Choosing the right warehouse shelving supplier can be a significant advantage for your business, from reducing cluttered storage to ensuring undamaged goods, leading to an efficient supply chain. They’re a strategic component of your warehouse that dictates your business’s operational efficiency, safety and scalability.
Here’s a deep dive into warehouse shelving, the key factors in considering your shelving needs and a list of the leading suppliers of warehouse racking and shelving in the U.S.
The Foundation of a High-Performing Warehouse
A strong warehouse shelving system can reduce pickers’ travel time and speed up order fulfillment by improving access to your inventory. Good shelving units are also made by adhering to OSHA requirements, ensuring that your business makes safety and compliance a top priority.
For example, cases over 35 pounds need to be lifted by a pallet so workers can easily move them to shelves without strain or injury. Additionally, the shelves should be modular for easy rearrangement and future expansion. On the other hand, a bad shelving system creates bottlenecks and increases the risk of accidents or fines.
4 Key Factors in Evaluating Your Warehouse Storage Needs
Here are four key factors to look out for to know what shelving system your warehouse needs:
- Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) velocity and seasonality: How often do products go in and out of the warehouse?
- Product form: Are you carrying pallets, cartons, totes or something else?
- Physical space and material handling equipment fleet: Does the shelf match with the ceiling height, column spacing, aisle width and forklift used?
- Warehouse system goals: Does the warehouse need versatility for low volume and high SKU products, maximum density for Last-In First-Out homogenous products, or high-speed throughput that is useful for perishable goods?
Top Warehouse Racking and Shelving Suppliers
For the best partner, consider the following top warehouse shelving suppliers in the country.
Arnold Machinery Company
Founded in 1929, Arnold Machinery Company is the leading supplier of warehouse racking and shelving in Colorado. Its deep understanding of regional factors, such as seismic requirements and logistics challenges, has helped it gain significant presence in Utah, Arizona, Nevada and other Mountain West states.
Arnold Machinery Company doesn’t just supply the shelves. Its process involves deep analysis of your operations, with the goal of improving overall throughput. With that in mind, the company engineers comprehensive solutions that ensure that the storage structures, the material handling equipment, like forklifts, and the automation technology are all working together to create a unified and efficient system. This ensures lower labor costs, maximized storage density and improved throughput.
Abel Womack
A dominant force in the Northeast states, Abel Womack has everything for your materials handling needs. Its specialty lies in creating engineering solutions for dense and space-constrained cities and towns of Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York. Its shelves and systems are great for maximizing vertical space, such as the push-back and pallet flow racking.
An added advantage of the company is that it is a major Raymond machine dealer. If you’re just building out your warehouse operations and layout, Abel Womack is great, as it seamlessly integrates lift trucks with specially designed storage systems to improve efficiency and operator safety. After all, it has consistently delivered high-performing results for over a century in business.
Hy-Tek Intralogistics
Now a part of the Hyster-Yale group of companies, Hy-Tek Intralogistics is the top shelving supplier in the Midwest. The company specializes in designing and manufacturing complex, large-scale projects, such as storage systems directly integrated with manufacturing lines. The company has deep knowledge across various industries and their specific challenges — from e-commerce and food and beverage to pharmaceuticals.
If you’re looking for solutions ranging from advanced conveyor and sortation systems to automated storage and retrieval systems, Hy-Tek Intralogistics is an excellent choice. Large industrial companies can especially benefit from the company’s shelving systems to help modernize facilities, improve production logistics and create a more robust supply chain.
Papé Material Handling
If you’re looking for a stellar warehouse outfitter on the West Coast, Papé Material Handling is a great option. It is the leader in warehouse shelving in the states such as Washington, Oregon, California and Nevada. It is also the leading dealer of Hyster and Yale forklifts, which makes the company incredibly knowledgeable about materials handling.
Some of the shelving options it offers include boltless shelving, steel frame shelving and gondola style shelving. If you’re looking to streamline your procurement process by finding an expert in both equipment and infrastructure, it just might be the company for you. It also provides new and used equipment sales, installation, maintenance and repair for all of the products it offers.
Bastian Solutions
A Toyota Advanced Logistics company, Bastian Solutions, is rapidly growing its presence in Southeast states such as Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas. It also holds international offices in Canada, Brazil, India and Mexico. The company is committed to innovation, acting as an independent integrator of cutting-edge automation. It designs custom systems that leverage technologies such as autonomous mobile robots, goods-to-person picking stations and advanced software and controls.
If your business is looking to partner with a provider that can handle high-volume fulfillment operations, Bastian Solutions might be the right pick. The company can help you get started with automation, increase your process accuracy and skyrocket your productivity.
The Methodology: Identifying Regional Leaders in Warehouse Integration
In choosing the best warehouse shelving partners in the country, these four criteria set apart companies in the industry:
- Regional Dominance: A focus and deep expertise in their specific geographical areas
- End-to-End Service Capability: Ability to manage projects from design and engineering to installation and support
- Systems Integration Expertise: Experience in creating cohesive systems, blending storage and material handling technologies
- Industry Reputation: Positive client testimonials and proven track record of successful projects
Feature Comparison Table
The comparison table showcases all the companies listed above, along with their primary region, key services and what they do best.
| Company | Primary Region | Key Services | Ideal For |
| Arnold Machinery Company | CO, UT, ID, WY | Integrated Systems Design, Automation, Fleet Management | Holistic, ROI-driven warehouse optimization partner |
| Abel Womack | MA, CT, NY | Engineering, Fleet Services, Robotics | High-density solutions in space-constrained facilities |
| Hy-Tek Intralogistics | OH, IN, PA, Midwest | Advanced Systems Integration, Conveyors, AS/RS | Industrial and manufacturing companies looking to modernize plant logistics |
| Papé Material Handling | WA, OR, CA, NV | Racking Systems, Forklifts, Warehouse Solutions | Single-source equipment and storage provider |
| Bastian Solutions | Southeast, Midwest | Custom Automation, Robotics, Goods-to-Person | High-volume fulfillment operations, investments in cutting-edge technology |
Forging a Partnership for a Decade of Growth
Warehouses have specific requirements to ensure successful operations. That’s why the right choice is found through a consultative process with regional experts — companies that understand your specific operational needs and can deliver solutions.
With the list above, choose among the leading suppliers of warehouse racking and shelving in Colorado, New York or wherever your business is located. Before you start asking for quotes, however, ask for a consultation with them first. The right partner will study and analyze your workflow alongside your floor plan to bring your business a competitive advantage and scalable shelving solutions.
