Racking glossary and storage lexicon

Pallet racking

Pallet racking made of upright frames, beams and accessories selected for the pallets and site. A selective configuration gives direct access; loads, height, galvanizing, outdoor use and any roof require project validation.

Synonyms : pallet rack, pallet racking

Choose it for direct pallet access; level load, height and aisle width must be validated with the manufacturer.

Cantilever racking

Racking for long and bulky loads such as tubes, sheets, panels or bars. The catalogue shows several configurations, but arms, spacing, dimensions, load, slab and anchors require validation for the selected model.

Synonyms : long-load racking, cantilever rack

Arm depth and capacity are determined by the length, weight and rigidity of the loads.

Medium-duty shelving

Designed for manual handling of bulky products, in workshops or stockrooms. Levels adjust in 50 mm increments and come in several finishes: chipboard, melamine or steel shelves, reinforced with cross-bars if needed. It can also be used for dynamic picking with inclined rails.

Synonyms : medium-duty shelving, longspan shelving

Suited to manual picking; compare load per level, usable depth and picking frequency.

Light-duty shelving

Modular steel shelving made of uprights and adjustable shelves. Simple and economical, it suits small parts storage in workshops as well as archive files in offices.

Mobile shelving

Mobile shelving eliminates the space lost to circulation aisles: bays move on floor-mounted rails, effortlessly, via a crank handle and rack-and-pinion drive. Only the working aisle stays open, maximizing storage capacity.

Industrial platform / mezzanine

A free-standing structure that adds usable floor area at height for storage, offices or enclosures. The footprint, loads, floor, access and protective equipment are defined by the project study.

Industrial walkway (shelving-supported floor)

Unlike a free-standing mezzanine, the shelving supports the floor and runs through the levels. The added usable area, stairs, guardrails and pallet safety gates are sized for the footprint, flows and project study.

Gravity flow racking (FIFO / LIFO)

Pallets are stored in lanes fitted with roller beds: placed at the entrance, each pallet rolls down by gravity to the exit. Each level works independently and can hold different SKUs; the forklift never enters the lane. In double-access mode (FIFO, first in – first out), stock rotation is guaranteed — ideal for perishables; single-access installations work as LIFO.

Synonyms : gravity flow racking, dynamic picking

Dynamic racking makes sense when rotation and separated flows matter more than direct access to every pallet.

Push-back racking

A LIFO system: the last pallet loaded is the first available at the front. When loading, the new pallet pushes the previous ones backwards on roller carts; when unloading, the next pallet automatically returns to the front. The forklift driver never enters the racking.

Drive-in racking (compact storage)

Forklifts enter lanes where pallets rest on rails. Pallet format and condition, depth, guidance, load, protection and cold-room conditions require project validation; no universal threshold is published.

Pallet shuttle (semi-automatic)

A motorized shuttle travels on rails in the lanes while the forklift places pallets at the entrance. LIFO or FIFO depends on access and configuration; performance, pallets, load, safety and maintenance require model validation.