Kailee's Group Question- Since there are so many types of pallets, what is the best palletised storage out of all ?

To choose the best palletized storage out of these pallets, we have to consider the characteristics of the items stored, e.g. weight, package and size, stocks and throughput levels, how much is the company capital, warehouse layout and the size of the warehouse, e.g. height, space of warehouse. Other factor includes value of the goods and deterioration factors. There is no best palletized storage as it will have to depend on the items and company characteristics.

For Block Stacking, it is limit to certain weight/levels and is a poor use of cubic capacity in the warehouse, but it is popular due to its low costs or rather, no cost is involved at all. This technique is suitable when there are a limited number of product lines. If you want to choose this technique, you have to consider hazard factors- fire risks and number of line items.

Adjustable Pallet Racking (APR) is the second cheapest in the term of costs. This technique is suitable as it is inexpensive, also, beam height can be adjusted for different pallet load heights. However building space utilization is low, only 50%.


Double deep pallet racking gives a space utilization of approximately 60%. This system is suitable for line items of having at least 2 pallets worth of stocks. However, there is a need to have double reach trucks, which will provide improved space utilization. There is a loss of absolute FIFO.


Drive-in and drive-through racking has a space utilization rate of about 70%. It is suitable for a small number of high stock product lines.


Live Storage has a space utilization rate of about 80%. It is expensive and suitable only for high throughput per line item. The key advantage of live storage is its high density storage. As live storage system provides automatic FIFO product rotation, it is suitable for perishable and time-sensitive products. However, the system is limited by the size of your facility.


Powered Mobile Storage provide high space utilization rate of approximately 90% and random access to every pallet, however it is the most expensive. It is suitable for low throughput products and long-term storage purpose.



Thus, in conclusion adjustable pallet racking (APR) is cheap in term of costs, however space utilization rate is only 50%. Mobile racking system provides the highest space utilization rate, approximately 90% but it is the most expensive, around $200,000.