Can West Allis buildings with 16–24-foot clearance use deep lanes?

Yes, if the available levels and lane access justify the arrangement. Lower height limits vertical capacity, making accurate pallet heights and forklift movement checks particularly important.

Will columns prevent drive-in rack installation?

Not necessarily; lane groups can be positioned within uninterrupted areas. A column cannot remain in the forklift travel path, and the entry approach needs checking as carefully as the lane itself.

Should metal fabrication job pallets share deep storage?

Usually not when individual jobs need unpredictable access. Dedicated lanes work better for repeat consumables or matching stock that can be withdrawn in a known order without relocating unrelated material.

What helps compare storage choices for West Allis industrial supply?

Provide SKU balances, order frequency, pallet measurements, truck details, and a measured building plan. That information shows whether deep reserve, shallower pushback, or direct-access storage better matches daily handling.

West Allis, Wisconsin

Drive-In Rack in West Allis, WI

Name: Milwaukee Pallet Rack
Address: 7311 W Greenfield Ave., Milwaukee, WI, 53214, US
Telephone: (414) 260-3593
Price range: $$

Drive-in rack in West Allis, WI can reduce internal aisles to create room for deeper reserve inventory in a constrained industrial building. That benefit belongs mainly to operations holding many pallets of relatively few SKUs. Metal fabrication supplies and repeat industrial consumables may qualify, while varied job-specific parts often need a storage arrangement that preserves individual access.

During handling, the forklift drives on the floor inside the lane and lowers pallets onto stationary support rails. Those rails carry pallets, not forklift wheels. A single entry establishes LIFO access, so the last pallet placed becomes the first available. We belong to Warehouse Equipment & Supplies Co. as a division supplying and installing storage equipment since 1997.

(414) 260-3593

Drive-In Rack Within Older Building Dimensions

Older industrial properties near Greenfield Avenue and National Avenue can have approximately 16–24 feet of clear height and closely spaced columns. We start with the actual openings available between obstructions. For metal fabrication reserves, a shorter lane group that trucks can enter cleanly may be more useful than a deeper arrangement interrupted by the building structure.

Industrial supply movements toward I-894 also need space for order assembly and dispatch. We keep that activity in the layout discussion rather than treating it as leftover space after storage is drawn. Low height does not rule out dense storage, but it makes loaded pallet dimensions, lift movements, and the number of useful levels especially important.

Find uninterrupted storage pockets

Separate repeat stock from job material

Test support and movement together

Drive-in pallet rack lanes fitted with continuous rails

Drive-in warehouse racking loaded with bulk pallets

West Allis operating requirements

Drive-thru racking can support FIFO through opposing faces, but only where the building allows access at both ends and staff maintain the designated sequence. A second opening is not enough by itself. Pushback may be preferable when operators should keep the truck outside storage lanes, particularly for industrial supply reserves with smaller LIFO batches and more frequent SKU changes.

Metal fabrication

Industrial supply

Light assembly

Drive-In Pallet Rack Planned Around Usable Clearance

Drive-in pallet rack should be specified from the pallet’s underside as well as its outside dimensions. Rail bearing, pallet stiffness, load distribution, and placement tolerance determine whether the support arrangement is appropriate. We size stationary rails and their supports for the proposed loads, then check guide dimensions against entry conditions. Guides cannot compensate for a lane that is too narrow.

An older building may restrict both the approach and the travel path inside storage. We examine the actual truck chassis, mast, carriage, attachments, and load clearances through the complete handling movement. Turning into a lane and lifting within it are separate checks. Pallet overhang and mast position can eliminate a location that appears workable on a simple floor plan.

Supply and installation use new material, with the finished rack anchored to the floor. The planned work includes support elevations, lane grouping, component placement, and assembly access. Cooler and freezer use is possible with suitable components and handling equipment. In any temperature, the arrangement must leave adequate room to raise loads above the rails before backing out.

Compare the storage choices for your operation: West Allis equipment services; Bulk system details for West Allis; West Allis pushback comparison; West Allis pallet flow planning.

West Allis matching reserve pallets

West Allis batch storage layouts

West Allis measured truck clearances

Call (414) 260-3593

Assessing Drive-Thru Racking Access at Both Ends

Compare the lane arrangement with West Allis inventory and handling requirements before ordering material.

Find uninterrupted storage pockets

Measure columns, available height, approaches, and working aisles. Identify lane groups that fit the building without forcing awkward entry movements or taking over space used for order preparation.

Separate repeat stock from job material

Count matching reserve pallets for each SKU. Keep fabrication jobs requiring independent selection out of deep lanes unless their handling sequence genuinely allows other pallets to block access.

Test support and movement together

Review pallet bearing alongside rail size, truck dimensions, and lifting clearance. Select elevations that allow placement and retrieval, not merely enough vertical space to park a load.

Set up a controlled handover

Confirm rack anchored to the floor, new component scope, capacity identification, and lane assignments. Walk through the intended loading sequence so operators understand where each product belongs and how it leaves.