Current developments: The cross-industry importance of high-bay warehouses – examples: pharmaceutical, food & construction industries

Vertical warehouse strategies: How high-bay warehouses are transforming entire industries

Optimizing storage capacity and logistics processes is a key concern for modern companies across all economic sectors. High-bay warehouses have proven to be a versatile solution, finding applications far beyond the traditional logistics industry. From food production and the automotive industry to pharmaceuticals and plastics processing – wherever efficient storage and rapid access to goods are required, these vertical storage systems are used. The following report examines how different industries utilize high-bay warehouses, their specific requirements, and emerging overarching trends.

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Definition and general characteristics of high-bay warehouses

A high-bay warehouse is defined as a warehouse with racks at least 12 meters high, although in Germany these can reach a maximum height of 50 meters. This type of warehouse typically consists of robust steel structures capable of supporting high bay loads of up to 28 tons. This exceptional load-bearing capacity makes high-bay warehouses ideal for storing a wide variety of goods, from palletized items to small parts housed in special storage containers.

High-bay warehouses are characterized by their efficient use of space, as they optimally utilize the vertical dimension and thus offer significantly more storage capacity on a limited footprint. This feature makes them particularly attractive for companies with high throughput and limited space. Modern high-bay warehouses are also frequently automated and equipped with storage and retrieval machines (SRMs) that enable fast and precise storage and retrieval.

Application in the food and beverage industry

The food and beverage industry places specific demands on storage, including controlled environmental conditions and efficient warehouse management for products with different shelf lives.

An example of the use of high-bay warehouses in this industry is the Martin Bauer Group, a manufacturer of semi-finished goods. The company has built a modern, 31-meter-high, silo-style high-bay warehouse with five aisles and more than 10,000 pallet spaces. A special feature of this warehouse is its inerting system for fire protection, in which nitrogen is added to reduce the oxygen content and prevent fires from starting in the first place.

Polish snack manufacturer Lajkonik also uses a high-bay warehouse with automated reach trucks to meet the growing demand for its products. This system increases storage capacity without requiring additional personnel and enables efficient use of space. The implemented solution combines automation with manual transport and includes a hybrid charging concept for the vehicles.

Another example is BENEO, a manufacturer of functional ingredients, which invested €7.7 million in a new high-bay warehouse at its Offstein site. This warehouse has a capacity of more than 8,500 Euro pallets, quadrupling the company's storage capacity for functional carbohydrates such as isomalt and Palatinose. This investment has enabled BENEO to significantly reduce its transport distances while simultaneously increasing supply security for its customers.

High-bay warehouses in the automotive industry

The automotive industry, with its complex supply chains and just-in-time production processes, particularly benefits from the advantages of modern high-bay warehouses. This sector requires highly efficient storage systems to ensure smooth production operations.

Volkswagen, for example, operates a body shop in Wolfsburg where around 1,000 car bodies of the Golf, Golf Plus, and Tiguan models are temporarily stored in an area of ​​approximately 40 by 70 meters. As part of a modernization project, the old stacker crane positioning systems were replaced by the new "Positioning Solution System" from PSI Technics, which improves the efficiency and accuracy of storage.

High-bay warehouses are particularly valuable in the automotive industry because they can store large quantities of parts and components while allowing for rapid access. This is crucial for maintaining the production speed and flexibility that are characteristic of automotive manufacturers.

The pharmaceutical and healthcare industry relies on high-bay warehouses

The pharmaceutical and healthcare industry is subject to strict regulatory requirements and therefore needs storage systems that can meet the highest quality and safety standards.

A prime example of the use of high-bay warehouses in this sector is Losan Pharma, a contract manufacturer and development partner to the pharmaceutical industry. The company is building an innovative logistics center in Eschbach, featuring a fully automated high-bay warehouse that will supply the new production facilities with raw materials and simultaneously serve as a shipping warehouse for the manufactured pharmaceuticals. Commissioning is planned for the end of 2026. The high-bay warehouse will be constructed using a self-supporting silo design and connected to the production and packaging areas via automated guided vehicles (AGVs).

The advantages of such systems for the pharmaceutical industry are obvious: Automation minimizes human error, improves traceability, and ensures consistent compliance with strict quality requirements.

The plastics and construction industries utilize vertical storage options

High-bay warehouses have also established themselves as an efficient storage solution in the plastics and construction industries.

The plastic bucket manufacturer groku Kunststoffe is planning to build a second high-bay warehouse at its headquarters in Schloss Holte-Stukenbrock. The aim is to expand the production facility and significantly increase storage capacity by approximately 9,000 pallet spaces. The company opted for a high-bay warehouse due to its space-saving vertical design, which allows for large storage capacities in a small footprint.

GEALAN, a manufacturer presumably of plastic profiles, has built a new fully automated high-bay warehouse at its Tanna site, representing an investment of €16 million. The investment is described as one of the largest in the company's recent history and is intended to help the company "maintain simplicity, efficiency, speed, and a clear overview in an increasingly complex world.".

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Other industries are relying on modern high-bay warehouses

The versatility of high-bay warehouses is also evident in their application in other industries, from metal processing to the supplier industry.

Würth Industrie Service has inaugurated a new automated high-bay warehouse with 59,000 pallet spaces at its Bad Mergentheim site. As a supplier of industrial equipment, Würth requires a high-performance storage system to keep its diverse products readily available for customers in a wide range of industries.

Rheinmetall subsidiary MS Motorservice International GmbH is building a state-of-the-art high-bay warehouse for the automated storage of Euro pallets at its Neuenstadt site. This four-aisle warehouse will operate in three shifts and will have a daily capacity of 300 to 400 pallets. The warehouse will serve as a replenishment depot for shipping and is primarily intended to optimize material flow. Of particular note is the installation of six automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and a bridge for pallet transport between the high-bay warehouse and the existing building.

Similarities and industry-specific differences

When considering the various application areas of high-bay warehouses, both significant similarities and industry-specific differences become apparent.

Among the commonalities is the trend towards automation. Nearly all the examples considered rely on automated systems, from stacker cranes to driverless transport systems. Likewise, all the companies strive for optimal space utilization and increased storage capacity without requiring additional floor space.

The differences lie primarily in the specific requirements of each industry. For example, the food industry relies on special fire protection measures such as inerting, while the pharmaceutical industry places the highest demands on cleanliness and traceability. The automotive industry, on the other hand, requires systems that enable the rapid storage and retrieval of large-volume components such as car bodies.

Current trends in high-bay warehouses

The development of high-bay warehouses clearly points towards increasing digitalization and sustainability. An article from March 1, 2025, describes high-bay warehouses as key components of modern, efficient, and future-proof supply chains that go far beyond mere capacity expansion. Robot-controlled systems, intelligent software, and a strong focus on sustainability characterize the latest developments in this area.

The cross-industry relevance of high-bay warehouses is underscored by the fact that companies like Kaufland, Porsche, and Beiersdorf are investing in this technology. This demonstrates that modern high-bay warehouses are important not only for specialized sectors but for industry as a whole.

The central role of high-bay warehouses in modern industry

The widespread use of high-bay warehouses across various industries clearly demonstrates their central role in the modern industrial landscape. From food production and automotive manufacturing to the pharmaceutical industry and plastics processing – wherever efficient warehousing is required, these systems have become the norm.

The examples examined demonstrate that high-bay warehouses are not merely a storage tool, but a strategic competitive advantage that enables companies to optimize their production and supply chains. The investments in this technology, often in the tens of millions, underscore its economic significance.

In times of increasing automation, digitalization, and sustainability, high-bay warehouses are symbolic of the transformation in industry. They represent the combination of efficient space utilization, automated processes, and intelligent control – factors that are of central importance to almost all industrial sectors. Thus, high-bay warehouses have evolved from a specific solution for individual industries to a universal answer to the logistical challenges of the present and future.

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