Vollert Container Logistics Solution: Heavy-duty intralogistics with multi-story high-bay warehouse and stacker cranes – Images: Vollert Anlagenbau GmbH
Vollert Anlagenbau GmbH - Heavy-duty intralogistics and multi-story high-bay warehouses for containers
Heavy-duty intralogistics in transition – the Vollert Container Logistics Solution concept as the key to automated, space-saving container logistics of the future
The international logistics industry is currently undergoing a fundamental paradigm shift. Digital networking, increasing handling volumes, the demand for sustainable solutions, and the pressure to make internal supply chains more resilient are increasingly turning traditional container yards and open storage areas into bottlenecks. While seaports, inland ports, and industrial ports were dominated for decades by reach stackers, gantry cranes, and bridge cranes, today automated high-bay warehouses for standard containers are taking center stage. One of the pioneers of this development is Vollert Anlagenbau GmbH, based in Weinsberg, Swabia. With its Vollert Container Logistics Solution concept, the company is transferring its decades of heavy-lift and intralogistics experience from steel mills, concrete production plants, and the automotive industry to container handling – thus presenting a modular system for high-density, multi-story container storage facilities that simultaneously combines efficiency, flexibility, and environmental compatibility.
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From open storage to multi-story high-bay warehouse – why the paradigm shift is necessary
Hundreds of millions of TEUs are handled worldwide every year. Until now, logistics hubs have relied on horizontal expansion: as volumes increased, the transshipment area was enlarged or additional open space was leased. However, land is scarce and expensive in many places; moreover, energy and personnel costs are rising. At the same time, stricter emission regulations, noise protection requirements, and increasing severe weather events are pushing traditional open-air container yards to their economic and environmental limits. All these factors favor vertical storage solutions, where containers are stacked on top of each other in racking aisles, eliminating the need for forklifts, straddle carriers, or reach stackers to constantly reposition them. This is precisely where the Vollert concept comes in.
Key components of the Vollert Container Logistics Solution
1. Fully automated, multi-story high-bay warehouse (High-Bay Store, HBS)
The core component is a racking system made of high-strength steel, which – depending on customer requirements – comprises up to eight or more levels. ISO containers with a total weight of up to 40 tons are stored in individually addressable storage compartments. Unlike conventional block stacking, each container is directly accessible without restacking. This saves time, energy, and reduces wear and tear.
2. Compact heavy-duty storage and retrieval machines (SRMs)
Specially developed storage and retrieval machines (SRMs) are used for rapid transport between the aisles. They navigate on rails and lift or move the containers using telescopic grippers. Thanks to frequency-controlled drives, energy recuperation, and high-resolution measuring systems, the SRMs achieve speeds previously only seen in light pallet warehouses – but now possible for 20- and 40-foot containers.
3. Modularity from the start
Both the steel structure grid and the stacker crane units and conveyor technologies are consistently designed to be modular. Operators can therefore initially install a core system and gradually integrate additional aisles, levels, or equipment as handling volumes increase, without interrupting ongoing operations. This reduces investment risks and allows for phased scaling.
4. Consistent software architecture
Behind the visible steel colossus lies an intelligent control and management system. Vollert's proprietary warehouse control software combines real-time sensor data with algorithms for idle optimization, prioritization, and collision avoidance. Standardized interfaces—such as OPC UA or REST—allow for seamless integration of the HBS with higher-level terminal operating systems or ERP platforms. Digital twins enable simulations, while condition monitoring modules proactively report maintenance needs.
5. Interfaces to the outside world
Whether by rail, inland waterway, or road: the solution can dock at various levels using gantry or bridge cranes, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), or road trucks. Transfer stations – such as shuttle trains or so-called moving truck docks – ensure a continuous flow of materials from the delivery point to the shipping gate.
Potential benefits in detail
Space saving
According to Vollert, vertical stacking reduces the required land area by up to 70 percent compared to conventional container sites of the same capacity. The freed-up areas can be used for more value-added processes or converted into green spaces.
Reduced lead times
Because each container is addressed directly, time-consuming restacking operations are eliminated. During peak times, storage and retrieval sequences can be parallelized when multiple stacker cranes operate simultaneously.
Weather and emission protection
The racking system protects the goods from rain, UV radiation, and storms. At the same time, the entire movement cycle is fully electric. This saves diesel, reduces CO₂ emissions, and minimizes noise pollution for employees and residents.
Occupational safety and ergonomics
Driverless systems reduce the risk of collisions, falls, or crushing injuries. Operators transition from physically demanding outdoor tasks to monitoring duties in climate-controlled control rooms, increasing the attractiveness of the workplace.
Flexibility in the industry mix
From seaports and rail terminals to decentralized container distribution for the construction, chemical, or automotive industries – Vollert's modular systems can be adapted wherever heavy-duty containers need to be moved quickly, safely, and with minimal damage. Even temperature-sensitive goods are possible if the racking aisles are equipped as thermal chambers, for example.
A look behind the scenes – how a Vollert-HBS cycle works
1. Arrival and identification
A truck or railcar arrives at the transfer zone. Camera systems record the container number, while RFID tags link it to the order. The guidance system instantly assigns the container to a storage location.
2. Horizontal Transfer
A shuttle system or chain conveyor takes over the container and transfers it to the responsible storage and retrieval machine. These lateral transports are precisely timed, eliminating waiting times.
3. Vertical positioning and storage
The RBG lifts the container to the target height, moves it to the assigned storage location, and places it onto load-bearing steel supports. Integrated weight sensors monitor the permissible load on the storage location; overloads are automatically blocked.
4. Monitoring and inventory management
Simultaneously, the WMS updates inventory levels in real time. Discrepancies can be resolved via image recognition: Each compartment is optionally equipped with cameras that send a snapshot if any deviations are detected.
5. Outsourcing & Shipping
For retrievals, the process is mirrored. Sequence-optimized algorithms group orders according to their target relationship, so that tours or ship departures can start without delay.
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More information here:
From port to high-tech factory solution: Intelligent container logistics
Digitalization and Industry 4.0 – more than just buzzwords
Vollert combines robust mechanics with modern IT concepts:
- Digital twins simulate load collectives, routes and energy flows in order to find optimal layouts as early as the project planning phase.
- Predictive maintenance uses vibration or temperature data to detect when drives or rollers need to be replaced before failures occur.
- Artificial intelligence optimizes storage strategies by analyzing historical retrieval patterns and positioning frequently needed containers in access hotspots.
- Security layers protect against unauthorized access and ensure that emergency stop signals halt all movements within milliseconds.
Sustainability as a guiding principle
A containerized heavy-duty truck not only saves on diesel consumption compared to traditional yard equipment. Additional measures improve its environmental footprint:
- Regenerative energy feed-in: When braking, the frequency converter of the RBGs feeds electricity back into the grid.
- Photovoltaics on roof surfaces: The huge roofs are ideal for solar panels that cover part of the self-consumption.
- LED lighting with presence control reduces power consumption by up to 70 percent compared to conventional lights.
- Steel construction recycling: Vollert relies on single-grade steel that can be almost completely recycled during plant conversions.
Case Study – Lufthansa Cargo Hub Frankfurt
The comprehensive hub modernization at Frankfurt Airport demonstrates how the technology proves itself in practice. Lufthansa Cargo had to accelerate its Road Feeder Service (RFS) to further reduce the turnaround time between cargo planes and trucks. Although these are Unit Load Devices (ULDs) and not ISO sea freight containers, the principles are identical.
The centerpiece of the project: two 28-meter-high Vollert storage and retrieval machines that revitalized the existing high-bay warehouse. These were complemented by innovative Moving Truck Docks – mobile docking stations that load and unload entire semi-trailers within minutes. The result was significantly increased handling capacity, lower personnel costs, and smooth 24/7 operation, even during peak periods with night flights.
The key feature: all work was carried out in "brownfield mode". Instead of interrupting freight operations, Vollert installed modules one by one during nighttime maintenance windows. The modular system architecture thus proved doubly beneficial – both during the initial installation and for future expansions.
Profitability and Return on Investment
Automation costs money, but it usually pays for itself quickly:
- Staff savings result because RBGs run around the clock without shift changes.
- Higher land yield reduces lease or investment costs for land.
- Straightforward process times reduce penalties due to delays and improve delivery reliability.
- Energy efficiency pays off in reduced operating costs.
- The residual value of the steel structure offers planning certainty: The racking system can be moved or sold if needed.
Customers report that the system pays for itself in four to six years – a period that may be further reduced given funding programs for climate-neutral logistics.
Scalable application areas beyond classic port logistics
1. Industrial Inbound
Automotive OEMs receive pre-assembled components in high-seas containers. An in-house high-load system (HBS) allows materials to be readily available directly at the assembly line, eliminating the need for time-consuming unpacking of containers.
2. Chemical industry
Containerized chemicals can be stored in isolated aisles, while sensors monitor temperature and fill levels. This ensures that hazardous materials remain traceable at all times.
3. Off-Site Construction
Prefabricated house and modular building manufacturers ship complete room modules in special containers. An automated home automation system (HBS) speeds up delivery to the construction site and protects sensitive surfaces.
4. Disaster relief depots
Government organizations store aid supplies in containers that must be loaded within hours in the event of a crisis. A container HBS (High-Freight Bus) ensures that medical equipment, tents, and water purification systems are available in the correct order.
Care, maintenance and lifecycle management
Vollert not only supplies the hardware, but also a comprehensive life-cycle support package. Regular remote health checks, spare parts pooling, and maintenance contracts shift responsibility from the operator to the supplier. This makes overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) transparent and predictable; downtime can be reduced to a minimum.
Update from July 23, 2025:
A look into the future – where is the journey headed?
- 5G campus networks will further minimize latency and enable autonomous vehicles to seamlessly cooperate with storage and retrieval machines.
- Edge computing brings computing power to where data is generated. Instead of central servers, each RBG processes decisions locally, and only highly aggregated information is sent to the cloud.
- Green steels and alternative construction materials such as carbon concrete will reduce the CO₂ footprint of plant construction in the future.
- Microgrids connect PV systems, battery storage and consumers to form an energy-autonomous terminal.
Vollert positions itself as an enabler here, as the existing modular system remains open to upgrades. Therefore, anyone building an HBS today can easily retrofit new features tomorrow.
In a time of scarce space, vulnerable supply chains, and ambitious sustainability goals, the Vollert Container Logistics Solution concept offers a pragmatic yet forward-looking answer. By combining proven heavy-duty DNA, modular mechanics, and state-of-the-art software, it creates a system that addresses several key areas simultaneously: increased throughput, reduced operating costs, improved environmental performance, and enhanced workplace safety. The successful implementation at the Lufthansa Cargo Hub underscores its practicality and potential for various industries. Companies investing in automated high-bay container warehouses today are laying the foundation for a competitive, flexible, and climate-friendly logistics system of tomorrow.
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