Commercial Warehouse & High-Bay Lighting

As ceiling heights increase, fixture selection and layout become more important.

In many warehouse applications, OTC begins considering high-bay fixtures at roughly 15 feet and above, depending on the space and intended use.

High-bay systems are commonly used in facilities with:

• Tall ceilings

• Large open floor areas

• Storage racks

• Manufacturing equipment

• Distribution operations

• Loading and staging areas

For many warehouse projects, OTC prefers modern LED high-bay fixtures because they provide strong light output with lower maintenance than older HID or fluorescent systems.

A warehouse can have plenty of total light and still have poor visibility where employees actually work.

Racking can block or redirect light, which means fixture placement should account for:

• Aisle width

• Rack height

• Storage layout

• Picking areas

• Staging areas

• Forklift paths

• Workstations

OTC looks at the warehouse layout before determining where fixtures should be installed.

Different warehouse layouts may benefit from different fixture styles.

UFO High-Bays

UFO-style fixtures can work well in large open areas and are often a strong option for higher ceilings where broad, efficient light distribution is needed.

Linear High-Bays

Linear fixtures may be a better fit in spaces with long aisles, racking, or layouts where a more directional lighting pattern makes sense.

OTC selects fixtures around the actual space rather than using one fixture type everywhere.

Older warehouses may still use:

• Fluorescent high-bays

• Metal-halide fixtures

• High-pressure sodium

• Early-generation LED fixtures

OTC can evaluate whether the better option is:

• Repair

• LED retrofit

• Complete fixture replacement

In difficult-to-access warehouses, complete replacement can often provide better long-term value because every future lighting failure may require lift equipment and another mobilization.

Large warehouses do not always need every light operating at full output all day.

OTC can install or upgrade controls such as:

• Occupancy sensors

• Zoned controls

• 0–10V dimming

• Daylight controls

• Time-based controls

Different aisles and areas can be controlled independently based on how often they are used.

Warehouses with skylights or large areas of natural daylight may be able to reduce artificial lighting during parts of the day.

Daylight controls can adjust fixture output based on available natural light while maintaining the desired lighting level in the space.

Warehouse lighting can become expensive to maintain because fixtures may be 20, 25, or 30 feet above the floor.

Service may require:

• Scissor lifts

• Boom lifts

• Moving stored material

• Coordinating with warehouse operations

• Working around active equipment

That means fixture reliability matters more than it might in an eight-foot office ceiling.

A slightly higher-quality fixture can become the lower-cost option when it reduces future lift-dependent service calls.

OTC can perform warehouse lighting upgrades while facilities remain operational.

The work may be coordinated around:

• Active aisles

• Forklift traffic

• Storage locations

• Production areas

• Shift schedules

Depending on the facility, work can be phased by area so the entire warehouse does not need to shut down.

Manufacturing environments often need more than general warehouse lighting.

Different work areas may require:

• Higher light levels

• More focused illumination

• Separate control zones

• Equipment-specific lighting

OTC coordinates fixture placement with machinery and production layouts so the lighting supports the work being performed.

For new warehouse construction and tenant improvements, OTC can coordinate:

• Fixture layout

• High-bay lighting

• Lighting circuits

• Controls

• Emergency lighting

• Exterior lighting

• Panel capacity

with the overall electrical and building design.