The Hänel Lean-Lift can help you increase storage capacity without expanding your facility’s footprint. By using available vertical space, a vertical lift module (VLM) can consolidate suitable inventory from shelving and drawer cabinets into a compact, automated system.
Hänel advertises up to 85% floor-space savings with the Lean-Lift. Actual savings depend on the inventory, available height, system configuration, and space needed for operation and service. Here is how those savings can translate into more usable space in your facility.
Warehouse floor space fills up quickly. As inventory grows, businesses often rearrange storage, add racking, or consider expanding their facility.
These approaches require investment in equipment, labor, or construction. Before expanding, consider whether unused vertical space could meet your storage needs.
Traditional shelving may use only part of a building’s available height, leaving overhead space that could support additional storage.
The Hänel Lean-Lift stores products on trays inside an enclosed system. Units can reach up to 60 feet tall, with the installed height selected to suit the available space and site requirements.
How the Hänel Lean-Lift Saves Space
The Lean-Lift retrieves the requested tray and delivers it to the operator at an ergonomic height. Height sensors measure the items on each tray so the system can assign a storage position that reduces unused space between trays.
By bringing inventory to the operator, the system can reduce the floor space occupied by shelving and the aisles used to access it. Depending on the inventory and configuration, one or more Lean-Lift units can replace sections of shelving or drawer cabinets. The layout must still allow room for picking, replenishment, and service.
What an 80 to 85 Percent Space Saving Looks Like
For illustration, reducing a 1,000-square-foot storage area to 150–200 square feet would free up 800–850 square feet—an 80–85% reduction. This example illustrates the math, rather than confirming that a particular inventory will fit in a single unit. Recovered floor space could be used for:
- Additional inventory storage
- Equipment
- Workstations
- Packing and shipping stations
A storage assessment can help determine how much space your facility could reclaim and whether that would reduce the need for expansion.
Is the Hänel Lean-Lift Right for Your Facility?
A Hänel Lean-Lift may be a good fit for facilities that are:
- Running out of floor space
- Managing many SKUs that fit the trays and load limits
- Looking to improve inventory accuracy
- Seeking to reduce employee travel time
- Evaluating alternatives to a facility expansion
- Needing controlled access to inventory
Assessing item dimensions, weights, picking activity, and available height helps determine whether a VLM fits your operation. These factors also affect the number of units needed and the potential space savings.
For a warehouse, manufacturing plant, or parts department, a VLM can turn unused vertical space into organized storage. The next step is to compare the proposed system with your current layout and storage requirements.
VLM FAQs
How tall can a Hänel Lean-Lift be?
A Hanel Lean Lift can reach up to 60 feet tall. The installed height depends on the available space and site requirements.
Can a vertical lift module replace shelving?
Yes. A VLM can consolidate suitable inventory from shelving into one or more units. The amount of shelving it can replace depends on item dimensions and weights, inventory volume, tray capacity, and picking requirements.
What industries use vertical lift modules?
VLMs are used across a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, distribution, automotive, aerospace, and healthcare. They can be useful for operations managing many SKUs, provided the inventory and workflow suit the system.
Is a vertical lift module worth the investment?
That depends on your operation. Compare the value of recovered floor space and potential picking and labor improvements with the cost of the equipment, installation, integration, maintenance, and training. A storage assessment can help establish the expected return.
Learn About Vertical Lift Modules
Contact ISS Material Handling to assess your storage needs, or call 833-754-2164. Our St. Louis automation experts can help evaluate your inventory and available space to determine whether a Hänel Lean-Lift is a good fit.
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