--- title: "Pushback Rack in Chicago, IL | Free Layout" url: https://chicagopalletracks.com/products/pushback-rack description: "Pushback pallet racking for Chicago warehouses trading aisles for density. Free layout comparing pushback and selective. Call (312) 815-2445." lang: en --- Image: Pushback Rack system in an industrial warehouse (https://chicagopalletracks.com/assets/pushback-hero-Dus20JX9.jpg) # Pushback Rack Systems in Chicago, IL Pushback rack answers the question every 3PL and e-commerce operator along the I-55 corridor eventually asks: how do we fit more pallets of the same SKU into a building we're already paying for? Pallets ride nested carts on inclined rails, two to six deep in a single lane, and the driver loads and unloads from one aisle only. In the big-box parks of Joliet, Elwood, Romeoville, and Bolingbrook - where CenterPoint Intermodal and the BNSF and Union Pacific terminals keep product churning - pushback is how fulfillment operations hold several pallets per SKU without surrendering a second aisle. Food and beverage distributors in Bedford Park and the Clearing district use it heavily in cooler and freezer space, where every refrigerated square foot carries real cost. We model pushback next to a selective layout of the same footprint so the position gain and the price per pallet are both on paper before you commit, and we size carts and rails to your actual pallet weight and overhang. (312) 815-2445 ## How a Pushback Lane Works 1 ### Loading from the aisle The driver sets the first pallet on the front cart. Each pallet added after that pushes the cart train deeper into the lane, so one aisle handles the whole depth. 2 ### Carts nested on rails Steel carts with nylon or steel wheels ride inclined rails, each nesting under the one ahead of it - that nesting is what makes multi-deep storage possible from a single face. 3 ### Retrieval by gravity Pull the front pallet and the next cart rolls forward on the incline to the pick face. No driving into the lane, no repositioning pallets by hand. 4 ### Last in, first out Each lane runs LIFO. That suits fast-turning product and any operation managing rotation by lane rather than by individual pallet date. Image: High-density pushback rack lanes loaded with pallets (https://chicagopalletracks.com/assets/pushback-2-ChZwIk2o.jpg) Image: Pushback pallet racking showing cart rails and load beams (https://chicagopalletracks.com/assets/pushback-3-ChKlQnZE.jpg) ## Where Pushback Pays Off Two to six pallets of the same SKU stacked in one lane Cold storage or leased space where rent per square foot is steep Operations trimming aisle count to add positions Beverage, packaging, and consumer goods runs Buildings with clear height to spare but limited floor ## What We Need to Design It - How many pallets of the same SKU do you typically hold at once? - What's the pallet footprint, and is there overhang? - What's the heaviest pallet going into a lane? - What's the clear ceiling height or your forklift's max lift height? - How wide are the aisles you're working with today? ## Pushback Rack Across the Chicago Market The I-55 and I-80 corridor in Will County is where pushback earns its keep most visibly. Fulfillment and 3PL buildings around CenterPoint Intermodal in Joliet and Elwood, and along I-355 in Romeoville and Bolingbrook, run high SKU counts with several pallets behind each one - exactly the profile pushback was built for. Closer in, the picture shifts. Food and beverage operations in Bedford Park, the Clearing district, and Cicero put pushback into coolers and freezers where density cuts refrigeration cost. In older O'Hare-submarket buildings in Elk Grove Village and Franklin Park, where clear heights run lower, a well-planned pushback block can recover positions the building's height won't give you. Winter matters here too: unheated docks and staging areas are part of life, and we schedule and spec installation with Chicagoland winters in mind. ## What a Pushback Installation Covers Pushback layouts are built around the pallet, not the building. We start by confirming pallet type, footprint, overhang, and load weight, because cart spacing and rail incline follow that profile rather than a generic 48x40 assumption. Next we set lane depth. Deeper lanes store more, but only pay off if you actually carry that many pallets per SKU - so we compare a two-deep and a four-deep version of the same footprint and show what each does to total positions and to how many pick faces you're left with. The quote covers frames, beams, rails, carts, and guarding, itemized so you can see exactly what the added density costs per position - the number that matters more than the sticker price. Rails and carts are set and tested at installation, and cart travel is verified in every lane before handover. You end up with a CAD drawing, capacity ratings, a system drivers pick up in a shift, and a local source for replacement carts and wheels down the road. 1 Phone consultation 2 CAD layout 3 Itemized quote 4 Delivery & installation ## Recent Installations A sample of racking projects completed across the region. Image: Carton flow rack installation in a warehouse (https://chicagopalletracks.com/assets/carton-flow-racking-CbC_ZAQs.jpg) Image: Drive-in pallet rack installation in a high-bay warehouse (https://chicagopalletracks.com/assets/drive-in-CzCRNL_F.jpg) Image: Pallet rack installation reaching the ceiling of a distribution center (https://chicagopalletracks.com/assets/igt-6-DlAaWmSY.jpg) Image: Selective pallet rack aisle with wire decking (https://chicagopalletracks.com/assets/img-1220-DJL8pNok.jpg) Image: Warehouse pallet racking aisles with a forklift (https://chicagopalletracks.com/assets/img-5455-DxNygyEY.jpg) Image: Rows of pallet racking in a distribution facility (https://chicagopalletracks.com/assets/medco-cleveland-5-Bg7bEehR.jpg) Image: Warehouse pallet rack system spanning a large storage area (https://chicagopalletracks.com/assets/photo-aug-03-6-17-41-pm-Cpzt32J0.jpg) Image: Pallet racking rows under warehouse skylights (https://chicagopalletracks.com/assets/photo-jul-22-6-45-56-pm-CIVCQxM9.jpg) Image: Cantilever rack arms mounted along a warehouse wall (https://chicagopalletracks.com/assets/photo-may-15-2026-7-28-50-pm-1-zev4C15x.jpg) Image: Push back pallet rack carts on inclined rails (https://chicagopalletracks.com/assets/udf-pushback-rack-BgIv7FXJ.jpg) View More Projects: https://chicagopalletracks.com/projects ## Get a Pushback Rack Quote Send the basics and we will come back with a layout and pricing. Prefer to talk? Call (312) 815-2445. ### What's Included: - Free warehouse consultation - CAD layout drawings - Itemized project quote - Rack type recommendations - Installation timeline ## Pushback Rack Questions From Chicagoland Buyers ### How deep should our pushback lanes be? ### Can pushback handle our pallet weights? ### Does pushback work in a freezer or cooler? ### How fast can material ship and crews install? ### Can pushback be added to rack we already own? ## Pushback Rack by Service Area Delivery and installation across Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. Chicago: https://chicagopalletracks.com/service-area/chicago Aurora: https://chicagopalletracks.com/service-area/aurora Naperville: https://chicagopalletracks.com/service-area/naperville Joliet: https://chicagopalletracks.com/service-area/joliet Elgin: https://chicagopalletracks.com/service-area/elgin Waukegan: https://chicagopalletracks.com/service-area/waukegan Cicero: https://chicagopalletracks.com/service-area/cicero Schaumburg: https://chicagopalletracks.com/service-area/schaumburg Bolingbrook: https://chicagopalletracks.com/service-area/bolingbrook Des Plaines: https://chicagopalletracks.com/service-area/des-plaines Elk Grove Village: https://chicagopalletracks.com/service-area/elk-grove-village Carol Stream: https://chicagopalletracks.com/service-area/carol-stream Romeoville: https://chicagopalletracks.com/service-area/romeoville Bedford Park: https://chicagopalletracks.com/service-area/bedford-park Addison: https://chicagopalletracks.com/service-area/addison ## Other Rack Systems & Services ### Pallet Rack Every pallet reachable, every time. The baseline we size everything else against. https://chicagopalletracks.com/products/pallet-rack ### Pallet Flow Rack Load one side, pick the other, and let gravity enforce first in, first out. https://chicagopalletracks.com/products/pallet-flow-rack ### Drive-In Rack No aisles. The forklift enters the structure, and the floor holds more pallets per square foot than any other system. https://chicagopalletracks.com/products/drive-in-rack ### Cantilever Rack Arms with nothing in front of them, built for lumber, pipe, and anything a pallet can't hold. https://chicagopalletracks.com/products/cantilever-rack ### Carton Flow Rack Cases advance to the picker instead of the picker hunting for cases. https://chicagopalletracks.com/products/carton-flow-rack ### Warehouse Relocation We tear down, move, and reinstall your pallet rack so the new building is ready to receive on day one. https://chicagopalletracks.com/warehouse-relocation ## Where We Work Located in Chicago, we serve the entire Chicagoland area with industrial pallet racks and warehouse storage solutions. ### Chicago Pallet Racks #### Address 36 N. Cass Ave. Unit #5170 Westmont, IL 60559 #### Phone (312) 815-2445 #### Business Hours Monday - Friday: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Saturday: Closed Sunday: Closed ## Ready to Price Pushback Rack? Call (312) 815-2445 or request a quote and we will start a layout. 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If you rarely hold more than three pallets of a SKU, a four-deep lane wastes pick faces. We size lane depth from your movement data." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can pushback handle our pallet weights?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Cart and rail assemblies are commonly rated 2,500 to 4,000 lb per pallet, with heavier builds available. We spec to your heaviest load with margin and confirm the pallet footprint and overhang work with the cart nesting before quoting." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does pushback work in a freezer or cooler?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes, and Chicagoland's large cold-storage market is one of the reasons we install so much of it. Density directly reduces the refrigerated volume you're paying to cool. Components are specified for the temperature range so carts roll freely in the cold." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How fast can material ship and crews install?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Standard pushback components move quickly through Chicago's freight network - this is the largest rail hub in North America, with most of the Midwest within a day's truck drive. Our own crews handle installation, and we schedule around your dock hours, including winter work in unheated buildings." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can pushback be added to rack we already own?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Often. Bay width and frame depth have to suit the cart and rail assembly, so we verify your current frames and connector style from photos and measurements first, then convert the bays that work and leave the rest selective." } } ] } ] ```