Pallet Racking in Phoenix, Arizona
Selective, push-back, drive-in and pallet flow rack for Phoenix-area warehouses, planned around City of Phoenix rack and high-piled storage permits and delivered and installed from the West Valley to the East Valley.
Since 1997
Storage systems experience
Free
Layout design and quote
Permit-ready
Rack details for building and fire review
Valley-wide
Delivery and installation
Shop Pallet Rack Online for Phoenix Warehouses
Starter and add-on sections, wire decking and column protectors with current online prices. Freight is quoted by destination, and some common sizes are in stock at select manufacturers, subject to confirmation. For a full Phoenix layout, request a free quote.
Pallet rack for Phoenix and Valley of the Sun warehouses
Phoenix is one of the fastest-growing industrial markets in the country. It sits on I-10 about a day’s drive from the Southern California ports, so a large share of new distribution space has gone up in the West Valley in Goodyear, Buckeye, Tolleson, Glendale and along the Loop 303. The Southeast Valley in Chandler, Mesa and Gilbert holds semiconductor, electronics and aerospace plants, and older mid-size buildings near Sky Harbor and along I-17 house distributors, contractors and service companies.
Material Handling USA has designed, supplied and installed storage systems since 1997. We are based in Salt Lake City and supply pallet rack across the Southwest. This page covers what matters for a Phoenix project: which rack types fit which operations, what the City of Phoenix requires before racks and high-piled storage go in, how heat and concrete floors affect the design, and how delivery and installation work.
For rack types, capacities and planning in more depth, start with our main warehouse pallet racking guide. For long loads like lumber, pipe and steel, see our cantilever rack in Phoenix page.
Pallet rack types we supply in Phoenix
The right system depends on how many SKUs you carry, how many pallets of each, and how fast they turn. This table matches common Phoenix operations to the rack that usually fits them.
| Rack type | Best for | Typical Phoenix users |
|---|---|---|
| Selective pallet rack | Many SKUs, direct access to every pallet | 3PLs, distributors, e-commerce, manufacturers |
| Double-deep rack | More positions per aisle, two pallets deep | Beverage, grocery and building-product distributors |
| Push-back rack | 2 to 6 pallets deep, last in first out | Food and beverage, seasonal and promotional stock |
| Drive-in rack | Deep lanes of the same product, highest density | Cold storage, bulk goods, single-SKU staging |
| Pallet flow rack | First in first out, gravity-fed lanes | Dated food and beverage, high-volume picking |
| Carton flow rack | Case and each picking at the pick face | E-commerce and parts fulfillment |
| Narrow-aisle rack | More rows where aisles can shrink | Buildings with reach trucks or turret trucks |
| Structural rack | Heavy loads and forklift abuse | Heavy manufacturing, freezer and drive-in systems |
West Valley distribution and fulfillment
The big West Valley buildings serve regional retail, e-commerce and 3PL contracts, often with tall clear heights and high pallet counts. Selective rack gives every pallet its own face, which suits many SKUs.
Where a SKU runs several pallets deep, push-back or pallet flow adds positions per aisle, and carton flow at the lowest level speeds case picking.
A mixed layout is common: selective rack for slow movers, flow or push-back for fast, deep SKUs.
Pallet rack applications in Phoenix
These are the Phoenix-area applications we design for most often, with links to our detailed guides.
Manufacturing storage in the Southeast Valley
Chip, electronics and aerospace plants store components, packaging and finished goods close to production. Pallet rack keeps those materials off the floor and organized by work cell, and wire decking holds crates and cartons that don’t sit on a standard pallet.
Match each beam and deck rating to the real load and post capacity signs at every bay. Our pallet racking weight capacity guide explains how beam, deck and frame ratings work together.
Arizona and Southwest pallet rack projects
We have not yet completed a project inside the Phoenix metro, so these are real Closed Won projects from elsewhere in Arizona and the region. We describe the business and the work, but we don’t publish client names, layouts, quantities or prices.
What these projects share is common across the Southwest: a business that starts with a few bays, then adds rows as it grows. That is why we design with standard frame depths and beam lengths, so later bays match. If you already have rack and need to add to it, our pallet rack identification and compatibility guide explains how to match what you own.
Phoenix permits and code for pallet racking
Permits are where Phoenix projects most often lose time, because two departments are involved: Planning and Development reviews the rack as a structure, and the Fire Department reviews high-piled storage. Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Glendale, Goodyear and the other Valley cities each run their own permit offices, so confirm requirements for your address before you order. The rules below are summarized from published City of Phoenix guides.
Current code. The City of Phoenix adopted the 2024 Phoenix Building Construction Code, based on the 2024 International Building Code, effective August 1, 2025. The Phoenix Fire Code is the 2024 International Fire Code with Phoenix amendments, effective February 17, 2026.
Building: the storage rack permit
Phoenix Planning and Development’s guide Storage Racking Systems Requirements (TRT/DOC/00701) sorts rack into three groups. Rack height is measured to the top shelf:
| Rack | What Phoenix asks for | Permit |
|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 9 in tall or less | Nothing | Exempt |
| Over 5 ft 9 in up to 12 ft, height-to-depth ratio under 8, no more than 2,500 lb on any level | Floor plan with rack locations, exits and aisle widths; dimensioned elevation with loads on every level; anchor and base plate calculations; special inspection of anchors; load plaque location | Yes, can be Permit by Inspection |
| Everything else | All of the above, plus full structural drawings and calculations for the rack, anchors and slab to the ANSI/MH16.1 standard | Yes, building and fire permits |
The height-to-depth ratio is the height of the top loaded beam divided by the frame depth. Tying rows together with row spacers lowers it. The guide was written under the 2018 code, so ask the city whether anything changed with the 2024 adoption. Phoenix has its own slab guidance for racks on slabs-on-ground, and our concrete slab requirements for pallet racking guide explains slab thickness, strength and joints.
Fire: high-piled storage
The Phoenix Fire Code follows International Fire Code Chapter 32: storage counts as high-piled when the top of storage is more than 12 feet high on pallets, in racks or on shelves, or more than 6 feet for high-hazard commodities such as tires, Group A plastics and idle pallets.
The Fire Department issues a High-Piled Storage Facility Operating Permit. Plans show storage heights, rack tiers, clearance to sprinkler deflectors, aisles, commodity classes and flue spaces.
Planning heights and aisles before you order is far cheaper than lowering beam levels after review. Our warehouse fire safety and flue space guide covers the sprinkler side, and our guide to permits and engineering for pallet rack explains who prepares what. Seismic demand in the Phoenix area is low, but anchors and base plates are still designed and inspected. See our pallet rack seismic compliance notes.
Heat, tall buildings and concrete floors
Heat. Phoenix summers regularly pass 110 degrees, and many warehouses are not fully air conditioned. Steel rack handles heat well, but product, plastic packaging and stretch wrap can soften and slump, especially on the top level where heat collects under the roof. Plan load units and wrap with that in mind, and keep heat-sensitive goods low. Big ceiling fans and evaporative coolers need clearance above the top load, so include them in the layout.
Clear height. New West Valley distribution buildings commonly offer 32 to 40 feet of clear height, while older buildings near Sky Harbor and along I-17 are lower. Tall rack uses the height, but it also changes the sprinkler design and pushes storage past the 12-foot high-piled threshold.
Concrete floors. Most Valley warehouses are tilt-up concrete buildings with slabs-on-grade. Confirm slab thickness and strength, and keep anchors away from joints and slab edges. Expansive desert soils can crack slabs, so look at the floor where frames will land.
Mezzanines. If you need more space for small parts and offices rather than pallets, a mezzanine can add a second floor above the work area.
Delivery and installation across the Valley
We deliver and install pallet rack throughout the Phoenix metro. Freight is quoted by destination, and the rack ships from the manufacturer or distribution warehouse that best fits your order.
West Valley: Goodyear, Buckeye, Tolleson, Avondale, Glendale, Peoria and Surprise. East Valley: Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert and Queen Creek. Also Phoenix, Scottsdale and North Phoenix.
Installers anchor every column with the specified anchors and pin every beam. In Phoenix, anchors on permitted rack get a special inspection, so schedule it with the install. See our pallet rack installation page and anchor bolt guide.
Layout and quote
Send a floor plan or photos. We draw a free layout around your building, lift trucks and permit limits.
Permits and engineering
We provide the rack details your engineer or permit consultant needs for City of Phoenix or other Valley review.
Delivery
Freight is scheduled to your dock, with the delivery date confirmed ahead of time.
Install and sign-off
Frames are stood, anchored and beamed, load plaques posted, and the rack handed over for loading.
Moving buildings? Existing rack can often move with you. See our pallet rack relocation, teardown and reinstall service. After installation, protect columns near docks and busy aisles with column protectors and end-of-aisle guards, add rack safety netting where cartons could fall into walkways, and set up regular rack inspections.
New vs. used pallet racking in Phoenix
A lot of Phoenix buyers search for used pallet racking first, and there is plenty for sale in the Valley. Before you count on the savings, it helps to know where the money actually goes.
Used savings are usually used up by installation. Rack that has been taken down and moved rarely goes back together cleanly. Bent columns need replacing, connectors don’t seat well, and mixed batches don’t line up. The installer time spent straightening and fitting used parts often costs more than the difference in price, so new rack frequently ends up cheaper once it’s installed. Permitted rack in Phoenix also needs manufacturer load ratings and a load plaque, which can be hard to document for unmarked used rack.
Reusing rack you already own can work, especially for a straight move of a known system. Even then, new parts are sometimes cheaper after the fix-up time is counted.
The quickest way to decide is a call to our sales team with pictures of the rack, the upright labels and the connectors. We’ll tell you honestly whether it’s worth installing. Our used vs. new pallet rack guide explains the trade-offs in more detail, and our pallet rack cost and pricing guide shows how to compare quotes.
Plan your Phoenix rack online
Lay out bays and levels in our free 3D pallet rack configurator, then send the design for a Phoenix freight and installation quote.
Open the Configurator See All Design Tools Call (800) 326-4403
Phoenix pallet racking FAQs
Do I need a permit for pallet racking in Phoenix?
When is storage considered high-piled in Phoenix?
What code applies to storage racks in Phoenix?
Do you deliver and install pallet rack in Phoenix?
Is used pallet racking cheaper in Phoenix?
Does Phoenix heat affect pallet racking?
Does pallet rack need to be anchored in Phoenix?
What pallet rack works best for Phoenix distributors?
Pallet rack in other locations: Las Vegas · Albuquerque · Reno · Denver · Salt Lake City · Boise, Idaho · Cantilever rack in Phoenix · All pallet rack
Planning pallet racking in Phoenix?
Free layout design, permit-ready rack details and delivery and installation across the Valley of the Sun.