for separate inbound/outbound |
| Automated pallet warehouse | Maximum performance and high degree of automation | Higher system complexity and other investment framework |
How does a BITO project run?
From my experience in project work, clean analysis comes first, not the shelving system itself. At BITO a project starts with examining warehouse processes, goods flows and available space; only after that comes the concept for the appropriate design of the shelving systems.
- Analysis of warehouse processes, goods flows and space
- Concept development and design of the system
- Delivery of shelving systems
- On-site installation
- Commissioning and handover
Which costs determine the price?
Costs are calculated on a project basis at BITO, because every warehouse has different pallet dimensions, different FIFO and material flow requirements, as well as different structural conditions. In addition there is installation effort and possible special solutions. If you only ask for a price without clarifying the process side, you are often comparing apples with pears.
| Cost factor | What it influences |
|---|---|
| Pallet dimensions | Format, load capacity and spacing of the goods |
| FIFO and material flow requirements | Flow, buffers and desired process logic |
| Installation and construction | Structural conditions and on-site effort |
| Special solutions | Individual adaptations to the storage environment |
Things to pay attention to in planning
A flow rack does not pay off solely by the rack area but by the entire process. If item variety is high or access to individual pallets must be constantly switched, the solution loses its advantage.
Why does floor utilization surprise many?
If you have too little space today, the problem is often not the storage area, but how it is used.
This point is often decisive in practice: the savings come not from magic but from fewer aisles and a clear material flow. For the pallet flow rack, BITO states up to 60% storage space savings compared with a conventional pallet rack. This is especially relevant where identical items must remain quickly available.
The example of Getränke Essmann GmbH shows the everyday effect: it involved large beverage quantities, faster goods flow and more compact use of space. With the FIFO principle and separate inbound/outbound sides, pallets were ready at the pick side while travel routes were reduced.
Frequently asked questions
Can a pallet flow rack also be combined with buffer levels?
Is FIFO always mandatory with this system?
How do I know another shelving system would be better?
How quickly can the effect be felt in operation?
If you want to check whether your space is limited by hall boundaries or by process logic, a systematic analysis of material flows is worthwhile. This is exactly where BITO has the lever to turn existing space into more usable storage capacity and cleaner FIFO flow.
Planen Sie Ihr Palettendurchlaufregal mit BITO
BITO-Lagertechnik Bittmann AG, Rotkreuz