In fast-moving supply chains, efficiency depends on how products are stored, replenished, and picked. Warehouses that rely on static shelving alone struggle to keep pace with high-volume order fulfillment and shifting SKU counts. Workers spend valuable time walking aisles, bending, reaching, and searching for products, all while congestion builds in shared order picking and replenishment zones. The result is slower throughput, higher labor costs, and wasted floor space.
Smarter Storage for Record-Breaking Demand
Dynamic solutions like gravity flow racks solve these challenges by turning static shelves into space-efficient, high-throughput storage systems. Instead of relying on manual movement, gravity works as the engine. As items are removed from the front, gravity moves the next item forward into position, allowing replenishment from the back of the rack to occur simultaneously without slowing the picking process.
In this article, we’ll explore how gravity flow racks outperform static shelving in demanding warehouse environments, why they are essential for maintaining productivity and accuracy, and how UNEX gravity flow racks help operations achieve new levels of efficiency and space utilization.
From Static Shelving to Space-Efficient Dynamic Storage
Static shelving has its place in operations with slow-moving or irregular items, but for high-demand environments, it quickly becomes a bottleneck. Static systems store items in fixed positions, often leaving empty space, creating dead zones, and inefficient pick paths. Every replenishment requires workers to handle SKUs multiple times.
A gravity flow rack changes this by introducing motion into the storage system. Flow lanes are installed on an incline, allowing cartons, totes, or bins to roll from the loading side to the picking side using gravity alone. As soon as the item at the front of the rack is removed, the next one flows forward to take its place. This ensures a consistent FIFO (first-in, first-out) product rotation and a seamless picking process.
By separating picking and replenishment, gravity flow racks eliminate congestion and create a continuous, ergonomic workflow. And because gravity flow racks utilize all of the space within a rack, you can store more SKUs in the same footprint. Compared to static shelving, gravity flow racks increase space utilization and improve visibility. This reduces product handling and improves travel and search time, allowing teams to complete more picks per hour.
For operations that need to keep pace with high throughput and SKU growth, the difference is transformational. Shifting from static shelving to gravity flow racks gives facilities the flexibility and efficiency needed to meet modern fulfillment demands.
Get The Definitive Guide to Carton Flow Storage and The Ultimate Order Picking Checklist. Download the guide today!
UNEX Gravity Flow Rack Solutions That Drive Results
UNEX designs gravity flow rack systems engineered to meet the needs of high-performance warehouses. Our dynamic storage solutions help operations increase capacity, speed, and efficiency by maximizing every square inch of space in your order picking operations. Here are the UNEX gravity flow rack systems that help busy warehouses meet demand:
SpanTrack Lane: Dedicated Carton Flow Lanes
For operations that already have pallet racking in place, UNEX SpanTrack Lane converts static shelving into high-efficiency gravity flow racks. These dedicated roller lanes provide smooth, consistent flow for cartons or totes of uniform widths. The design maintains precise pitch and alignment to ensure reliable movement from the loading side to the pick face.
SpanTrack Lane helps reclaim unused vertical space and optimizes storage density. It keeps products continuously available for picking while maintaining FIFO rotation, which reduces product handling and replenishment time. The result is higher throughput and better organization within your existing infrastructure.
SpanTrack Wheel Bed: Universal Carton Flow Beds
When SKU variety is high or carton widths vary, SpanTrack Wheel Bed provides unmatched flexibility. Like SpanTrack Lane, SpanTrack Wheel Bed converts static shelving into a gravity flow rack by simply dropping the tracks into your existing pallet racking. Durable and dependable SpanTrack carton flow beds maximize space and throughput for inventories of varying shapes and sizes. UNEX universal carton flow beds create superior flexibility and increase space utilization throughout operations.
Accessories, such as infeed guides and lane dividers, can be added to further enhance organization and control. SpanTrack Wheel Bed delivers the strength, adaptability, and long-term dependability required to keep fast-paced facilities running at peak efficiency.
Roller Rack: Preconfigured Gravity Flow Racks
UNEX Roller Rack is a standalone carton flow system that delivers the benefits of SpanTrack carton flow without the need for existing pallet rack. This preconfigured rack and track system is ideal for facilities with limited overhead clearance or those that require a plug-and-play solution.
Roller Rack keeps SKUs organized and within reach, reducing worker fatigue and improving pick accuracy. The modular design of this gravity flow rack system makes it easy to reconfigure or relocate as inventory changes. For growing facilities that need a flexible and efficient way to transition from static shelving, Roller Rack provides an immediate performance upgrade.
The UNEX Advantage: Proven Gravity Flow Racks that Outperform Static Shelving
Warehouses today face constant pressure to do more with less space, less labor, and less time. Static shelving alone cannot keep pace with modern order fulfillment demands. UNEX gravity flow racks give facilities the performance edge they need by transforming every inch of storage into an active, efficient, and ergonomic workspace.
UNEX designs and engineers its gravity flow racks to deliver measurable results where they matter most: speed, accuracy, and space utilization. SpanTrack Lane, SpanTrack Wheel Bed, and Roller Rack are proven systems trusted by leading operations in warehousing, order fulfillment, retail, and 3PLs (third-party logistics). Each solution is built to maximize flow, reduce wasted motion, and improve access to fast-moving inventory. The result is a safer, more productive, and more adaptable warehouse environment.
Every UNEX product is designed, tested, and built to last, supported by a team that understands how to optimize material flow for unique operational challenges. Whether you are upgrading a single pick line or redesigning an entire facility, UNEX provides tailored gravity flow rack solutions that outperform static shelving and position your business for long-term efficiency and growth.
If your operation is ready to eliminate wasted space, reduce labor strain, and accelerate throughput, it is time to invest in gravity flow racks. Connect with our product specialists to see how UNEX gravity flow racks can maximize space, increase throughput, and drive measurable improvements across your operation.
