In the realm of warehousing, space is a precious commodity.
With demands for fast fulfillment and efficient inventory management constantly growing, it’s no wonder that businesses are looking up—literally—for storage solutions.
But before you go to make room for your own skyscraper, let me introduce you to a more practical option: the Vertical Lift Machine (VLM).
What is a Vertical Lift Machine (VLM)?
Think of a Vertical Lift Machine as a high-tech elevator exclusively dedicated to storing and retrieving your goods.
In essence, Vertical Lift Machines (VLM) are tall, enclosed storage systems that hold items on trays. Think of it as a big vending machine for parts or products.
Instead of needing to walk down aisles or climb up shelves to grab what you need, the VLM brings the items to you!
Here’s how it works:
Inside the machine, there are trays where items are stored. When you want something, you simply press a button or enter a code, and the VLM finds that tray, pulls it out, and delivers it to a convenient, waist-height “window” where you can easily pick it up.
So, instead of hunting through shelves, you just wait at the “pick window” while the VLM brings your items to you, making your job faster, easier, and safer.
Now, let’s look at the top five reasons why VLMs are transforming industrial storage in more detail.
1. VLMs Maximize Space Efficiency
The first and perhaps most obvious advantage of a VLM is that it maximizes your warehouse’s footprint.
With these machines, you’re not limited by the height of your employees or their reach.
Simply because VLMs use the full vertical height of your warehouse, freeing up precious floor space and giving you room to expand without building new walls.
As storage goes up rather than out, VLMs can often recover up to 85% of floor space typically used by conventional shelving.
More floor space means more opportunities to add new equipment, improve workflow, or simply avoid the dreaded “warehouse expansion” conversation in the next budget meeting.
2. VLMs Boost Safety and Ergonomics
Let’s face it—manually lifting and retrieving items from shelves is not only tedious but can also be downright dangerous.
Injuries related to lifting, reaching, and handling heavy loads are all too common. With a VLM, the risks are greatly reduced because the machine brings items to an ideal picking height.
No more bending, climbing, or struggling with awkwardly high or low shelves.
Additionally, most VLMs are equipped with advanced safety features such as shutter doors and light curtains, which prevent workers from accessing internal components during operation.
This minimizes the chance of injuries from accidental contact with moving parts or falling items. If safety is a top priority (and let’s be honest, it should be), a VLM is a powerful ally in creating a safer workspace.
3. VLMs Increase Picking Accuracy and Speed
Manual picking? It’s fine—until it’s not. Mistakes are bound to happen when employees are racing against the clock or searching for items stored haphazardly across a massive warehouse.
VLMs streamline the picking process, using software that directs operators to the exact tray and location of each item. Some even come with fancy features like laser pointers and LED lights to guide employees right to the goods.
By automating retrieval, VLMs can achieve up to 99.9% picking accuracy, reducing costly errors, minimizing returns, and ensuring that orders go out faster and more accurately.
Imagine the satisfaction of error-free operations and happy customers!
4. VLMs Offer Improved Inventory Control and Security
If you’ve ever had a product “mysteriously” disappear from the warehouse, you know that inventory management isn’t always straightforward.
VLMs integrate seamlessly with your warehouse management software (WMS) to offer real-time inventory tracking, ensuring you know exactly what’s in stock and where it’s located.
Each retrieval and storage action is documented, making it easy to track inventory, monitor stock levels, and even set alerts for low-stock items.
Security is also a huge advantage. Access to VLMs can be restricted to authorized users, and many systems allow operators to track who accessed specific trays and when.
So, while your VLM won’t be policing your employees, it’ll make “borrowing” inventory a lot less likely.
5. VLMs Reduce Operating Costs and Increase Productivity
While a VLM requires an upfront investment, the payoff comes in the form of reduced labor costs, better space utilization, and fewer injuries (read: fewer workers’ compensation claims).
With a VLM, you can achieve greater productivity with fewer people, as the machine handles much of the heavy lifting and retrieving. It allows your employees to focus on other tasks instead of wandering the aisles searching for items.
VLMs are particularly beneficial for companies managing a high volume of orders or products with diverse stock-keeping units (SKUs).
By optimizing storage and retrieval, you’ll be able to fulfill more orders in less time, boosting your overall productivity.
Conclusion
Investing in a Vertical Lift Machine is a smart choice for any warehouse or industrial facility looking to optimize space, improve safety, and streamline operations.
With benefits ranging from space-saving to heightened security and accuracy, VLMs offer a comprehensive solution to some of warehousing’s biggest challenges.
So, if your warehouse has been crying out for more room and fewer mis-picks, it may be time to give VLMs a serious look.
After all, sometimes the solution to a cluttered warehouse floor is to look up—way up.
