Can imported or mixed pallet formats share a lane?

Only after each format has been checked for rail bearing and clearance. A load may pass through the entrance yet lack the underside support the system requires; standardizing the storage pallet can simplify the design.

Is this a good choice for freezer reserve stock?

It can be when full pallets repeat and the required rotation matches the access arrangement. Reduced aisle area can save refrigerated cube, but evaluate pallet condition, truck operation and usable occupancy before selecting lane depth.

What should we send for a Catoosa quotation?

Send load dimensions and weights, typical pallets per product, a floor sketch and the truck data. Note any freight routes or staging areas that cannot be blocked, because those limits affect both the rack footprint and installation sequence.

When is selective storage worth the extra aisles?

Choose direct-access storage when operators frequently need individual pallets from a varied product range. A mixed layout can place bulk reserves in deep lanes while leaving short runs and changing orders accessible without moving unrelated loads.

Catoosa, Oklahoma

Drive-In Rack in Catoosa, OK

Catoosa drive-in rack can turn repeated full-pallet inventory into a compact reserve block without allocating an aisle to every row. It provides some of the densest storage when many pallets belong to a few SKUs. The decision starts with inventory patterns, not with filling every available square foot.

A drive-in pallet rack proposal should show where receiving ends and storage begins. Deep lanes need clear approaches, consistent pallets and a defined retrieval sequence. If incoming loads sit in front of the entrances, the planned capacity becomes difficult to use even when empty positions remain inside.

As a division of Warehouse Equipment & Supplies Co., we have supplied and installed rack systems since 1997. We establish pallet support, truck clearances and protection together, then relate the rack block to the working space needed for unloading, staging and daily movement.

(918) 296-8162

Drive-in rack lanes and inventory direction

Forklifts travel inside drive-in pallet rack lanes to place pallets on continuous support rails. Because the truck enters between frames, the storage dimensions must account for both its movement and the load above it; a pallet-position diagram alone does not establish a workable layout.

One open end

Drive-in storage generally follows LIFO, last-in, first-out. Loads nearest the entry must be removed before pallets stored behind them become accessible.

Two open ends

Drive-thru racking can provide FIFO, first-in, first-out, when one end receives and the opposite end dispatches. Allow handling aisles on both sides rather than counting that space as additional storage.

Rails and guides

Select rail support and guide spacing for the actual pallet underside, load weight and truck dimensions. Overhang and inconsistent pallet construction need review before the lane width is fixed.

Truck envelope

Mast height, truck width and turning clearance decide lane dimensions and approach requirements. Check attachments and loaded lifting capability at the intended upper level, not just nominal truck capacity.

Where drive-in pallet rack suits bulk inventory

Repeated packaged material can share deep lanes when product assignment and stock rotation are stable. Keep each lane compatible with the intended retrieval order. A large total inventory does not automatically justify depth if that inventory is spread across many products with only one or two pallets of each.

Cooler and freezer storage can benefit from fewer aisles inside the refrigerated cube, leaving more space for pallet positions. Compare that gain against rotation needs and real lane occupancy. For frequent individual access, selective rack is a stronger starting point; pushback is worth reviewing when lane storage fits but truck entry does not.

Free Design Consultation

CAD layout with position counts

Installation coordinated with installation partners

Drive-in pallet rack lanes fitted with continuous rails

Drive-in warehouse racking loaded with bulk pallets

Operations We Rack Around Here

For port-area bulk distribution and manufacturing near Tulsa Port of Catoosa, separate freight staging from the drive-in rack footprint. I-44 / SH-66 connections and McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System barge access are reasons to review incoming load formats before sizing rails for the pallets that will actually enter storage.

Port-related distribution

Steel and fabrication material

Industrial packaging

Protect entries and preserve freight access

Include guide rails to establish the travel path, column guards at exposed uprights and rail-end protection at vulnerable entrances. Check the finished opening with all protection included. A layout should not rely on removing guards to make a particular forklift fit inside the lane.

Confirm pallet condition before loading and establish a way to report bent rails or damaged frames. Changes in packaging, weight or pallet footprint deserve another review, especially when inbound freight arrives on formats different from those used internally. Do not assume a smaller pallet will receive adequate rail support.

Installation planning should identify unloading space, assembly areas and the sequence for handing storage back to operations. Keep staging separate from active freight routes. Hot, humid summer conditions in non-air-conditioned buildings can affect work arrangements, while severe weather or winter ice may require changes to delivery and installation scheduling.

High volume of a small number of SKUs

Seasonal or buffer inventory held in bulk

Cold storage and freezer rooms where cube matters most

Product too fragile to floor-stack more than two high

Buildings where floor space, not height, is the binding constraint

Catoosa warehouse storage Drive-in rack specifications Compare LIFO pushback Compare FIFO pallet flow

Call (918) 296-8162

Recent Installations

Racking projects completed for warehouses across the Tulsa metro and northeastern Oklahoma.

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Get a Catoosa drive-in rack layout priced

Provide representative pallet measurements, maximum loaded heights and weights, quantities by SKU and truck specifications. Mark freight staging, columns, doors and the area that can be released for installation. With those inputs, we can compare practical drive-in rack storage blocks and identify where extra density would compromise access. Call (918) 296-8162.