What Is Carton Live Shelving?
Carton live shelving, also called gravity flow shelving or carton flow storage, is a fast and efficient picking system. It is ideal for hand-picked goods which have been stored using adjustable pallet racking or longspan shelving systems.
Unlike traditional static shelving, carton live shelving eliminates the need for manual stock movement. Working on a First–In, First–Out (FIFO) principle, gravity flow shelving systems consist of roller tracks placed at a slight gradient, which allows small boxed items or SKUs to move forward automatically via gravity to the pick face.
When access to a particular carton is required, staff simply pick from the front of the lane, while new cartons can be loaded from the rear. This ensures continuous product flow. Once picking is complete, the system automatically replenishes itself, keeping items moving towards the front without additional handling.
By using gravity-assisted movement, carton live shelving allows you to reduce manual handling of stock, optimising the speed and efficiency of your picking and packing operations.
Carton Live Shelving Key Features
- Over 65% picking performance
- First in first out principle (FIFO)
- Stores high volumes of stock
- Easy retrieval of goods
- Supports Just In Time material provision
Applications of Carton Live Storage Systems
Carton live storage systems are most beneficial to companies that oversee significant stock turnover, especially when it comes to smaller or lighter stock items. These systems reduce picking time, and improve overall stock rotation. As a result, they tend to find application in the following settings the most:
Warehouse Gravity Flow Shelving
Gravity flow shelving systems are perfect for warehouses and distribution centres. Carton live storage systems help businesses achieve a continuous, first-in, first-out flow of cartons to the picking face. This both reduces manual handling, and increases picking efficiency.
Industrial Gravity Flow Racking
These systems are also ideal for industrial storage needs, allowing factories or assembly lines to store parts and components in a FIFO manner. This improves workflow and ensures items are easily accessible when required for production or assembly.
E-Commerce Fulfillment
This type of storage system is widely used in e-commerce fulfillment centers, where rapid, accurate picking of individual products is essential. Gravity-assisted lanes allow high-throughput operations to maintain efficiency while reducing manual handling.
Advantages of Gravity Flow Racking Systems
✔ Maximised space utilisation
By using inclined roller lanes, carton live shelving enables high-density storage of cartons. This makes efficient use of vertical and horizontal space, minimises aisle widths, and increases overall warehouse capacity.
✔ Enhanced Stock Rotation
The first-in, first-out (FIFO) design ensures older cartons are picked first, reducing the risk of obsolete inventory and maintaining product accuracy and freshness, which is essential for fast-moving items.
✔ Automated Product Flow
The continuous gravity-fed movement allows replenishment from the back of the lane without interrupting picking, maintaining steady stock availability and a smooth workflow without bottlenecks.
✔ Faster Picking Process
Cartons naturally flow to the picking face at the front of the lane, allowing workers to quickly and easily access items without reaching deep into shelves, significantly speeding up order picking.
✔ Reduced Manual Handling
By allowing you to store more items in the same footprint, you can avoid having to expand your facility, or invest in off-site storage. The result is a highly cost-effective storage solution.
✔ Flexible and Scalable
Carton live shelving can be customised to handle different carton sizes, weights, and volumes, easily integrated into existing warehouse setups, and expanded or reconfigured as operational needs change.
Why Choose Teepee for Gravity Flow Racking Systems?
With over 35 years’ experience, Teepee Materials Handling is one of the UK’s leading providers of industrial shelving solutions. We specialise in the design and supply of gravity flow shelving systems.
From initial consultation to bespoke design and installation, Teepee provides end-to-end solutions for clients across a range of industries. Here’s why Teepee is the ideal choice:
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Quality & Durability: Our systems are constructed from only the highest quality materials, guaranteeing long-term performance and reliability. |
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SEMA “Advanced” Status Members: We were one of the first companies in the UK to earn this prestigious accreditation. This verifies that all of our storage solutions meet the highest industry standards. |
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Cost-effective Solutions: We have experience working with both small businesses and large national organisations. You can be confident that we’ll have an option that fits your budget. |
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Concept-to-Completion Service: At Teepee, we offer more than just the supply of shelving. We offer an end-to-end service that incorporates on-site assessments, bespoke design, product installation, and ongoing maintenance. |
OUR COMMITMENT
Our customers come first and we pride ourselves on delivering the best solutions and customer experience. We are committed to fair pricing and delivery of a high quality product.
WHY CHOOSE US
Based in the Midlands, we are ideally positioned to service a broad geographical area and offer bespoke, turnkey solutions to a variety of businesses.
OUR VISION
We aim to be the best provider of warehousing storage and partitioning solutions in our industry, consistently working on behalf of our clients for more efficient and innovative strategies.
OUR MISSION
To think both creatively and practically about storage projects to ensure that our solutions are truly the best for our customers’ needs.
Get a Free Quote With Teepee Today
To help you find the best gravity flow shelving solution for your needs, our design team is on hand to discuss your requirements. We can create a bespoke system that fits your space perfectly.
As part of our end-to-end service, we offer a free on-site assessment and consultation. One of our storage solution experts will visit your site to measure the available space and gain a deep understanding of your needs. From here, we can design a bespoke storage system tailored around your requirements.
Get in contact with Teepee today using our contact form below, and let us help you optimise the storage potential of your facility with industry-leading industrial shelving solutions.