A storage rack (50; 300) for use with a cart (102,104) comprising: a plurality of upright elements arranged in a grid; a plurality of support brackets, each upright element having a plurality of the support brackets mounted to it at different heights, each height corresponding to a layer in the storage rack, the support brackets being attached to the upright elements by fasteners without welding; a plurality of first horizontal elements extending in a first direction to connect adjacent upright elements, the first horizontal elements being attached via fasteners without welding, at least some of the first horizontal elements forming an aisle (86; 303) track for a cart; a plurality of second horizontal elements attached to the support brackets extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, two adjacent second horizontal elements mounted to support brackets on adjacent upright elements forming a row track for a cart with each of the second horizontal elements forming one side of the row track, the row tracks configured for storing items thereon placed by the cart, the second horizontal elements being attached to the support brackets via fasteners without welding, whereby the weight of the row tracks and any item stored thereon is supported by the upright elements via the support brackets; and a lift substantially adjacent the rack for lifting items to the respective loading positions for the layers, the lift including a platform having a conveyor for moving items off the lift platform and toward the loading positions of the respective layers, each layer of the rack including a buffer conveyor (330, 331) adjacent the loading position arranged to transfer items from the lift platform to the loading position when the cart is not in the loading position next to the buffer conveyor. a plurality of upright elements arranged in a grid; a plurality of support brackets, each upright element having a plurality of the support brackets mounted to it at different heights, each height corresponding to a layer in the storage rack, the support brackets being attached to the upright elements by fasteners without welding; a plurality of first horizontal elements extending in a first direction to connect adjacent upright elements, the first horizontal elements being attached via fasteners without welding, at least some of the first horizontal elements forming an aisle (86; 303) track for a cart; a plurality of second horizontal elements attached to the support brackets extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, two adjacent second horizontal elements mounted to support brackets on adjacent upright elements forming a row track for a cart with each of the second horizontal elements forming one side of the row track, the row tracks configured for storing items thereon placed by the cart, the second horizontal elements being attached to the support brackets via fasteners without welding, whereby the weight of the row tracks and any item stored thereon is supported by the upright elements via the support brackets; and a lift substantially adjacent the rack for lifting items to the respective loading positions for the layers, the lift including a platform having a conveyor for moving items off the lift platform and toward the loading positions of the respective layers, each layer of the rack including a buffer conveyor (330, 331) adjacent the loading position arranged to transfer items from the lift platform to the loading position when the cart is not in the loading position next to the buffer conveyor.