What aisle width do I need?

Aisle width is set by the lift truck: counterbalance trucks typically need about 12–13 feet, reach trucks about 8–10 feet and very-narrow-aisle equipment about 5–6 feet. We confirm actual truck specifications and load dimensions; aisle width has a major effect on storage density.

How much weight can pallet rack hold?

There is no single capacity: beam capacity is per pair, per level, while frame capacity depends on height and beam spacing. We size beams and frames from your heaviest pallet, and capacities go on load plaques.

How long does it take to get and install pallet rack?

Standard teardrop sizes often quick-ship, while high-density systems and non-standard sizes take longer; lead time is confirmed on the quote. Installation time depends on bay count and site readiness, and we schedule it around the approved layout and your operation.

What type of pallet rack do I need?

Selective teardrop rack is the default for mixed SKUs; pushback is two to six deep, LIFO by SKU; pallet flow is for FIFO or dated stock; drive-in is for bulk storage with few SKUs. Cantilever holds long loads, and carton flow serves case picking.

Obetz, Ohio

Drive-In Rack in Obetz, OH

Aisles are the most expensive square footage in a warehouse, because they hold no product at all. Obetz operations running import distribution, third-party logistics and freight consolidation near Rickenbacker, I-270 and Columbus Logistics Park South that carry large volumes of a small number of SKUs are usually the ones leaving the most storage on the table with a selective layout. Drive-in rack removes the aisle entirely — the forklift drives inside the lane itself and sets pallets on continuous rails, packing far more positions into the same footprint.

The cost of that density is access: only the pallets at the open end of a lane near I-270 and the Rickenbacker interchange are reachable until the ones in front come out. That tradeoff makes sense for bulk buffer stock or seasonal inventory, and it makes no sense the moment SKU variety climbs, which is why the layout has to match what is actually moving through a Obetz building before lanes get built.

614-379-4436

Why Obetz Warehouses Work With Us

The buildings we see near I-270 and the Rickenbacker interchange with the biggest drive-in opportunity are the ones carrying a handful of SKUs in real bulk, which is the inventory profile where this system beats selective, pushback or flow by the widest margin.

Lane width, rail height and mast clearance have to be dimensioned to the specific forklift entering the lane, not a generic truck, since a import distribution, third-party logistics and freight consolidation operation near Rickenbacker, I-270 and Columbus Logistics Park South may run equipment with different mast and backrest dimensions than the building next door.

A hybrid layout often works best in Obetz: selective rack at the pick face for SKUs that need direct access, with drive-in lanes behind it for bulk reserve of the same product, so neither function slows the other down. Rail runs and guide rails take the brunt of daily forklift contact, so specifying that hardware up front protects the structure where lift trucks enter and leave the lanes.

Free warehouse consultation

CAD layout with position counts

Installation by trusted installation partners

Drive-in pallet rack lanes fitted with continuous rails

Drive-in warehouse racking loaded with bulk pallets

Operations We Rack Around Here

Nearby areas we work in regularly include the Rickenbacker logistics hub, Rickenbacker Inland Port, Alum Creek Drive, Parsons Avenue industrial, Creekside.

Import distribution

Third-party logistics

Retail fulfillment

Freight consolidation

How Drive-In Rack Works

Storage lanes replace internal access aisles. Forklifts enter the structure to handle bulk pallets.

Continuous rails, not beams

Pallets rest on rails carried by upright frames rather than individual beam levels, so a lane accepts pallet after pallet at the same elevation.

The truck enters the lane

The driver travels inside the bay to place or retrieve each load. Lane width, rail height, and mast clearance get dimensioned to that specific truck, not a generic one.

One open end or two

One open end gives LIFO and the highest density available. Two open ends give FIFO with slightly fewer positions, since each lane now needs clearance from both sides.

Guarding built into the design

Guide rails, column guards, and rail-end protection are part of the spec from the start, because lift trucks enter the structure during loading and retrieval.

What a Obetz Drive-In Rack Project Includes

Design starts with the forklift, not the rack. Mast height, overall width, load backrest and turning clearance for the truck entering the lane are collected first, before anything is drawn for a Obetz operation near Rickenbacker, I-270 and Columbus Logistics Park South. Rail elevations are checked against the forklift's mast height at full extension so a loaded pallet clears the rail above it without contact.

Next we look at SKU depth. A lane that never fills with product moving through I-270 and the Rickenbacker interchange is an expensive way to store less than selective rack would have held, so import distribution, third-party logistics and freight consolidation inventory gets reviewed for concentration before lanes are sized.

The quote itemizes frames, rails, rail supports, guide rails and column protection, with a layout showing lane depth, rail elevations and total positions specific to the Obetz building in question. Rail support spacing is matched to pallet weight so a fully loaded lane near I-270 and Rickenbacker does not deflect under the heaviest SKU stored in it.

Installation partners anchor, plumb and align every rail run, then verify a loaded pallet travels the full lane before the system is handed over. Guarding is built into the spec from the start, since lanes used daily near Rickenbacker, I-270 and Columbus Logistics Park South take regular forklift contact over time.

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

Call 614-379-4436

Recent Installations

Racking projects completed for warehouses across Central Ohio.

Drive-in pallet rack system installed in a warehouse — Drive-in pallet rack

Carton flow rack bays with gravity roller beds — Carton flow rack

Tall selective pallet rack rows with wire decking — Selective pallet rack

Warehouse aisle of selective pallet rack with wire decking — Selective pallet rack with wire decking

Newly installed pallet rack rows in an empty warehouse — New warehouse rack installation

Long rows of green and orange selective pallet rack — Selective pallet rack rows

Wide view of a warehouse racking layout with wire decking — Warehouse racking layout

Multiple rows of pallet rack in a distribution warehouse — Pallet rack rows

Cantilever rack with orange arms installed against a warehouse wall — Cantilever rack

Push back pallet rack carts and rails installed in a cold storage room — Push back pallet rack

View More Projects

Get a Drive-In Rack Quote for Your Obetz Warehouse

Send the basics and we will follow up with a layout and pricing. Prefer to talk it through? Call 614-379-4436.

Columbus Pallet Rack

4551 Wright Ave.

Unit #2092

Columbus, OH 43213

614-379-4436

Monday - Friday: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Name *

Company *

Email *

Phone *

Where are you located? *

Approximate warehouse size *

Expected timeframe *

Additional Information

I consent to receive SMS and email communications from Columbus Pallet Rack regarding my quote request. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out.

We respect your privacy. Your information will never be shared.