Catallia is a high-volume tortilla manufacturer operating out of a 150,000-square-foot production and distribution facility in Eagan, MN. As one of the larger food and beverage operations in the region, the company has seen continuous growth, adding production lines over time and steadily increasing the volume of finished goods moving through their warehouse.

That growth eventually pushed the limits of their existing storage setup. To accommodate the expansion, Catallia acquired additional warehouse space and made a significant investment in upgrading their fire suppression system to meet the requirements for high-pile storage above 12 feet. With the infrastructure in place, they needed a racking solution that could maximize the new capacity while supporting both single-pallet selective access and high-density storage for deeper product runs.

Catallia’s new storage area had a narrow footprint, which made conventional selective racking alone an inefficient use of the space. To solve this issue, push-back rack was introduced, allowing pallets to be stored multiple positions deep. Without the need for a dedicated aisle for each row, this system significantly increased storage density within the narrow space.

Before the project could begin, Catallia upgraded their fire suppression system to accommodate taller racking. They brought the sprinkler system up to high-pile storage standards, unlocking the ability to rack above 12 feet. This move was essential to achieve the storage gains they needed. This infrastructure investment by the client was well-coordinated in advance of the racking installation.

Design specialists at AK Material Handling Systems developed the storage layout using Vectorworks, with AK’s project management team coordinating directly with Catallia’s operations staff throughout the design process. The dual-system approach (selective rack for single-pallet access and push-back for high-density storage) was chosen to match the client’s varying product rotation needs, giving their team flexibility depending on SKU velocity and production schedule.

A huge advantage of this project was the availability of stock selective racking through AK. Because the selective components could be sourced immediately from inventory, that portion of the system was installed several months ahead of the push-back rack, allowing Catallia to begin using the new space well before the full project was complete. This phased approach added real operational value without requiring any changes to the overall design or timeline.

The full installation was completed in four days by a four-person crew following AK’s meticulous safety protocols throughout. Catallia’s team did an excellent job pre-clearing the installation area ahead of each phase, which allowed work to proceed efficiently without any disruption to ongoing production or warehouse operations. No safety incidents were recorded.

The selective racking, sourced from AK’s stock inventory, was installed first, giving the client immediate access to new storage capacity while the push-back system was on order. The permitting process was streamlined by the client’s earlier fire suppression upgrade, which had already satisfied the high-pile storage requirements before racking work began.