Growing Business with Pallet Rack Flow Storage System Oct 31, 2007 
Dynamic flow storage racks help C&M Fine Pack continue growth, clear logistics bottlenecks
Having just added 118,000 sq. ft. to their Fort Wayne facility, you wouldn't expect C&M Fine Pack to need another 160,000 sq. ft. of space, including 90,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space, just three years later. But as the fastest growing packaging company in the industry, its upscale disposable packaging is hot among food retailers seeking to distinguish their wares, reduce mess and extend use. Yet to continue growth, clear logistics bottlenecks and meet end-of-year demand, the company's expansion required maximum pallet rack space in a minimal footprint. The solution: a warehouse dynamic flow storage system.
Challenges loomed. "Because we have high standards for food safety, our facility primarily uses plastic pallets internally, which generally have difficulty flowing on typical industry dynamic storage racks," says Tim Pancake, a C&M Fine Pack project engineer. In a flow storage system, dynamic flow rails are inclined in a static rack structure, allowing loads placed on one end to move by gravity on rollers to the unloading end, with speed controllers acting as gentle brakes. As a load is removed, the loads behind it move forward automatically.
"We use a wide range of pallet weights, which typical dynamic storage braking systems can't accommodate," adds Pancake. "Vendors wanted us to designate half our storage for light loads and half for heavy loads. Our concern was, if half our product mix was all light or heavy from month to month, half our warehouse capacity could go unused." Additionally, to track food industry lot numbers, efficient "first in first out" (FIFO) inventory management was required on packaging products.
The company turned to Southwest Docking and Handling, a material handling and automated systems distributor, and Steel King, a flow storage system and pallet rack manufacturer. "Steel King's was the only system that allowed flow of the plastic pallets we needed," says Pancake, who was impressed by how quickly the project was completed
to meet end-of-year demand. "The unmodified system also worked well for loads stored on wooden pallets that another customer required."
Because the dynamic flow system depth, height, and width were limited only by the size of the facility and capabilities of the material handling equipment, it was a good fit for C&M Fine Pack's high volume, space efficient needs. Once loaded, FIFO product rotation is automatic and the rack eliminates labor and fork truck operation to arrange loads. Forklifts are required only for the initial and final unloading. Since only two aisles are necessary, aisle space can be reduced by 75 percent and up to 100 percent more product can be stored than with traditional selective pallet racking.
To avoid construction and logistics bottlenecks, Southwest Docking and Handling helped to integrate the pallet rack dynamic flow storage system with warehouse space and material handling equipment. To minimize interference between production and warehouse forklift traffic, load and unload aisles were created, and the aisles were rotated by 90° to improve sightlines. Steel Guard protective railings were added to protect equipment and personnel from fork lift damage.
"The improved logistics has sped inventory pick time and reduced rack damage significantly," says Pancake. "It keeps production and warehouse working smoothly together."
To allow for a varied product mix and demand, pallet rack depths between 7 and 12 deep were specified on the dynamic storage racks. An indirect braking system, using one interior wheel controlling two outer wheels in contact with the pallets, provides the flexibility needed to handle various pallet loads without designating light or heavy lanes.
"The indirect braking system accommodates all our pallet loads, so we avoid designating lanes and avoid the labor and trouble of sorting or mis-sorting by pallet load," says Pancake. "This gives us the flexibility to store product where and when we want it, so we reclaim warehouse space that could otherwise go unused."
"With the flexibility and reliability of Steel King's pallet rack flow storage system, we don't worry about storage limitations," concludes Pancake. "It's helped us to vary our product mix while streamlining logistics and delivery so we can continue growing to meet customers' needs."
For more info on dynamic storage, contact Donald Heemstra at Steel King, 2700 Chamber St., Stevens Point, WI 54481; call 800-826-0203; email: dheemstra@steelking.com or visit the website www.steelking.com.
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