Warehouse Material Handling Equipment Guide
Warehouse material handling equipment includes the storage systems, transport devices, lifting and positioning equipment, work-area equipment and dock systems used to move goods from receiving through storage, picking, staging and shipping. The right equipment mix depends not only on load capacity, but also on inventory characteristics, aisle geometry, travel distance, throughput, employee interaction and how each piece of equipment interfaces with the next step in the warehouse.
A warehouse rarely has one material handling problem.
It has a chain of them.
A pallet must come off a trailer, travel to storage, fit the rack, be retrieved, move to a picking or production area, be staged and eventually return to the shipping dock.
That makes warehouse equipment selection a material-flow problem, not simply an equipment-purchasing problem.
What Is Warehouse Material Handling Equipment?
Warehouse material handling equipment is equipment used to move, position, store, organize, protect or support the flow of inventory inside a warehouse or distribution facility.
Depending on the operation, this can include:
Pallet racking
Industrial shelving
Modular storage
Forklifts and industrial trucks
Pallet trucks
Carts
Conveyors
Lift tables
Cranes and hoists
Workstations
Bins and containers
Mezzanines
Loading dock equipment
Identification and control systems
MHI's material handling taxonomy classifies equipment according to five primary functions: transport, positioning, unit-load formation, storage, and identification/control. Transport equipment itself includes conveyors, cranes and industrial trucks.
Quick Answer
The best warehouse material handling equipment is the equipment that matches the load, warehouse workflow and building.
Start by determining:
What is being handled?
Where does it enter?
Where is it stored?
How often does it move?
How must employees access it?
How far must it travel?
What aisle and height restrictions exist?
What happens immediately before and after each move?
Then choose equipment around those requirements.
Warehouse Material Handling Equipment by Workflow
A useful way to plan warehouse equipment is to follow material through the building.
Warehouse StagePrimary Handling NeedCommon EquipmentReceivingTransfer material from vehicle to buildingDock equipment, forklifts, pallet trucks, cartsPutawayMove received goods to storageForklifts, reach trucks, pallet trucks, cartsStorageHold inventory safely and accessiblyPallet racking, shelving, cabinets, bins, mezzaninesReplenishmentMove reserve inventory toward pickingTrucks, carts, conveyors, pallet handling equipmentPickingRetrieve units, cartons or palletsShelving, carts, order-picking equipment, binsPositioning/PackingPresent products at workable heightsLift tables, workstations, positionersStagingOrganize outbound loadsFloor staging, racks, pallets, cartsShippingTransfer material into trailersDock levelers, restraints, forklifts, pallet trucks
The important point is that equipment at one stage affects every stage around it.
1. Receiving Equipment
Receiving is the first physical interface between transportation and warehouse operations.
Material may arrive as:
Palletized freight
Cartons
Containers
Long products
Drums
Individual components
Bulk materials
The first equipment decision is therefore based on how the product arrives.
Loading Dock Equipment
Warehouse material flow often begins at the dock.
Fredon's verified [loading dock equipment] offering includes hydraulic dock levelers, mechanical dock levelers, edge-of-dock levelers, vehicle restraints, dock locks, dock seals and dock shelters.
Dock levelers help bridge the interface between the dock and trailer, while restraints address trailer positioning during loading and unloading.
That interface deserves attention during material handling planning because a warehouse can have excellent internal storage and picking systems while still suffering from congestion at receiving.
Forklifts and Pallet Trucks
Forklifts and pallet trucks commonly transfer palletized freight from trailers to receiving or staging areas.
Equipment selection here depends on factors such as:
Pallet weight
Trailer dimensions
Dock layout
Travel distance
Turning area
Floor conditions
Frequency of unloading
Required lift height
OSHA specifically identifies loading docks, pedestrian traffic, narrow aisles, ramps and physical workplace conditions as issues that must be considered when powered industrial trucks operate in a facility.
Important: Forklifts and pallet trucks are discussed here as general warehouse equipment. Fredon's current website does not verify that Fredon supplies forklifts or pallet trucks.
2. Putaway Equipment
Putaway moves received inventory from staging into its assigned storage location.
That sounds simple, but the equipment needed can change dramatically depending on storage height and aisle width.
Counterbalanced Forklifts
Counterbalanced forklifts are flexible for open areas and many general pallet-handling tasks.
However, their turning requirements influence aisle geometry.
OSHA's powered-industrial-truck guidance notes that conventional rack layouts designed around counterbalanced lift trucks commonly use approximately 12-foot aisles, while narrow-aisle configurations use specialized equipment such as reach trucks and order pickers. That figure should be treated as general OSHA educational guidance rather than a universal warehouse design requirement.
Reach Trucks
Reach trucks are designed for narrower warehouse aisles and high-tier storage.
The critical lesson is:
Storage equipment and handling equipment must be designed together.
Selecting rack first and discovering afterward that the warehouse's existing truck fleet cannot operate efficiently in the required aisles is an expensive planning mistake.
3. Warehouse Storage Equipment
Storage equipment determines how inventory occupies cubic space and how easily it can be retrieved.
Common warehouse storage categories include:
Pallet racking
Industrial shelving
Cabinets
Drawers
Bins
Cantilever storage
Mezzanine-supported storage
Pallet Racking
Fredon's [pallet racking] offerings include selective rack, drive-in/drive-thru rack, pallet flow and cantilever rack.
Each supports a different storage strategy.
Selective Rack
Selective rack emphasizes direct pallet access.
It is useful when a warehouse carries many palletized SKUs and operators need to reach individual pallets without moving others first.
Drive-In and Drive-Thru Rack
Fredon identifies drive-in/drive-thru systems as appropriate for larger quantities of relatively fewer product types.
The tradeoff is fundamental:
More density generally means less immediate selectivity.
Pallet Flow Rack
Pallet flow uses inclined lanes so pallets move toward the picking face and supports first-in, first-out inventory flow.
Cantilever Rack
Cantilever rack provides unobstructed front access and is suited to long or irregular loads such as lumber, pipe, tubing and similar products.
4. Industrial Shelving
Not everything belongs on a pallet.
Cartons, components and hand-picked inventory may need shelving instead.
Fredon's [industrial shelving] includes open and closed configurations, as well as shelving and mini-racking options intended for intensive industrial use.
Shelving selection should consider:
Item dimensions
Item weight
Picking frequency
Required visibility
Security
Shelf adjustability
Bin integration
Employee reach
Future product changes
A warehouse that stores parts efficiently but forces employees to walk excessively or reach awkwardly has solved only part of the problem.
5. Small-Parts Storage
Small parts create a different material handling challenge.
The objective shifts from pallet density toward:
Organization
Identification
Access
Security
Picking accuracy
Space utilization
Fredon's [modular drawer cabinets] provide heavy-duty small-parts storage and are one verified option for this type of application.
Small-parts equipment can be especially important near:
Maintenance areas
Assembly operations
Parts departments
Tool rooms
Picking stations
6. Mezzanines and Vertical Space
Warehouse space should be evaluated in three dimensions.
MHI includes space utilization among its established material handling principles, reinforcing the importance of cubic rather than purely floor-space planning.
Where clear height and facility conditions permit it, a mezzanine may convert unused vertical volume into usable floor area.
Fredon's [structural steel mezzanines] are marketed for parts storage, additional manufacturing or warehouse capacity, catwalks and equipment platforms.
Mezzanines require appropriate engineering and code consideration for the actual facility and intended use.
7. Warehouse Transport Equipment
After storage, inventory must move.
Warehouse transport generally falls into two broad approaches:
Flexible-Route Transport
Examples include:
Forklifts
Pallet trucks
Hand trucks
Carts
Tuggers
These can travel to multiple destinations.
They make sense where material routes change frequently or where the equipment must serve several operations.
Fixed-Path Transport
Conveyors move goods along predefined routes.
They can be appropriate where:
Routes are stable
Move frequency is high
Product dimensions are sufficiently compatible
Repetitive travel is consuming labor
Movement must connect defined work areas
However, installing a conveyor because “the warehouse needs automation” is not a selection method.
The volume and movement pattern must justify the fixed path.
MHI categorizes conveyors as transport equipment and distinguishes transport from positioning, storage and other functions.
Conveyors are discussed as general warehouse equipment; Fredon's current commercial website does not verify a conveyor product offering.
8. Picking Equipment
Warehouse picking ranges from full-pallet retrieval to individual-piece picking.
The equipment therefore depends heavily on the order profile.
Ask:
Are workers picking pallets, cases or individual units?
How many SKUs exist?
How many orders are picked per shift?
How frequently are fast movers replenished?
How far do workers walk?
How frequently do they bend or reach?
Does the picker travel to the product, or should the product come to the picker?
Possible equipment can include:
Shelving
Bins
Carts
Mobile workstations
Order-picking vehicles
Flow storage
Conveyors
Lift/positioning equipment
The right answer may be different for every zone in the same warehouse.
9. Workstations and Packing Areas
Packing areas connect material handling with actual work.
A workstation can organize:
Cartons
Packaging
Labels
Tools
Components
Computer equipment
Scanners
Documents
Fredon's [workstations] are modular and available in stationary and mobile configurations. Fredon specifically describes them as a way to keep frequently required items close to the work area and maintain organization.
The ideal workstation layout should support the sequence of the job.
Frequently used items should not require unnecessary walking, twisting or reaching.
10. Warehouse Lifting and Positioning Equipment
Not all warehouse handling involves transportation.
Sometimes the problem is that the load is at the wrong height or orientation.
MHI describes positioning equipment as equipment used at a location to place material correctly for subsequent handling, machining, transportation or storage.
Typical applications include:
Pallet positioning
Raising containers
Adjusting work height
Tilting loads
Handling heavy parts
Loading or unloading workstations
Fredon currently lists [hydraulic lifts] as one of its material handling product categories.
Why Positioning Matters
Consider a pallet of cartons.
A forklift can move the pallet across the warehouse.
But once the pallet reaches a worker, another problem begins.
As the pallet empties, employees may have to reach progressively lower.
Transportation equipment solved the location problem.
Positioning equipment may solve the working-height problem.
Those are separate material handling functions.
11. Cranes and Hoists in Warehouse Operations
Where loads are heavy, awkward or need movement through overhead space, cranes and hoists may be appropriate.
Fredon's [crane systems] include:
Workstation bridge cranes
Jib cranes
Gantry cranes
Monorails
Fredon also verifies pre-engineered and custom crane-system options.
These systems can be useful around:
Maintenance operations
Heavy-part storage
Assembly
Machinery
Work cells
Specialized picking or positioning areas
A crane should not be considered merely because a load is heavy.
The buyer also needs to determine:
Required coverage area
Lift height
Load geometry
Frequency
Positioning precision
Building constraints
Supporting structure
Interaction with employees and other equipment
12. Staging Equipment
Staging sits between process steps.
Typical staging areas include:
Receiving staging
Replenishment staging
Picking staging
Packing staging
Outbound staging
Poorly designed staging areas can consume large amounts of warehouse space because inventory waits there longer than intended.
Equipment can include:
Pallets
Racks
Carts
Floor lanes
Containers
Temporary shelving
The planning question should be:
Why does material need to wait here, and how long should it remain?
Adding more staging space is not always the answer.
Sometimes the better solution is improving the upstream or downstream process that causes the queue.
13. Shipping Equipment
Shipping completes the warehouse material-flow loop.
Outbound material may pass through:
Packing → palletizing → staging → dock → trailer
Equipment may include:
Carts
Pallet trucks
Forklifts
Dock levelers
Vehicle restraints
Dock seals and shelters
OSHA notes that loading docks present specific powered-industrial-truck hazards, including the risk of equipment falling from dock edges. Its guidance emphasizes maintaining clean working surfaces and safe operation around the dock.
Dock safety and material flow should therefore be considered together.
How to Choose Warehouse Material Handling Equipment
Equipment selection should begin with requirements, not brands or model numbers.
1. Define the Load
Document:
Typical weight
Maximum weight
Width
Length
Height
Shape
Center of gravity where relevant
Pallet dimensions
Container type
Stackability
Fragility
Hazardous characteristics where applicable
Weight capacity alone does not define the application.
2. Measure Throughput
Record actual movement.
Useful measures include:
Pallets received per hour
Pallets put away per shift
Replenishment moves
Picks per hour
Orders per shift
Cartons shipped
Pallets shipped
Peak versus average volume
A system designed only for average demand may fail during the period when the warehouse needs it most.
3. Map Travel Distance
Track how far products move.
MHI's established material handling principles include minimizing unnecessary material-handling work as part of system planning.
If a fast-moving SKU travels hundreds of unnecessary feet every day, purchasing faster transport equipment may be less effective than changing where that SKU is stored.
4. Evaluate Aisle Width and Clear Height
Warehouse equipment and storage geometry are inseparable.
Measure:
Narrowest aisle
Main travel aisles
Cross aisles
Doors
Turns
Columns
Clear ceiling height
Rack height
Sprinkler or utility obstructions
Dock approaches
OSHA requires sufficient safe clearances wherever mechanical handling equipment operates, including aisles, loading docks, doorways and turns. It also requires aisles and passageways to be kept clear and appropriately marked.
5. Match Storage to Inventory Profile
Determine:
Number of SKUs
Pallets per SKU
Inventory turnover
FIFO/LIFO requirements
Picking method
Seasonal inventory
Product dimensions
Replenishment frequency
High storage density and high selectivity are not the same objective.
The warehouse needs the balance that matches its inventory.
6. Examine Employee Interaction
Watch the task being performed.
Look for:
Bending
Reaching
Twisting
Carrying
Pushing
Pulling
Repetitive lifting
Long walking distances
Repeated repositioning
NIOSH ergonomic guidance recommends reducing manual handling where appropriate and illustrates alternatives including powered equipment and systems that bring material toward workers rather than requiring workers to repeatedly walk and carry loads.
7. Review Equipment Interfaces
One of the most overlooked issues is the handoff between equipment.
Ask:
Does the pallet fit the rack?
Can the truck turn into the aisle?
Can the truck reach the highest position?
Can a cart pass through required doors?
Does the load reach the workstation at the correct height?
Can the load transfer from lift table to workstation?
Can dock equipment handle the trailers actually used?
Can picking containers move into the packing process?
A system can contain excellent individual products and still perform poorly if the interfaces are wrong.
8. Plan for Growth
Warehouse equipment can remain in service for years.
Consider:
Volume growth
SKU growth
Different pallet sizes
Different packaging
Higher storage
Additional shifts
Facility expansion
New product families
The cheapest solution today may become expensive if the warehouse outgrows it almost immediately.
Manual vs. Powered vs. Automated Warehouse Handling
There is no universal point at which a warehouse must automate.
Manual Equipment
Manual handling can remain appropriate when:
Loads are manageable
Travel is short
Moves are infrequent
Flexibility is more valuable than speed
Capital requirements need to remain low
Powered Equipment
Powered equipment becomes more attractive as:
Load weight rises
Lift heights increase
Travel distances grow
Frequency increases
Employee physical demand becomes excessive
Automated Equipment
Automation can make sense when:
Routes are highly repetitive
Volume is consistently high
Process variability is manageable
Labor travel is substantial
Accurate repeatability matters
The surrounding process is stable enough to support automation
Automation should solve a measurable operational problem.
It should not be purchased simply because another warehouse uses it.
Warehouse Material Handling Equipment Safety
Warehouse equipment planning should incorporate safety from the beginning.
OSHA 1910.176 requires safe mechanical-handling clearances and stable storage. Materials stored in tiers must be stacked, blocked, interlocked or otherwise limited so they remain stable and secure against sliding or collapse.
OSHA's current warehousing guidance also recommends:
Inspecting and maintaining shelving and racking
Isolating areas affected by damaged rack
Protecting rack uprights from forklift contact
Preventing storage systems from being overloaded
Keeping storage areas free of hazardous accumulations
Storing heavier loads appropriately
These are not reasons to avoid dense warehouse storage.
They are reasons to design, use and maintain storage equipment correctly.
What Warehouse Managers Often Overlook
Storage and Trucks Are One Decision
Rack geometry affects handling-equipment requirements.
Handling-equipment geometry affects rack layout.
Designing them separately can cause expensive conflicts.
More Storage Is Not Always Better
Increasing storage density can reduce accessibility.
The right metric is not:
How many pallets can we fit?
It is closer to:
How much inventory can we store while still meeting required access and throughput?
Travel Is Expensive
Every unnecessary move consumes:
Time
Labor
Equipment capacity
Battery or fuel
Floor space
Maintenance life
Equipment should reduce unnecessary handling rather than merely perform it faster.
The Dock Can Become the Hidden Bottleneck
An efficient picking system can still create outbound congestion if staging and dock capacity cannot keep up.
Workers Understand the Actual Process
Talk to employees who perform:
Receiving
Putaway
Replenishment
Picking
Packing
Loading
They often know exactly where material gets rehandled, where carts block aisles and where unnecessary lifting occurs.
Common Warehouse Equipment Planning Mistakes
Buying Equipment Before Mapping the Workflow
Start with the process.
Then choose equipment.
Designing for Average Volume Only
Peak volume matters.
Selecting Rack Without Considering Handling Equipment
Aisles, lift heights and truck geometry must work together.
Maximizing Density Without Considering Access
Dense storage can become operationally expensive if the inventory profile demands high selectivity.
Ignoring the Loading Dock
Warehouse material flow begins and ends there.
Treating Ergonomics as an Employee Training Problem Only
Equipment and workplace design can change the physical demands of the task.
Ignoring Maintenance
Consider:
Service access
Inspection
Replacement parts
Downtime
Battery charging where applicable
Preventive maintenance
Manufacturer support
Warehouse Equipment Selection Checklist
Before requesting equipment proposals, collect:
Load weights
Load dimensions
Pallet/container dimensions
SKU count
Inventory turns
Daily movement volume
Peak movement volume
Receiving volume
Shipping volume
Picking method
Aisle widths
Door widths
Clear height
Rack heights
Floor conditions
Dock dimensions
Travel distances
Repetitive lifting concerns
Required equipment interfaces
Expected future growth
Budget and lifecycle-cost expectations
The more accurately the application is defined, the easier it becomes to compare appropriate equipment.
Building a Warehouse Material Handling System
The most effective warehouse equipment strategy considers the building as a connected system.
For example:
Receiving dock
↓
Pallet transport
↓
Pallet racking
↓
Replenishment
↓
Picking storage
↓
Cart or transport system
↓
Workstation
↓
Outbound staging
↓
Loading dock
An improvement at one point should make the entire chain work better.
MHI's material handling principles explicitly include planning, standardization, work reduction, ergonomics, unit loads, space utilization, systems thinking, automation, environmental considerations and lifecycle cost.
That systems approach is especially important in warehouses because storage, transport and employee work areas interact continuously.
Warehouse Material Handling Equipment From Fredon Handling
Fredon Handling's verified warehouse-related equipment categories include:
Pallet racking
Industrial shelving
Modular drawer cabinets
Workstations
Hydraulic lifts
Cranes and hoists
Mezzanines
Loading dock equipment
That range allows warehouse equipment discussions to begin with the application rather than forcing every problem into one product category.
A warehouse may need better storage.
Another may need better positioning.
Another may need additional vertical space.
Another may have a receiving bottleneck.
And some facilities need several improvements coordinated together.
When requesting help selecting equipment, provide information about:
the load + workflow + facility + frequency + operating problem
That gives a material handling specialist a much stronger starting point than simply requesting “warehouse equipment.”
Fredon Handling can be contacted for help evaluating and sourcing material handling solutions for a facility. Contact Fredon Handling
Frequently Asked Questions
What is warehouse material handling equipment?
Warehouse material handling equipment includes the machines, storage structures and systems used to move, position, store and support inventory throughout warehouse operations. Examples include pallet racking, shelving, forklifts, pallet trucks, carts, lift tables, cranes, workstations and loading-dock equipment.
What equipment is commonly used in a warehouse?
Common warehouse equipment includes pallet racking, shelving, forklifts, reach trucks, pallet trucks, carts, conveyors, bins, workstations and dock equipment. The correct mix depends on the loads, inventory profile, warehouse dimensions, movement frequency and picking process.
How do I choose warehouse material handling equipment?
Start with the load and workflow. Document weight, dimensions, movement frequency, travel distance, aisle width, storage height, employee interaction and what equipment must handle the material immediately before and afterward.
What is the best material handling equipment for pallets?
There is no single best pallet-handling solution. Equipment may include pallet trucks for horizontal travel, forklifts or reach trucks for storage and retrieval, pallet racking for storage, and dock equipment for trailer transfer. The correct combination depends on pallet weight, storage height, aisle geometry and throughput.
Does warehouse racking affect forklift selection?
Yes. Rack height, aisle width, pallet position and storage configuration directly influence the type of industrial truck that can access the system. OSHA's educational guidance specifically distinguishes conventional and narrow-aisle operating environments.
What equipment can reduce manual warehouse lifting?
Depending on the task, options can include lift tables, positioners, hoists, cranes, carts, conveyors and other mechanical-assist equipment. The appropriate solution depends on the load and handling task; ergonomic assessment should consider force, frequency, posture, travel and other job factors.
When should a warehouse consider automation?
Automation is most compelling when the workflow contains stable, repetitive and sufficiently high-volume movements that can be standardized. Before automating, warehouses should understand the current process and eliminate unnecessary movements rather than automating an inefficient workflow.
How much does warehouse material handling equipment cost?
Costs vary widely according to equipment type, capacity, dimensions, controls, installation requirements, facility modifications and project complexity. Compare lifecycle costs—including installation, operation, maintenance, downtime and future modification—not simply purchase price.