Hänel Storage Systems' Vertical Carousel and Lift Systems are Used Worldwide

Hänel Storage Systems is a manufacturer of automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS). Its two primary products are the Rotomat® vertical carousel and Lean-Lift® vertical lift module. 

These machines are powered by industry leading microprocessor control systems, as well as proprietary software that easily interfaces with customers’ host ERP, MRP or WMS systems. OnRAMP talked to Brian Cohen, Chief Executive Officer of Hänel, to learn more about the company, key trends and ever-evolving supply chains.

OnRAMP: Can you give us the elevator pitch for Hänel? Tell us about your core products and services.

Brian Cohen: Hänel customers invest in our systems to take advantage of solutions they provide for materials storage and inventory management. Our solutions allow Hänel customers to do five things:

1. Recover vast amounts of floor space, up to 80%, by eliminating rows of conventional static shelving, pallet racks and modular drawer cabinets. Hänel units have a very small footprint, yet utilize the full height of any facility up to 80’ and deliver the stored items automatically when requested. We help customers utilize their unused overhead space, to store more in less space.

2. Increase employee productivity by adding automation to the picking process, which eliminates the need for workers to walk long distances, climb ladders and search for items to restock or pick. In other words, the existing staff can do a significant amount of extra activity in less time, OR fewer workers are required to complete the current tasks. We help customers to do more in less time, with fewer people.

3. Improve inventory control by utilizing onboard, high-performance inventory management systems that are standard and out-of-the-box with every Hänel system. Inventory can be tracked by SKU, description, quantity, description, FIFO, minimum levels and even a photo database. We help customers improve the accuracy of their inventory to over 99%, and eliminate overstocks, shortages and expired items.

4. Increase security or limit access to stored inventory using electronic or mechanical systems that provide an automatic audit trail of activity. Access can be limited to specific inventory or by specific personnel, via secure areas that require unique log-in credentials. We help customers know who signed out items and when, reduce picking/stocking errors and theft, and protect inventory from possible contamination.

5. Improve workplace ergonomics, since all inventory stored in Hänel systems is delivered to a safe, waist-height level in accordance with OSHA recommendations. No more bending down to pick up heavy items from bottom shelves, reaching up to access bulky items stored above, or climbing ladders. This significantly reduces repetitive muscular injuries, because all product is delivered to the same ergonomically correct location every time.

By investing in Hänel automated vertical storage systems, customers solve many inventory management problems while saving a significant amount of money in the process, for a near-instant return on investment.

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