FIFO Solutions with AUTOMHA PalletRunner and MarquisXT Case Study

MarquisXT Storage Needs

MarquisXT operates out of a 61,752-square-foot ambient warehouse facility located on a 3,300-acre site in Hennepin, IL. The facility initially contacted AK in September 2020, inquiring about an efficient storage solution for its 12,000-square-foot west wing.

The west wing would exclusively store palletized ethanol-based hand sanitizer, making high-density storage a great choice.

Storage Design and Implementation

High-density pallet rack systems are ideal for bulk storage. They eliminate aisle space, storing more goods in a smaller footprint. PalletRunnerGTR refers to a specific model of the Pallet Runner shuttle system developed by Automha. The GTR, in this context, stands for “Guided Transport Rail.” This model represents the latest generation of Pallet Runner shuttles, designed to enhance efficiency, safety, and performance in high-density storage systems.

There are multiple dense storage options to choose from when designing a warehouse. Push-back and drive-in racking are two common Last In First Out (LIFO) solutions for dense storage. Pallet flow is another high-density system with a First In, First Out (FIFO) configuration. 

These three systems have one thing in common: they all require a forklift operator to load and unload every pallet. Marquis was interested in automating their storage to cut labor time and costs, leading us to consider a semi-automated high-density option – the shuttle system.

Comparisons of Storage Systems vs Automata Pallet Runner

Pallet Runner

• High Storage Density
• High Volume Storage
• Labor Reduction
• FIFO
• Low Maintenance
• Medium Investment

Gravity

• High Storage Density
• Perishable Goods
• High Turnover
• High Maintenance
• High Investment
• FIFO

Drive-In

• High Storage Density
• Bulk Storage
• Lower Turnover
• FIFO
• Low Investment
• High Maintenence

Different Storage Methods

FIFO

• The oldest stock (first received) is used or sold first.
• Newer inventory is placed behind older stock to ensure rotation.
• Commonly implemented using flow racking, pallet flow systems, or simple shelving methods.

FILO

• The newest stock (last received) is used or sold first.
• Older inventory remains in storage longer.
• Often applied in storage systems where products do not expire, such as construction materials or raw metals.

Mezzanino Buffer

• Reduced transport times.
• Organized based on priority, SKU, or destination.
• Often combined with conveyors, lifts, or AS/RS

Case Picking

• Optimizes picking aisles in lower levels.
• Takes place inside a tunnel that crosses the racking parallel to the base.
• Well organized way to store pallets in close proximity to the picking point.

MarquisXT Pallet Runner System

After much consideration and multiple site visits with the client to existing facilities with this system, we landed on the Automha Pallet Runner for this project. Jerry Fredrickson from our Design Group worked with the customer to create a custom warehouse layout to fit their storage needs.

We officially ordered the racking on March 25th, 2021, and installation began in early October. By October 8th, our installation crew packed up and left MarquisXT with a brand untried shuttle system, ready to start storing goods. 

The final shuttle system was a ten-lane, 25-pallet-deep, four-high configuration, with a shuttle cart to place and retrieve pallets from anywhere in the system. Total Pallets stored: 1,000. Product flow FIFO with 40 Pallet Facings. Some other manufacturers that carry similar products are Frazier Industrial Company’s Pallet Mole, Raymond’s Radioshuttle, and Mecalux’s Pallet Shuttle. 

Looking to Automate Your Warehouse?

AK specializes in warehouse design and automation. If you want to automate your warehouse or optimize your storage, fill out a quote form or call 800-722-5908 to begin discussing your project!

Our design experts are eager to help make your storage vision a reality.