Automated Bar Stock Storage for Bars, Tube & Profiles

Looking to reclaim floor space and speed changeovers? Our bar stock storage towers organize long materials in high-capacity drawers that deliver bundles to a waist-height bay near your saws and cutting cells. By assigning drawers by alloy, OD, or job, teams find the right stock fast with fewer touches and cleaner aisles. Download specifications and planning details when you download our brochure, or request a consultation to review lengths, capacities, and integration with cranes, lifters, or WMS. From single to double-tower systems, SSG helps you design, install, and maintain a safer, more efficient bar and tube storage workflow.

double tower automated storage system for industrial materials with blue steel frame and multiple drawers for long stock

Automated Vertical Bar & Tube Storage

Automated bar and tube storage condenses long stock into a compact vertical bank of drawers, then brings the selected bundle to a waist height access bay. Operators call drawers with simple controls, so bars, tubes, and profiles are presented in repeatable positions without dragging across adjacent stock or staging pallets in shared aisles.

Systems are configured around your lengths, diameters, alloys, and throughput targets. Dedicate drawers by outside diameter or work order to prevent mix ups, reduce touches, and keep saws, cutting cells, and machining centers supplied. By moving the drawer to the user, facilities reduce forklift travel, protect surface finish, and standardize handling across shifts.

Elevator based retrieval delivers bundles to a safe, ergonomic bay
High density footprint frees floor space around saws and cells
Organize by alloy, OD, profile, or job for clean flow
Consistent, repeatable picks reduce damage and rework
Indoor and outdoor tower options to match your site

Configurations, Drawer Types & Capacities

Choose the tower layout that fits your travel paths and infeed requirements. Single tower systems support front load and unload in compact footprints. Front load with rear unload creates a straight through lane to the cell. Double tower systems share a shuttle to queue the next drawer while the current drawer feeds production. Side loading and multi tower arrays scale capacity and throughput without expanding the building envelope.

Drawer types are matched to your stock. Closed bottom drawers secure short bars and cutoffs. Open bottom with closed sides support full length bars and tubes while allowing debris to fall clear. Fully open drawers with perimeter pins accommodate strapped bundles and forklift handling. Common specifications include per drawer capacities of approximately 3,300, 6,600, or 11,000 pounds, drawer lengths from roughly 10 to 40 feet, widths from about 1.3 to 6.5 feet, loading heights from roughly 0.8 to 3.3 feet, and tower heights up to about 40 feet for single towers or 52 feet for double towers.

Single, front/rear, or double tower with shared shuttle
Drawer options for short stock, full lengths, and bundles
Per drawer capacities to ~11,000 lbs
Drawer lengths to ~40 ft; tower heights to ~52 ft
Engineered for forklifts, cranes, or vacuum lifters

automated storage system for industrial materials and profiles with blue steel frame and multiple drawers for long stock

heavy duty steel frame structure for industrial machinery with safety barriers and light curtains

Integrate with Saws, Cutting Cells & WMS

Place towers beside saws, lasers, or robotic cells to shorten material paths and stage the next bundle by program. Underground or surface guided shuttles keep infeed lanes clear. Optical barriers, safety scanners, and physical guarding help protect operators. Barcode readers, HMIs, and WMS integrations improve visibility of quantities, types, and heat numbers, while optional load cells monitor drawer weights for safer handling.

Managing plate and sheet too? Pair your bar tower with automated vertical sheet storage to streamline both long and flat material flows in the same production area. With consistent, waist height access points and organized drawer assignments, planners maintain WIP control while operators make fewer trips and faster changeovers.

Underground or surface shuttle guidance to fit the floor
Safety scanners, optical barriers, and robust guarding
Barcode, HMI, and WMS options for inventory accuracy
Optional load cells for real time weight feedback
Complementary sheet storage for unified material flow

Adjustable pin support system for metal bar storage in industrial facilities — Automated drawers condense long material, cut travel, and protect finish at the cell.

Vertical towers stage bars, tubes, and profiles in enclosed drawers that present at a consistent bay near saws and cutting cells. Operators pick the correct bundle quickly without dragging across adjacent stock or navigating crowded aisles.

Assign drawers by alloy, outside diameter, profile, or work order. Front, rear, or shuttle handling keeps a clear infeed lane and queues the next drawer for faster changeovers and steadier throughput.

Waist-height access adjacent to production
Drawer assignments by alloy/OD/profile or job
Shared shuttle option to queue next pick
Condensed footprint opens common aisles
Compatible with cranes and vacuum lifters

Automated shuttle for metal bar and tube storage systems in warehouses and distribution centers — Organize SKUs of bar stock and tubing, clear aisles, and improve counts and traceability.

High-capacity drawers bring bundles to the operator—no more deep forklift drives into storage. Multi-tower arrays with a shared shuttle scale capacity and throughput without expanding your envelope.

Barcode readers, HMI controls, and WMS integrations improve count accuracy and traceability by type, diameter, and heat number. Underground or surface guidance adapts to slab conditions and traffic patterns.

Single or multi-tower arrays with shared shuttle
Open infeed lane for faster, safer picks
Barcode/HMI/WMS options for visibility
Underground or surface shuttle guidance
Indoor or outdoor tower configurations

Automated storage system for metal bars and tubes in industrial manufacturing facilities — Stabilize cycle times with queued, ready-to-load drawers for every bar stock storage need.

Place towers at the infeed to shorten travel and standardize loading into robotic cells, saws, and machining centers. Drawers kitted by job or diameter reduce hunting and re-handling.

Safety scanners, optical barriers, and optional load cells help maintain safe, repeatable access at the bay while the next drawer is queued to keep takt time predictable.

Front/back or shuttle handling to match flow
Drawers kitted by job or OD
Safety scanners and optical barriers
Optional load cells with weight feedback
Less re-handling and surface damage

Frequently Asked Questions

Drawer families cover common long material sizes with approximate drawer lengths from 10 to 40 feet and widths from about 1.3 to 6.5 feet. Assign drawers by outside diameter or profile so bars, tubes, and shapes load cleanly at a repeatable access bay without dragging across adjacent stock.

Standard capacity options are roughly 3,300, 6,600, or 11,000 pounds per drawer, selected during design to match bundle sizes, handling method, and equipment limits. Optional load cells can monitor actual drawer weight to improve safety and inventory accuracy.

Choose single tower with front load and unload for compact footprints, front load with rear unload for straight through flow, or double tower with a shared shuttle when you need higher throughput. Side loading, multi tower arrays, and wall pass through bays are available to align with travel paths and cell infeed.

Heights vary by model and site conditions. As a guide, single towers are commonly engineered up to about 40 feet, double towers up to about 52 feet. Final height, pit depth, and overhead clearances are verified during layout to meet equipment, building, and code requirements.

Shuttles can be guided underground or on the surface. Underground guidance keeps floor lanes clear when you have frequent traffic across the bay, while surface guidance is a practical choice when slab conditions or cost favor an above floor solution.

Systems use optical barriers, area scanners, guarding, and interlocks to control access and protect personnel during drawer movements. HMIs provide status and alarms, while optional load cells and sensors add weight feedback for safer handling and better process control.

Yes. Drawers are designed for cranes, vacuum lifters, or team handling, and controls support barcode readers and HMI workflows. WMS integration helps track quantities, types, and heat numbers by drawer, improving traceability and counts without expanding floor space.

Closed bottom drawers secure short bars and cutoffs, open bottom with closed sides support full length bars and tubes while allowing debris to fall clear, and fully open drawers with perimeter pins accommodate strapped bundles for forklift handling. We match the drawer type to your stock and handling method during design.

Honest Results

“I am more than satisfied. I was blown away by the level of professionalism and impressed with the timely manner you were able to pull this job off! Bruce – you came thru in a big way and for that I am grateful! Thanks so much! Looking forward to working with you all again in the future!”

“I would like to compliment Larry, the supervisor for our project. We relocated existing County files and storage equipment from one building to another. He managed the project flow of materials wonderfully. If it wasn’t for his professional attitude the moving of the files would have been a greater challenge. We are very satisfied with your company.”

“I just have to comment on how impressed everyone in our office was with your crew led by Larry! The entire group was very courteous and mindful to be as considerate as possible while we were conducting business. We were very impressed with the safety factor being stressed as #1. The entire crew worked together so smoothly as a TEAM. Please be sure our extreme pleasure is shared.”

“You guys have been fantastic to work with. This project has been on the more complex side, with the contracts going from the contractor to the City and then back to the contractor. I appreciate you guys sticking with us, helping us through the whole process. I look forward to working with you again on another similar project when it arises.”

Southwest Solutions Near You

With 7 offices in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Colorado, plus teams covering every major metro area nationwide, Southwest Solutions Group delivers expert bar stock and tube storage sales, design, installation, and maintenace support wherever you need it.

Sheet Metal Rack Service Areas

Texas

Offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston & San Antonio w/ sales, design, and installation coverage statewide

Austin
Dallas
El Paso
Fort Worth
Houston
San Antonio

Oklahoma

Office in Edmond w/ sales, design, and installation coverage statewide

Broken Arrow
Edmond
Lawton
Norman
Oklahoma City
Tulsa

Kansas

Office in Lenexa w/ sales, design, and installation coverage statewide

Kansas City
Lawrence
Olathe
Overland Park
Topeka
Wichita

Colorado

Office in Englewood w/ sales, design, and installation coverage statewide

Aurora
Colorado Springs
Denver
Fort Collins
Lakewood
Boulder

Alaska