Goods to person
The operator does not walk the aisles. They select an item, and the system delivers the right shelf or tray to the window.
Automated storage
The shelf comes to the window, the warehouse grows upwards
Vertical carousels, vertical lift modules and stacker cranes enclose storage in a vertical housing. The operator selects an item and the machine delivers it at hand height. SmartStock knows where everything is and passes stock levels to the ERP.
Sounds familiar
A warehouse that grows outwards
Today
- Goods stand in rows of racking, and the storekeeper walks the aisles to fetch them.
- High shelves mean a ladder or a forklift, and the risk of falling with a load in your hands.
- The hall grows outwards, because you cannot store things comfortably and safely up near the ceiling.
- Only one person knows where everything is — and they happen to be on holiday.
With automated storage
- The item comes to the window, and the operator stays in one place.
- The shelf stops at worktop height; heavy items travel on a tray.
- Storage goes vertical, right up to the ceiling, in a closed housing.
- The program knows where everything is. A new person can withdraw items from day one.
Storage systems
Three ways to store vertically, and one program
The choice depends on what you store: documents and small parts, heavy items on trays, or the hall’s entire stock range. SmartStock runs it all.
What it changes
Six things that happen on their own
An automated storage system is not a cabinet with a motor. It is the place where storage stops depending on the storekeeper’s memory and stamina.
Ergonomics at the window
The shelf stops at worktop height. Heavy items do not land in someone’s hands from a height of three metres.
Floor space back in use
According to the manufacturer, the occupied floor area drops by as much as 80–85% compared with conventional racking.
Closed and under control
The goods are inside the housing, and only people with a badge or a code have access. Every reach has a name.
A safe window
Light curtains stop the movement when someone reaches into the window while the machine is running.
Stock levels in the ERP
SmartStock manages locations and movements, and SmartSync passes stock levels to the system you use.
Which system
Selection starts with what you store
Hall height, dimensions, weight and item turnover decide the machine. That is the short version — we work out the details at the audit.
Documents and small parts
TITAN vertical carousel: the shelves travel the shortest route to the window. According to the manufacturer, a shelf carries from 160 to 500 kg — from binders to tyres and reels.
Heavy items on trays
JUMPER vertical lift module: the lift pulls out a tray and delivers it at worktop height. According to the manufacturer, up to 500 kg per tray and up to 60 tonnes in one unit.
The hall’s entire volume
SILO stacker crane: two blocks of racking and a robot travelling on a mast in the aisle between them. For warehouses where every metre of height counts.
How we roll it out
From audit to first withdrawal
AuditWe measure what you store: dimensions, weights, item turnover and hall height. That gives us a list of what makes sense in automated storage.
Choosing the machineCarousel, lift or stacker crane — or a combination of them. We configure the shelves and trays for your stock range, not for a catalogue.
IntegrationSmartStock manages locations and movements, SmartSync connects them to the ERP or WMS. We agree the scope at the audit.
Start-up and growthWe start with one machine and one group of items. You add more units once the first one has proved itself.
Questions we hear
Before you ask
How much space will we get back?
It depends on the stock range and the hall height. The manufacturer quotes up to 80–85% less occupied floor space compared with conventional racking; for your warehouse we calculate it at the audit, using your dimensions.
Will it fit in our hall?
Automated storage systems grow upwards, so the room height and the floor’s load capacity decide. We check both before choosing the machine.
What about heavy items?
For heavy items there is the JUMPER vertical lift module — according to the manufacturer, up to 500 kg per tray. The tray comes to the window, so nobody lifts a load down from a high shelf.
Will it work with our ERP?
SmartStock manages locations and stock levels, and the SmartSync module passes them to the ERP or WMS. We agree the scope of integration at the audit, because it depends on the system you use.
Let’s measure your warehouse before we quote for it
The audit ends with a list of items that make sense in automated storage, and a choice of machine. The quote is based on that.