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.

Drive-in racking anatomy — lane elevation with side rails 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 DIAGRAM · drive-in lane elevation · pallets on side rails
1

Upright Frame

Same structural frame as VNA — needs the strength to handle forklift contact loading inside the lane.

2

Support Rail (Side-mounted)

Steel angle anchored to the inside of each upright. Pallets rest on the rails, not on cross-beams. No beam = forklift enters the lane.

3

Support Arm

Cross-bracing at the front of each bay column. Provides lateral stability while keeping the forklift entry clear.

4

Guide Rail (Optional)

Floor-mounted guide rail to centre the forklift in the lane. Reduces upright impact frequency by 60-80%.

5

Top Tie Beam

Beam tying the top of each frame across the bay. Distributes lateral load + prevents racking sway under dynamic forklift loading.

6

Footplate (Reinforced)

Larger plate, more anchors — forklift entering + exiting the lane creates dynamic side loads that selective racking never sees.

7

Impact Guard

Steel pillar guards at every lane entry. Highest-impact product in our catalogue — guards are not optional, they're spec.

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