Push back racks sit between selective and drive-in systems in both density and accessibility. Pallets are loaded from the front of the lane and ride on nested carts set on inclined rails. Each new pallet gently pushes the previous one back, and when the front pallet is removed, gravity pulls the remaining pallets forward to the pick face.
Unlike drive-in racking, forklifts never enter the structure. All loading and retrieval happens from the aisle, which significantly reduces the risk of upright damage. Each lane can also hold a different SKU, supporting more product variety than a drive-in configuration while still storing two to six pallets deep per lane.
Push back racking is a strong fit for operations that:
- Need more density than selective pallet racking provides without sacrificing accessibility
- Manage moderate SKU variety with LIFO-compatible inventory
- Want to reduce forklift travel time and aisle congestion
- Operate in food and beverage, distribution, or cold storage environments
The upfront cost per pallet position is higher than both selective and drive-in racking due to the cart and rail system. However, lower rack damage rates and faster cycle times often improve the total cost of ownership over time.