Keypoint Summary
- Catwalk racking, also called pick face racking, combines bulk pallet storage on the lower level with a raised, walkable picking platform above, all within the same footprint.
- Staff pick individual items or cartons by hand from the elevated levels while pallets are replenished from below, which separates picking traffic from forklift traffic.
- It suits operations handling a large number of small items, such as e-commerce fulfilment, spare parts, and retail distribution.
- The system uses vertical height far more efficiently than ground-level picking, which can lift storage capacity without extending the building.
- Krost Shelving & Racking is one of South Africa and Africa’s leading manufacturers of catwalk and pick face racking, designing every system around your actual stock and picking workflow.
Most warehouses face the same tension. Bulk stock needs to be stored efficiently, but orders are picked in small quantities, often a few cartons or single items at a time. Standard pallet racking handles the first job well and the second job poorly, since picking individual items from pallet positions means a lot of walking, stretching, and forklift involvement. Catwalk racking, also known as pick face racking, was built to solve exactly that. This guide explains how it works, where it fits, and who benefits most from it.
What Is Catwalk / Pick Face Racking?
Catwalk racking is a multi-level storage system that combines two functions in one structure. The ground level typically holds bulk pallet storage, while one or more elevated levels, built as walkable platforms with flooring and safety barriers, hold smaller items and cartons that staff pick by hand.
The term pick face refers to the front of a storage position where items are picked from. In a catwalk system, those pick faces are positioned on raised walkways at a comfortable working height, so pickers move along a platform rather than reaching up or bending down across a standard aisle.
It sits somewhere between traditional racking and a mezzanine floor. It uses the same structural principles as a rack-supported mezzanine, but the focus is specifically on storage and picking rather than creating open floor space for offices or production.
How Catwalk Racking Works
A typical catwalk system has pallet racking at ground level, with a steel platform built above it, supported by the racking structure itself. Staircases or ladders provide access to the upper levels, and safety handrails run along the walkways. Shelving or carton storage sits on the elevated platform, with stock arranged so pickers can walk along the catwalk and select items directly.
Replenishment happens separately. Forklifts work at ground level or in dedicated replenishment aisles, restocking pick faces from bulk pallets without interfering with the people picking above. Conveyors or chutes are often added so picked items can travel down to a packing or dispatch area without staff carrying them downstairs.
This separation of picking traffic from forklift traffic is one of the most valuable features of the design. It reduces congestion, lowers the risk of collisions between pedestrians and vehicles, and lets both activities run at the same time.
Key Benefits of Catwalk Racking
- Efficient use of vertical space. Ground-level picking only uses a fraction of a warehouse’s available height. Catwalk systems add usable picking area vertically, which can increase total storage capacity substantially without expanding the building.
- Faster, more accurate picking. Items are arranged along a single walkway at a comfortable working height, so pickers travel less and spend less time searching for stock.
- Safer working environment. Keeping pickers on elevated platforms, away from forklift traffic, reduces one of the most common warehouse safety risks.
- Combined bulk and pick storage. Fast-moving items can sit on the pick levels while slower-moving or bulk stock stays in pallet storage below, all within one footprint.
- Scalable and adaptable. Because the structure is modular, additional levels or sections can usually be added as the product range grows, and layouts can be reconfigured as demand changes.
Who Needs Catwalk Racking?
Catwalk racking tends to suit operations where small items make up a significant share of what is picked.
- Ecommerce and fulfilment centres. High volumes of small orders, many different products, and tight dispatch windows make pick face storage a natural fit.
- Spare parts and components distributors. Large ranges of small, varied items benefit from organised, accessible pick levels instead of searching through pallet positions.
- Retail distribution. Operations supplying stores with mixed cartons of different products can pick efficiently without breaking down pallets at ground level.
- Operations short on floor space. Where the building cannot grow outward, building the picking function upward frees floor area for other uses.
It is not necessarily the right answer for every warehouse. Operations moving mostly full pallets, with little item-level picking, will not see much benefit from a catwalk structure and are usually better served by selective pallet racking or a higher density system.
Choosing the Right System
A catwalk system has more design considerations than standard racking. Floor loading, platform height, staircase placement, fire access and evacuation routes, and compliance with building regulations all need to be planned from the start. Getting these details right early avoids expensive modifications later, and this is where an experienced manufacturer makes the biggest difference.
Krost Shelving & Racking is one of South Africa and Africa’s leading manufacturers of catwalk and pick face racking, designing every system around your stock profile, picking workflow, and building constraints rather than a generic template.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between catwalk racking and a mezzanine floor?
Both create elevated working levels, but catwalk racking is built specifically around storage and picking, often using the racking structure itself for support. A mezzanine floor is a broader structural platform that can hold offices, production areas, or storage.
Is pick face racking the same as catwalk racking?
The two terms are used interchangeably in most cases. Pick face refers to the front of the storage position where items are picked, while catwalk refers to the raised walkway pickers use to reach them.
Can catwalk racking be added to an existing warehouse?
Usually yes, provided the floor can carry the additional load and the building has enough clear height. A site assessment confirms what is possible before any design work begins.
Does catwalk racking need special safety compliance?
Elevated platforms must meet safety requirements for load capacity, handrails, staircases, and emergency access. A properly designed system accounts for these from the start.
What type of stock suits catwalk racking best?
Small to medium-sized items, cartons, and hand-picked products suit it best. Full pallet picking is better handled by standard pallet racking.
Does Krost manufacture catwalk and pick face racking?
Yes. Krost Shelving & Racking designs, manufactures, and installs catwalk and pick face racking in-house, tailored to your specific stock and picking workflow.
Final Thoughts
Catwalk and pick face racking solve a specific problem well, which is how to store bulk stock and pick small items efficiently in the same space. For operations built around item-level picking, it can improve speed, safety, and capacity all at once, without the cost of a bigger building.
For a full breakdown of every racking type and how to choose between them, see our complete guide to racking systems. You can also view our Catwalk / Pick Face Racking range directly, or get in touch with our team for a free site assessment tailored to your stock and picking workflow.
