Drive-in pallet racking is a high-density storage system where forklifts drive directly into the racking structure to place and retrieve pallets stored on internal rails. With no aisles between bays, it stores significantly more pallets in the same floor area than selective racking.
It operates on a Last-In, First-Out (LIFO) basis, making it best suited to bulk storage of the same product line, cold storage environments, or any operation where storage density matters more than access to individual pallets. Absolute Storage Systems designs and installs drive-in racking across Victoria, configured to your floor dimensions and forklift type.
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Drive-in racking consists of a series of upright frames connected by horizontal rails. Pallets sit on those rails and forklifts drive into the lane to load or retrieve them, working from one end only. Because lanes replace aisles, a drive-in system can store far more pallets per square metre than selective racking.
The trade-off is access: all pallets in a lane share the same entry point, so LIFO rotation is the only practical retrieval method. Drive-in racking suits high-volume, single-SKU storage well – businesses storing a wide variety of products at low volumes generally find selective racking a better fit.
Drive-in racking needs to be engineered around your lane depth, forklift clearances and load weights before anything else. Get those wrong and the system either underperforms or creates safety risks. Absolute Storage Systems has been specifying and installing high-density racking systems since 1991.
We assess your product profile, pallet specifications, forklift type and floor dimensions to confirm drive-in racking is the right fit.
We design lane depth, rail configuration and load ratings around your specific stock and site layout.
Professionally installed in line with AS4084:2023, including column guards and load notices.
We check rail alignment, frame stability and load signage before handover.
We provide racking audits, maintenance and reconfiguration as your storage needs change.
When floor space is the constraint and you’re storing large volumes of the same product, drive-in racking gives you the highest storage density of any standard racking system. It removes the aisle space that selective racking requires and replaces it with usable pallet positions.
If you’re storing bulk stock and floor space is at a premium, drive-in racking is worth considering. Our team can assess your warehouse and confirm whether it suits your product mix and forklift setup, contact us to get started.
Selective racking gives direct access to every pallet from an aisle. Drive-in racking removes those aisles, allowing pallets to be stored multiple rows deep for higher density, but retrieval follows LIFO order rather than direct access.
Lane depth should be based on the number of pallets you typically hold per product or SKU at any one time. Matching lane depth to your actual stock profile maximises both space utilisation and operational efficiency. Under-specifying lane depth wastes potential storage; over-specifying it means lanes are rarely full and the density benefit is reduced.
It’s best suited to high-volume, single-SKU storage where LIFO rotation is acceptable. It’s not the right fit for operations needing direct access to a wide range of individual pallets.
Counterbalance forklifts are typically used. Forklift clearances within the lane need to be confirmed at the design stage to ensure safe operation.
All systems we supply and install meet AS4084:2023, the current Australian standard for steel storage racking.
We recommend a racking audit at least every 12 months, in line with AS4084:2023. Drive-in systems are particularly susceptible to forklift impact damage on internal rails and uprights, so regular inspection is especially important
As per the Australian Standard (AS4084:2023), pallet racking audits are now mandatory and must be completed every 12 months.
Ensure your facility is safe and fully compliant with a free onsite audit from our expert team.
