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Drive In Racking Finance

Spread the cost of drive-in racking from £10,000 to £300,000+ with flexible finance options. HP, lease, or refinance, compare rates from 40+ lenders.

Can you finance a drive in racking?

Yes, drive in rackings are financed as a standard asset purchase, usually on hire purchase or a lease, with the machine itself acting as the security. UK prices typically run £10,000 to £300,000, and most deals are written over 12-60 months with a deposit of around 10-20%. Decisions typically take 24–48 hours. Used machines are financeable too, usually with a shorter term.

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Typical Cost

£10k – £300k

Approval Speed

24–48 hours

Same-day for < £75k

Rates From

5.8% APR

What would a drive in racking cost per month?

£55,000
10%
60 months
9%
£0

Your estimate

Indicative only. Not a quote and not an offer of finance.

Pre-filled with a typical drive in racking price. Indicative only, not a quote.

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Finance options

Hire Purchase (HP)

Rate
From 6.3% APR
Term
12-60 months
Deposit
10-20%
Ownership
Yours at the end
Best for
Businesses wanting to own the racking outright

Finance Lease

Rate
From 5.8% APR
Term
12-60 months
Deposit
None required
Ownership
Return or buy (balloon payment)
Best for
Tax efficient; claim payments against profit

Operating Lease

Rate
From 6.5% APR
Term
24-48 months
Deposit
None required
Ownership
Return at end
Best for
Cold stores scaling pallet capacity with seasonal demand

Representative example

On a purchase price of £55,000: a 10% deposit of £5,500, then 48 monthly payments of £1,160 at 5.9% APR representative (fixed). Total amount payable £61,180, including the deposit. The rate you are offered depends on your business and the asset.

What buyers actually specify

Guide prices for sizing a finance agreement, not quotes. Manufacturers in this market mostly price on application, so where a current UK list price could not be confirmed the row describes a specification class rather than naming a model. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.

Machine or specification Guide price Type
Link51 Drive-In Racking System £200 - £350 per pallet position (specification class, price not independently verified) Standard Drive-In System
Dexion Drive-In Pallet Racking £220 - £380 per pallet position (specification class, price not independently verified) Standard Drive-In System
Stow High-Density Drive-In System £250 - £420 per pallet position (specification class, price not independently verified) Cold Store Drive-In System
Full Cold Store Drive-In Installation £80,000 - £300,000 (specification class, price not independently verified) Large-Scale Cold Store Installation

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Tax benefits

Drive-in racking is a bolted, demountable structure in the same way as standard adjustable pallet racking, and is generally treated as moveable plant and machinery for capital allowances purposes on that basis. The denser steelwork of a drive-in system, with continuous rails running the full depth of each lane, means the total project value per pallet position is usually higher than standard racking, but the underlying tax treatment follows the same principle. HP agreements let you claim capital allowances directly; lease payments are deducted as a running cost.

Market context

Drive-in racking is typically specified by cold storage operators, food and drink distributors, and businesses storing high volumes of a relatively small number of product lines, since the last-in-first-out access pattern suits fewer SKUs stored in depth rather than a wide range of products needing individual access. Because a fork truck drives directly into the lane between the rails, drive-in systems recover significantly more pallet positions per square metre of floor than standard wide-aisle racking, which is usually the reason a business chooses it over adjustable pallet racking despite the higher project cost. Layouts are generally specified against seasonal peak stock volumes rather than average holding, since cold store and seasonal food businesses often need capacity for a short peak period each year.

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Several of our 200+ lenders specialise in businesses with imperfect credit histories. You may need a larger deposit or personal guarantee, but options exist. Checking your options here does not affect your credit score, because we do not run a credit search to match you. A lender will run their own checks only if you decide to apply.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between drive-in and drive-through racking?
Drive-in racking has access from one end only, with the fork truck reversing back out the way it entered, which suits a last-in-first-out stock rotation. Drive-through racking is open at both ends, allowing pallets to be loaded from one side and picked from the other, giving a first-in-first-out rotation but usually needing more floor space around the structure for access on both sides. Cold stores and high-volume single-product operations often choose drive-in for the space efficiency; businesses needing strict stock rotation more often choose drive-through despite the slightly lower density.
Why does drive-in racking cost more than standard pallet racking?
Drive-in racking uses continuous rails running the full depth of each lane to support the pallets, rather than the beams used in standard adjustable racking, which means significantly more steel per pallet position stored. The layout also needs a more precise design process to match rack depth, fork truck reach and aisle clearance, since the truck is driving into a confined lane rather than accessing racking from an open aisle. The trade-off is considerably higher storage density per square metre, which is usually what justifies the extra cost for the businesses that choose this system.
Can drive-in racking be installed in a cold store or freezer?
Yes, drive-in racking is commonly installed in chilled and frozen environments, and suppliers typically offer finishes and fixing specifications suited to low-temperature and high-humidity conditions. This is a supplier specification matter rather than a finance one, though a lender financing a cold store installation will usually want to see the full project quote including any temperature-specific requirements, since these can affect both the steelwork specification and the installation timeline.
Does drive-in racking need a specific type of fork truck?
Most drive-in systems are designed around a standard counterbalance or reach truck, but the lane width and rack depth need to be matched to your specific truck's turning circle and mast reach during the design stage, which your racking supplier will confirm. Some businesses choose to finance a suitable truck alongside the racking on a related agreement so the two are funded and delivered together, though this is not a requirement, and existing trucks are often compatible with a well-designed system.
How quickly can I get drive-in racking finance?
Most applications are approved within 24 to 48 hours once a full supplier quote with the lane layout and pallet capacity is available. Straightforward installations under £75,000 often see same-day approval. Larger cold store projects running into six figures typically take 3 to 5 working days while the lender reviews the full specification, particularly where the installation is part of a wider cold store build or refit.

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