Still replacing damaged uprights with OEM frames? It might be costing you more than you realize.
Repeated replacements drive up warehouse maintenance costs and slow down operations. Both rack replacement and repair may seem similar in price and effort in the short term—but repeat the process multiple times over 10 years, and the difference becomes massive.
Engineered rack repair kits offer a permanent, cost-effective fix by protecting against future impacts, putting an end to the endless replacement cycle. And now, you can calculate the exact cost difference with our ROI Calculator.
A better way to address rack damage
Many warehouse operators default to OEM replacements for damaged uprights. It’s familiar. But it may not always be your best option.
The limitations and costs of OEM rack replacements:
- OEM cold-formed frames aren’t impact-resistant—you may be replacing the same rack location again multiple times over the years.
- Downtime and labor costs multiply when you need to unload merchandise, dismantle your racks, reinstall them, and reload merchandise.
But there’s a smarter way with engineered rack repair kits:
- Future-proof. Damotech’s engineered repair kits break the costly replacement cycle by reinforcing impact zones and protecting racks against future forklift hits. A lifetime warranty backs our DAMO PRO solutions against impact—if a DAMO PRO kit is ever damaged, it’s replaced, no questions asked.
- Engineered, certified, and code-compliant. As a key member of the Rack Manufacturers Institute (RMI), Damotech’s rack repair solution is thoroughly engineered, certified, and installed to restore racking systems to a state of conformity. Every repair is backed by professional engineering oversight—something generic repairs and OEM swaps don’t provide.
- Minimal disruption compared to replacement. Upright replacement often means unloading bays, dismantling racks, renting equipment, and waiting weeks for OEM parts. Damotech repair kits are typically installed in about 30 minutes, often without unloading or dismantling, keeping operations moving and downtime to a minimum.
Your racks aren’t just assets—they’re liabilities if mismanaged. See why engineered repair is safer, faster, and more cost-effective than replacement.
What’s Really at Stake? Time, Safety & Budget
Recurring rack damage adds more than maintenance bills to your ledger—it creates a ripple effect across your entire warehouse.
- Recurring labor and costs pile up every time your team unloads and dismantles bays—often to fix an issue that could have been solved permanently.
- Interruptions reduce productivity, increasing warehouse operating costs.
- Mismatched or non-compliant parts from OEMs pose a safety hazard.
- Safety risks from delays or makeshift repairs, especially in seismic or high-traffic zones.
Replacing a rack isn’t just about the frame—you also need to unload, dismantle, and reassemble, which adds time, labor, and cost.
Rack repairs also have costs, but unlike replacements, they usually don’t require unloading or dismantling. There is no equipment rental, minimal downtime, and most installs take less than an hour. Even better? Once repaired with an engineered kit, that spot is unlikely to need fixing again.
By tackling the root issue with engineered repair kits, you proactively control warehouse repairs rather than reacting to emergency damage.
The Rack Repair ROI Calculator: Your Secret Weapon
With the Rack Column Repair ROI Calculator, you can model how much you’ll save over time by switching to rack repair instead of full OEM replacement.
How the Calculator Works
- Enter key warehouse variables:
- Total number of upright rack frames (the vertical structures) in your facility. This helps estimate how many are likely to be damaged each year.
- Average percentage (%) of frames damaged per year. On average, what percentage of your frames gets damaged each year? This helps calculate how many need repair or replacement annually.
- Lost revenue for downtime per frame per week ($). How much money do you lose each week a frame is out of service? Include issues such as reduced storage capacity, slower operations, or missed shipments. Enter $0 if downtime doesn’t impact your revenue.
- Enter costs related to rack repair and replacement:
- Cost of OEM replacement frame (left column) or Damotech repair kit (right column). The purchase price of the upright frame (OEM) and the repair kit.
- Freight/shipping cost. The delivery cost to get the frame or kit to your warehouse.
- Equipment rental cost. Cost to rent lifts, platforms, or tools needed for the job.
- Unloading & reloading cost. Labor or service fees to remove and restack items from the rack.
- Dismantling cost. The labor cost to take down the damaged rack before installing the new one.
- Installation or re-installation costs. Cost to set up the new frame or install the repair kit.
- OEM frame lead time in weeks (left column). How many weeks does it take to receive an OEM frame after ordering? This helps estimate how much money you lose while waiting for the replacement.
- Damotech repair kit lead time in weeks (right column). How many weeks does it take to receive a Damotech repair kit? This helps estimate lost revenue while waiting for the repair kit to arrive.
- View the savings simulation over 10 years.
- Print or share your results to build a strong business case.
Real Side-by-Side Comparison: Repair vs. Replacement
Case Study #1. Small Warehouse, Big Savings
A company operating in the retail space with e-commerce operations runs a single 10,000 sq. ft. warehouse in California with 100 upright frames. Routine forklift traffic accounts for about 10% of frame damage per year. Because they own their own racks and don’t rent out space to 3rd parties, there’s no lost revenue from downtime.
Even without the lost revenue from unusable locations, the company still managed to save over 10 years by repairing rather than replacing.
Total ROI: $170,265
- $170,265 saved by repairing instead of replacing comes from the cost difference between $254,400 for repeated OEM frame replacements and $84,135 for repairs over the same period. By the 10th year, the company was repairing only 5 frames annually—down from 12 replacements—because engineered repair kits prevented new damage.
- 1,124 frame-weeks of downtime eliminated, meaning rack locations stayed operational instead of sitting empty during long replacement cycles. Over 10 years, repeated OEM replacements would have caused 1,440 frame-weeks of downtime, while engineered repairs reduced that to just 316 frame-weeks.
Case Study #2: The Real Price of 3PL Damage
A leading 3PL provider with 1,600 facilities worldwide operates high-volume distribution centers, each averaging 100 rack frames across expansive warehouse floors. With the constant movement of pallets, forklifts, and personnel, about 4% of these frames sustain damage each year. The result is thousands of compromised uprights across the network, driving avoidable downtime, reduced storage capacity, and costly replacements—often totaling millions in lost revenue annually. Moreover, when a frame is damaged, the bay cannot be rented out, so they lose revenue for every week a rack location is unavailable.
By choosing engineered rack repair over OEM replacement, here’s what a large-scale operation achieved in just 10 years:
Total ROI: $94,066,198
- $78,568,310 saved in replacement costs ($135,680,000 for replacements — $57,111,690 for repairs)
- 553,496 frame-weeks of downtime eliminated, calculated by comparing total downtime from OEM replacements versus engineered repairs over 10 years. This means thousands of rack locations stayed operational instead of sitting empty during long replacement lead times.
- $15,497,888 in recovered lost revenue from avoiding downtime during long OEM replacement cycles. It’s calculated by multiplying the number of frame-weeks of downtime saved by the estimated lost revenue per frame per week. By repairing racks instead of waiting weeks for replacements, the operation maintained storage space and workflow, preventing $15.5 million in revenue loss over 10 years.
Why the ROI of Rack Repair Cuts Warehouse Expenses for Good
This isn’t just cost savings—it’s a decade of greater uptime, improved safety, and stronger operational efficiency. Whether you’re managing a 10,000 sq. ft. warehouse or a 250,000+ sq. ft. distribution center, the numbers tell the same story: engineered rack repair delivers massive long-term value.
The ROI is undeniable, from reduced replacement costs and minimized downtime to recovered lost revenue. Engineered repair kits restore structural integrity and help you break the costly cycle of repeated replacements, saving time, money, and resources at any scale.
Run your numbers with our ROI calculator and see what repair can do for your bottom line.
The Long-Term Advantages of Engineered Rack Repair
Damotech’s repair solutions aren’t just a fix—they’re an investment in operational excellence.
- Custom-engineered to match your existing racks
- Installed often without unloading pallets
- Designed to restore original load capacity and meet ANSI compliance
- Built for impact resistance—protect against repeat damage
- Backed by a lifetime impact warranty (Damo Pro)
- Available with faster lead times than OEMs
- Installed using the proprietary Easy Lift system to minimize disruption
For companies looking to rein in warehouse expenses, here’s why repair makes financial sense:
- Avoid unnecessary warehouse repairs by protecting impact zones with adequate warehouse guarding products
- Eliminate redundant replacements and reduce ongoing warehouse operating expenses
- Shorter installation time means less labor and less disruption
Stop throwing good money after bad repairs. Protect your racks for the first and last time.
See It for Yourself: Calculate Your ROI with Real Data
Warehouse managers across North America are rethinking how they handle warehouse repairs—and saving big in the process. By choosing engineered rack repair over OEM replacement, you protect your team and inventory and significantly reduce your warehouse expenses and downtime.
Ready to stop guessing? Try the Calculator—Start Saving in Minutes.
Plug your warehouse numbers into our Rack Column Repair ROI Calculator and instantly see how much your facility could save on future warehouse operating expenses. It’s fast. It’s free. And it’s engineered to help you make confident, data-backed decisions.