Material Handling Exchange

What Material Handling Exchange does

Material Handling Exchange (MHE) is an Indianapolis-based, privately held manufacturer and distributor of new and used material handling equipment serving warehouse operators, distribution centers, manufacturing facilities, cold storage operators, and companies liquidating equipment across the United States. Founded in 1989, the company operates a 530,000-square-foot state-of-the-art manufacturing facility south of Indianapolis producing teardrop pallet rack beams and uprights, structural pallet racking, and cantilever rack systems, complemented by 500,000+ square feet of climate-controlled warehouse space holding the largest stocking inventory of used material handling equipment in the nation (over 100,000 beams, 15,000+ uprights, and hundreds of cantilever sections) with daily production of 30,000 new beams and 15,000 new uprights.

The core product portfolio spans selective pallet racking components (beams, uprights, wire mesh decks, supports), high-density systems (pushback and drive-in/drive-thru racking), structural racking for seismic zones, cantilever racks for long/bulky items, and complementary accessories, offered in both new and used/refurbished conditions and configurable to exact specifications. Revenue is generated primarily through unit-level hardware sales (new beams $22-$58, new uprights $60-$354, used beams $29-$69, cantilever arms $40-$146), supplemented by professional warehouse layout and design services, permitting assistance, installation, and an equipment buyback/liquidation program that monetizes the disposal end of the customer lifecycle.

MHE operates a factory-direct B2B go-to-market model combining an e-commerce storefront with transparent pricing, direct phone sales, free warehouse design consultations, and nationwide FOB shipping from its Indianapolis headquarters. The company is led by President and CEO Kevin Lawrence, is affiliated with niche storefronts (Used-PalletRack.com, Cantilever-Racks.com) and Henry Street Steel, holds memberships in MHI and RMI industry bodies, and has accumulated named enterprise customers including Nike, Lowe's, Staples, Newegg, American General, and Gleaners Food Bank across its 35+ year operating history.

Name

Material Handling Exchange

Legal name

Material Handling Exchange, Inc.

Website

https://www.m-h-e.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Material Handling Exchange is an Indianapolis-based manufacturer and distributor of new and used pallet racking, cantilever racks, and warehouse storage systems, serving warehouse operators, distributors, manufacturers, and cold storage operators nationwide through factory-direct B2B sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Material Handling & Warehouse Storage Equipment

NAICS

Material Handling Equipment Manufacturing (33392), Industrial Truck, Tractor, Trailer, and Stacker Machinery Manufacturing (333924)

SIC

Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530), Wholesale-Machinery, Equipment & Supplies (5080)

akta.pro primary industry

Warehouse Storage & Racking Systems (Pallet Racking, Shelving, Mezzanines) (IMAHABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bulk Material Handling Systems (Belt Conveyors, Feeders, Stackers, Reclaimers) (IMAHABAH), Warehousing, Distribution & Cold Storage Facility Construction (IMAFADAL)

Keywords

• Pallet racking systems
• Warehouse storage equipment
• Cantilever rack systems
• Material handling equipment
• Used warehouse racking

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. New Pallet Rack Sales: Sale of newly manufactured pallet racking systems including teardrop pallet rack beams, uprights, structural pallet racking, starter kits, and adder kits. Factory-direct pricing from their Indianapolis manufacturing facility.
2. Used Equipment Sales: Sale of pre-owned pallet rack beams, uprights, wire decking, and other warehouse equipment. The company emphasizes quality used equipment that retains durability as steel components.
3. Cantilever Rack Systems: Sale of new and used cantilever racking systems including towers, arms, bases, brace sets, starter kits, and adder kits in various duty ratings.
4. Wire Decking & Accessories: Sale of wire mesh decks, pallet supports, column protectors, row spacers, and other rack accessories for warehouse storage optimization.
5. Warehouse Layout & Design Services: Professional warehouse layout design and permitting assistance services, including complete project management from start to finish.
6. Equipment Buyback/Liquidation: Purchase of used equipment and entire warehouse liquidations for cash. The company buys pallet racks, conveyors, forklifts, and complete warehouse systems, offering trade-in allowances or buyouts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Material Handling Exchange manufactures and supplies new and used pallet racking systems, cantilever racks, structural racking, pushback and drive-in/drive-thru racks, wire mesh decking, and related warehouse accessories to warehouse operators, distribution centers, and industrial facilities across the United States. The company operates a 530,000 sq ft manufacturing facility south of Indianapolis producing new teardrop pallet racking and cantilever racking systems, alongside 500,000+ sq ft of climate-controlled warehouse space stocking over 100,000 beams and 15,000+ uprights. Complementary services include free warehouse layout design, permitting assistance, professional installation, and a used-equipment buyback/liquidation program.

Product overview

Material Handling Exchange (MHE) is a material handling equipment manufacturer and dealer offering new and used pallet racking systems, cantilever racks, and warehouse storage solutions. The core product portfolio centers on pallet rack components (beams, uprights, wire decks, supports) and complete racking systems (selective, structural, pushback, drive-in/drive-thru) available in both new and used/refurbished conditions. MHE operates its own manufacturing facility south of Indianapolis producing new teardrop pallet racking and cantilever systems, while maintaining massive used inventory across 500,000+ square feet of climate-controlled warehouse space nationwide. The product line includes various rack styles (teardrop, structural, cantilever) with complementary accessories (wire decks, column protectors, row spacers, pallet supports) and professional services (warehouse layout design, equipment buying/selling). The company differentiates through factory-direct pricing, in-stock availability with 48-hour shipping, and the flexibility to combine new and used components within integrated storage solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pallet Rack Beams Horizontal support beams made from heavy-gauge, powder-coated steel that connect between rack uprights to form bays. Available in teardrop style compatible with multiple connector types, allowing integration with various existing racking brands. Over 100,000 new and used beams in-stock.
• Pallet Rack Uprights Vertical structural frames critical to pallet rack integrity, available in single or double configurations with teardrop connector style for secure interlocking with existing systems. Over 15,000 uprights of all sizes in-stock, with custom manufacturing to specified gauge and connection type.
• Pallet Racking Systems (Starter & Adder Kits) Complete selective pallet racking configurations including starter kits for new runs and adder kits for expansion. Configurable with various depths (24"-60"), heights (8'-25'), and beam levels (2-5).
• Structural Pallet Racking Heavy-duty pallet racking constructed from thicker reinforced steel with nuts-and-bolts assembly. Favored in seismic areas due to exceptional impact resistance and higher load capacities compared to roll-formed racks.
• Used Pallet Racks Tens of thousands of pre-owned pallet rack components including beams, uprights, and complete systems in various styles (teardrop, new style, HiLine, Keystone, Speedrack, Sturdi-Bilt, T-Bolt); available in used/as-is or refurbished condition.
• Cantilever Racks Storage systems with horizontal arms extending from vertical columns, ideal for long, bulky, or irregularly shaped items like wood, pipes, and furniture. Available in light, medium, medium-heavy, heavy, extra-heavy, and super-heavy duty configurations. Hundreds of sections of used and new cantilever racks in-stock.
• Wire Mesh Decks Steel wire decking installed on pallet rack beams for storing small packages or preventing pallets from falling between beams. Available in waterfall and lay-in styles with various depths (36"-48"). Thousands of wire decks in-stock.
• Pushback Racking High-density storage system allowing 2-6 pallet positions deep per bay, operating on LIFO (Last-In-First-Out) principle. Reduces forklift travel aisles and increases storage capacity by 25%-65% compared to selective racks.
• Drive-In/Drive-Thru Racking Dense storage systems allowing forklifts to drive directly into rack bays in configurations from 2-6 pallets deep. Drive-in for LIFO and drive-thru for FIFO inventory rotation; can achieve up to 75% more pallets in the same space as selective racks.
• Pallet Rack Supports Steel supports in double waterfall and hat channel styles that enhance pallet rack stability, reduce beam bowing, and facilitate loading/unloading of pallets in deep rack sections. Available in galvanized-structural 14 & 16 GA sheet steel.
• Warehouse Layout and Design Services Professional warehouse planning and custom layout design services using 50+ years of expertise. Includes permitting assistance and system optimization for maximum efficiency, bundled free with equipment purchases.
• Used Equipment Buyback and Liquidation Purchase of used pallet racks, conveyors, forklifts, and complete warehouse systems for cash. Offers trade-in allowances or buyouts, with safe equipment removal and broom-swept cleanup.

Quantifiable outcome

• 25%-65% more storage capacity with pushback racking compared to selective racks
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Used-PalletRack.comminorOthersAffiliate company website focused on used pallet rack sales, extending market reach for used equipment inventory.
• Cantilever-Racks.comminorOthersAffiliate company website focused on new cantilever racking sales, extending market reach for cantilever products.
• Henry Street SteelminorOthersAffiliate company - new pallet racking manufacturer. Part of integrated manufacturing and distribution network.
• MHI (Material Handling Institute)minorOthersIndustry association membership providing industry standards, best practices, and industry recognition.
• RMI (Rack Manufacturers Institute)minorOthersIndustry association membership indicating compliance with rack manufacturing standards and industry best practices.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• test: test

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights1 record

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MaterialHandlingExchange
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/material-handling-exchange
• Instagraminstagram.com/material_handling_exchange
• Xx.com/mherackexpert

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Material Handling Exchange