Drive-in pallet racking lane
Product · No. 04 · High-density storage

Drive-in racking.

Forklift drives into the rack. LIFO. No aisles between bays. The highest-density system in our catalogue — common in cold storage and same-SKU bulk.

Up to +95% positions vs selective To 3,000 lb / pallet Engineered to CSA A344-17 + ANSI MH16.1 In-house since 2011
What it is

Density over selectivity.

Pallets store several deep on continuous side rails with no aisles between — the forklift drives straight into the lane. The highest-density LIFO system in our catalogue, common in food, beverage, and cold-chain pharma where same-SKU bulk dominates. Because freezer and cooler operations want every cubic foot earning rent, drive-in is where it earns the most.

Few SKUs, high volume LIFO flow Cold-storage favourite
Anatomy

The components, labeled.

Five parts make the lane work. The rails carry the pallets, the arms carry the rails — and the open front is what lets the truck drive in.

Drive-in racking mechanics — lane side elevation, 3 pallets deep Side view of one drive-in lane. Upright frames carry cantilevered rail support arms at each storage level; continuous guide rails run front-to-back on the arms and the pallets sit on the rails. A forklift enters the open lane front at floor level. Last-in, first-out flow. LANE DEPTH → ← AISLE / ENTRY FORKLIFT DRIVES INTO THE LANE 1 2 3 4 5 1 Upright frame 2 Guide rail 3 Rail support arm 4 Pallet on rails 5 Open LIFO position Last in, first out · pallets sit on rails, not beams DIAGRAM · drive-in racking — lane side elevation
1 · Upright Frame

Upright Frame

Frames line both sides of the lane and carry every storage level. There are no front beams — the lane face stays open so the truck can enter.

2 · Guide Rail

Guide Rail

A continuous angle rail runs the full depth of the lane at each level. Pallets sit on the rails, not on beams — that is what makes the lane drivable.

3 · Rail Support Arm

Rail Support Arm

Cantilevered arms off each upright carry the guide rails. They transfer the pallet load from the rail into the frame at every level.

4 · Pallet on Rails

Pallet on Rails

Each pallet spans the rail pair and is placed progressively deeper into the lane. Loads store several positions deep with no aisle between them.

5 · Open LIFO Position

Open LIFO Position

The front position fills last and empties first — last in, first out. A deeper pallet is only reachable once the pallets in front of it are picked.

Specifications

Full technical detail.

Specification Standard Drive-In Heavy Drive-In Max-Bay Drive-In
Lane Configuration
Pallets deep4-deep6-deep8-10 deep
Levels high3-54-65-7
Density vs selective+75%+90%+95%
Capacity
Capacity per pallet2,500 lb2,500 lb3,000 lb
Capacity per lane30,000 lb45,000 lb60,000+ lb
Frame & Rail
Post profile3" structural3" structural3.5" structural
Post gauge12ga11ga10ga
Rail profileSteel angleHeavy steel angleReinforced steel angle
Slab & Anchors
Slab spec6" min6" min, 4,000 PSI8" min, 4,000 PSI
Anchor size5/8"5/8"3/4"
Impact guardsRequiredRequiredRequired
Finish & Compliance
FinishPowder-coat or galvGalvanizedGalvanized
CSA A344-17 aligned
Cold storage ratedOptionalStandardStandard
Operations
Lead time2-3 weeks3-4 weeks5-6 weeks
Install crew size4-55-66-8
Permit requiredUsuallyYesYes
CSA A344-17 ANSI MH16.1 WSIB INSURED MLITSD-READY BILL 41 COMPLIANT IN-HOUSE SINCE 2011
Applications

Where drive-in racking wins.

Cold chain

Cold storage / freezer

Lowers cubic footage requiring HVAC. Standard configuration in -20°C freezer and 2°C cooler operations.

Bulk SKU

Same-SKU bulk

Where each lane stores one SKU end-to-end. Common in beverage, frozen food, and seasonal-bulk operations.

Stable stock

Slow-moving / stable SKU

Where pallets sit for weeks-to-months. LIFO ordering matters less; cube efficiency matters most.

Dark steel racking with overhead clearance signage STOCK · dark steel racking with clearance signage · swap in Sprint R
Best for

Where drive-in earns its keep.

Cold storage where every cooled cubic foot is expensive. Beverage and food distribution with few SKUs and high volume. Seasonal stock that moves in waves. If you store a lot of the same thing, drive-in packs the most pallets into the least floor — up to +95% more positions than selective.

Get a written quote

Drive-In Racking — engineered to your spec

Send your warehouse dimensions + SKU profile + throughput target. We'll come back with an engineer-stamped layout + itemized quote within 5 business days. Or grab the spec sheet to size it yourself — engineer-stamped drawings available on request.

Download Spec Sheet (PDF)

Build your drive-in layout.

Pick your space, watch it assemble, and get a ballpark in 60 seconds. If drive-in is the right call, the same in-house crew supplies, installs, and certifies it.

60 seconds · no obligation · across the GTA · (647) 692-4416