Automated Shuttle / Satellite Racking

Automated satellite racking systems, or pallet shuttle racking systems, offer a modern solution to a common issue. If you’re a business that deals in palletised goods, whether as a wholesaler, retailer, factory, distribution centre or 3PL provider, you’ll know how space-hungry such bulky inventory can be, particularly when forklifts need to navigate your facility.

At Storepro we’ve helped some of New Zealand’s biggest brands to capitalise on the incredible capacity and efficiency gains that satellite/shuttle racking can deliver.

We’re a family-owned company that designs, engineers and builds shuttle racking systems right here in NZ. Our talented, experienced, customer-focused team will take care of every step to ensure you gain all the benefits that a fully customised warehouse shuttle system can deliver.

Satellite and shuttle racking solutions are advanced systems for storing and retrieving pallets. They feature remote-controlled, semi-automated or fully-automated ‘shuttles’, placed between tightly packed pallet racking, that can navigate to any location within the two rows that they span.

Satellite racking systems can increase the capacity of a storage facility many times over. Forklifts are space-hungry pieces of material handling equipment – a counterbalanced forklift can require up to 4m of space between each aisle. In a shuttle pallet racking system, your aisles only need to be the width of a pallet.

The terms ‘satellite’ and ‘shuttle’ are used interchangeably. Some prefer to describe the trays that move the pallets as satellites (often in particularly deep or tall systems), while others call them shuttles.

At Storepro we design and build satellite/shuttle racking systems that not only maximise the capacity of your facility, but help you work more efficiently, productively and safely too.

Automated satellite racking features.

At Storepro our clever shuttle racking systems offer the following features:

• Automation: Choose from remote-controlled or automated shuttles.
• Extremely high-density storage: Maximise your use of space and store far more inventory than ever before.
• Customisation: Choose the length, height and depth of your pallet racking, and adjust the frame height to suit your inventory.
• Durability: All Storepro satellite racking systems are made from the highest quality materials, and are designed and engineered in NZ.

Satellite racking benefits

Why choose a shuttle racking system over a traditional pallet racking solution? You’ll enjoy:

• Maximised capacity: Between deep lane storage and reduced aisle space, satellite racking systems can maximise the utilisation of floor space in your facility, at up to 90%.
• Exceptional efficiency: Automated shuttles speed up the process of loading and unloading pallets significantly, and will still work when the lights are turned off.
• Worker comfort: With robots doing the work, your team can say goodbye to long shifts in -27C cold stores, freezers and chillers.
• Enhanced safety: Minimise your use of forklifts and remove workers from racking lanes entirely to reduce the risk of incidents and accidents.
• Reduced labour costs: Automation reduces the need for manual pallet handling.
• Scalability: You can quickly and easily add extra storage as and when you need it.
• FIFO/LIFO compatibility: Configure your satellite racking system for ‘first in, first out’ (FIFO) or ‘last in, first out’ (LIFO) inventory management.

Semi-automated shuttle racking

Shuttles are moved from one lane to another using a forklift, then operated via remote control once in the lane.

Fully automated shuttle racking

Shuttles are autonomous, working with a warehouse management system (WMS) to move shuttles and pallets without the need for human intervention.

Automated shuttle racking systems form the ideal storage solution for businesses who deal in large volumes of palletised goods, particularly those with cold stores, chillers or freezers, where workers would otherwise be exposed to temperatures as low as -27C. They are popular with food and beverage production facilities, wholesalers, bulk freight companies and 3PL providers.

Automated shuttle racking systems are also an effective way to free up space in a facility, as they can reduce the room taken up by inventory by half or more, or maximise capacity by increasing floor space utilisation to as high as 90%.

The flexibility and adaptability of adjustable racking systems make them a compelling storage solution for a wealth of businesses across a wide range of industries. From fast-growing wholesalers who need more storage, to production and distribution facilities looking to make efficiency gains through automation, pallet shuttle systems can prove a transformative storage solution.

Custom Solutions

If you’re wondering whether a satellite racking system is the right storage solution for your business, our Storepro experts are ready to help.

We’ve implemented custom shuttle racking systems for a wide range of NZ-based businesses, and bring the knowledge and expertise to find the ideal solution for your needs, goals and situation.

From design to construction to installation, we take care of it all, and pride ourselves on delivering on-time, on-spec and on-budget.

Why choose Storepro?

Tens of thousands of customers can’t be wrong. As the largest 100% NZ owned and operated business in our industry, at Storepro we bring a deep understanding of your warehousing needs, wants and goals.

We design, engineer and build all of our solutions right here in NZ. But we don’t just build warehouse racking – we build relationships too. We listen to your needs, develop bespoke solutions, and support you all the way.

Contact us

100% New Zealand owned and operated, at Storepro we understand the needs, values and preferences of Kiwi businesses, and design, engineer and build all our solutions right here in NZ.

Get in touch with our friendly team today, whether in store (Auckland and New Plymouth), by phone or email, or by filling in the form.