What term gained currency as lift heights soared toward 45 meters by the 1980s following floor-anchored racks?
high-bay warehouse
As engineering advancements in the 1970s and 1980s allowed distribution centers to anchor racks firmly to the floor instead of the ceiling, the stability increased, enabling mast systems to safely reach much greater heights. This architectural shift, permitting lifts to potentially reach 45 meters (nearly 150 feet), directly led to the common usage of the term 'high-bay warehouse.' This evolution addressed instability issues encountered when trying to operate very tall machines suspended from the ceiling or supporting racks near their mechanical limits. By anchoring the structure to the ground, distribution centers could leverage significantly more vertical volume, increasing storage density dramatically while often improving the speed and precision of accessing storage locations.
