Werres Warehouse Insights

Is a Vertical Lift Module Right for Your Warehouse?

Seven signs a VLM may be a good fit and four signs it may not.

When storage space gets tight, adding more shelving or expanding the facility may seem like the only options. The real problem may be how the existing space is being used.

Employees may be walking long distances to retrieve parts, searching for misplaced inventory, or repeatedly bending and reaching throughout the day. These inefficiencies consume time, limit storage capacity, and make it harder to keep up as demand grows.

A Vertical Lift Module, commonly called a VLM, can help certain operations use available height more effectively while bringing stored items directly to the employee.

However, a VLM is not the right solution for every facility. Determining whether it fits your operation requires a closer look at your inventory, workflow, building, and goals.

What Is a Vertical Lift Module?

A VLM is an enclosed storage system with trays arranged vertically. When an employee requests an item, the system retrieves the appropriate tray and brings it to an access opening at a comfortable working height.

This is known as a goods-to-person approach. The employee remains at the workstation while the system delivers the requested inventory. Depending on the application, a VLM may also support inventory tracking, controlled access, and connections with warehouse or business software.

7 Signs a VLM May Be a Good Fit

1. You Are Running Out of Floor Space

A VLM uses available building height to store inventory within a compact footprint. It may help an operation:

• Consolidate inventory from multiple storage areas
• Recover floor space for production or other activities
• Increase capacity within the current facility
• Delay or avoid an expansion or relocation

Ask: Could we store the same inventory in less floor space by using more of our available height?

2. Employees Spend Too Much Time Retrieving Inventory

Walking between storage areas and searching through shelves, bins, or cabinets can consume a significant part of the workday. A VLM may reduce:

• Travel between picking locations
• Time spent searching for parts
• Trips to separate storage rooms
• Unnecessary reaching, climbing, and handling

Ask: How much time do employees spend retrieving inventory instead of completing productive work?

3. Picking Errors or Inventory Discrepancies Disrupt the Operation

A wrong or missing part can delay production, interrupt service, create rework, or result in an incorrect order. A VLM may support:

• Defined storage locations
• A more organized picking process
• Better visibility into inventory movement
• Connections with inventory or warehouse software
• Fewer opportunities to select the wrong item

Accurate data and consistent procedures remain essential. Technology cannot correct unreliable inventory records on its own.

Ask: How often do picking mistakes or inventory discrepancies interrupt the operation?

4. You Store Many Small or Medium-Sized Items

VLMs are commonly used for parts, tools, components, supplies, and products that can be organized efficiently within trays. When evaluating inventory, consider:

• Item dimensions and weight
• Quantity stored
• Picking frequency
• Replenishment requirements
• How items can be grouped within trays

Item size is only one part of the evaluation. The system also needs to support how inventory moves through the operation.

Ask: Do we have enough compatible inventory to use the system efficiently?

5. Picking Tasks Create Ergonomic Concerns

Repeated bending, reaching, climbing, and carrying can make routine storage tasks more physically demanding. By bringing trays to a consistent working height, a VLM may reduce:

• Picking from floor-level shelves
• Reaching for items stored overhead
• Climbing steps or ladders
• Carrying items across long distances

The ergonomic value will depend on the products being handled and how the workstation is configured.

Ask: Are employees repeatedly bending, reaching, climbing, or carrying items farther than necessary?

6. Inventory Requires More Controlled Access

Open shelving may not provide enough control for valuable, sensitive, or frequently misplaced inventory. Depending on the system and software configuration, a VLM may help:

• Restrict access to authorized employees
• Track inventory activity
• Reduce misplaced tools or parts
• Improve accountability for item usage
• Protect inventory within an enclosed system

Ask: Would controlled access help reduce loss, misplacement, or unplanned usage?

7. You Need More Capacity or Throughput

As inventory and activity increase, an inefficient storage process may require more space, labor, and travel. A VLM may help an operation:

• Store more inventory within the existing facility
• Reduce retrieval time
• Support a more consistent picking process
• Handle increased activity with fewer unnecessary steps

The potential improvement depends on inventory, order volume, replenishment, workflow design, and system utilization.

Ask: Can our current storage process support future demand without adding substantial space, labor, or complexity?

4 Signs a VLM May Not Be a Good Fit

1. Most Inventory Is Incompatible With the System

A VLM has defined tray dimensions and weight limits. It may not be practical if most inventory is:

• Oversized
• Extremely long
• Irregularly shaped
• Difficult to handle
• Too heavy for the available tray configuration

Some operations use a VLM for compatible items and another system for oversized inventory. The amount of suitable inventory will affect the business case.

2. Storage and Picking Activity Is Low

A conventional solution may be more economical when:

• Employees make relatively few picks
• Travel distances are short
• Existing shelving supports the workflow
• Storage capacity is not a significant concern

The operational challenge should be large enough for improvements in space, productivity, accuracy, or control to create meaningful value.

3. Inventory Data and Processes Are Unreliable

Automation requires accurate information and consistent procedures. An operation may need to improve its processes first if:

• Item records are incomplete
• Inventory locations are unreliable
• Counts are frequently inaccurate
• Employees do not follow consistent picking and replenishment procedures

A VLM can strengthen an organized inventory process. It cannot create accurate data or consistent procedures by itself.

4. The Facility or Projected Return Does Not Support the Investment

A complete evaluation should consider:

• Ceiling height and floor conditions
• Building access and installation logistics
• Power and fire-code requirements
• Workflow changes
• Software integration
• Training and service needs
• Expected operational and financial benefits

If the projected improvements are limited, another storage solution may deliver a better return.

What Should You Evaluate Before Moving Forward?

Before selecting equipment, answer these questions:

• What specific problem are we trying to solve?
• Which items would be stored in the VLM?
• What are their dimensions, weights, quantities, and activity levels?
• How much time is currently spent walking, searching, bending, or reaching?
• How often do picking errors or inventory discrepancies occur?
• How will items be picked and replenished?
• What facility preparation will be required?
• Will the VLM need to connect with existing software?
• How will we measure improvement after installation?

These answers can help determine whether a VLM fits the application and provide a realistic basis for evaluating its potential return.

Frequently Asked Questions About Vertical Lift Modules

The Bottom Line

A VLM may be worth exploring if your operation needs to use vertical space more effectively, reduce employee travel, improve inventory organization, strengthen access control, or support growth within the current facility.

Another solution may be more practical if the inventory is incompatible, picking activity is limited, internal processes are not ready, or the expected benefits do not justify the investment.

The decision should begin with a clearly defined operational problem. An evaluation of your inventory, workflow, facility, and expected results can then determine whether a VLM is a practical fit.

About the Expert

Richard Stuart · Modula Sales Specialist

Richard Stuart is a Modula Sales Specialist with approximately five years of experience in industrial automation. He helps Mid-Atlantic organizations evaluate vertical storage solutions based on their inventory, workflow, facility, and operational goals.