How to Choose a Stacker Crane Manufacturer for an AS/RS Project

Choose a stacker crane manufacturer by evaluating the complete AS/RS fit—not just the crane’s quoted price or maximum speed. Start with your storage layout, load characteristics, required throughput, operating conditions, and integration needs, then ask each supplier to show how its proposed equipment meets those requirements. Compare engineering capability, rack and crane coordination, controls integration, installation planning, and after-sales support. A clear, project-specific proposal makes it easier to identify technical gaps before they become procurement or commissioning issues.

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Start with the project goal and operating requirements

A stacker crane is one part of an automated storage and retrieval system, or AS/RS. Its performance and suitability depend on the storage structure, load units, aisle configuration, control system, and material-flow processes around it. If you are sourcing a crane without defining how these elements work together, it may be difficult to compare manufacturers on an equal basis.

Before requesting proposals, document what the system must store, where it will operate, and how warehouse tasks should flow. Distinguish current requirements from future possibilities, such as adding storage capacity or connecting new material-handling equipment. This gives manufacturers a consistent brief and helps you assess whether their recommendations address your actual operating needs.

A step-by-step process for choosing a manufacturer

1. Define load and storage data

Prepare the dimensions, weight, and condition of each load unit, including pallets, containers, or other carriers. Record any variation in load size, packaging overhang, load stability, and handling requirements. Include the number of storage locations, intended storage strategy, and any restrictions on rack or building dimensions.

Use project values rather than generic assumptions. For example, a preliminary brief might specify a maximum unit load of 1,000 kg, a proposed rack height of 30 m, and a target of 100 pallet moves per hour. These are illustrative planning inputs, not standard capabilities or guaranteed performance figures; your engineering team and shortlisted manufacturers must confirm whether the actual design can meet them.

2. Map the building and operating environment

Share available building drawings and identify floor conditions, clear height, column positions, fire protection provisions, temperature range, and any environmental constraints. Note the location of inbound and outbound points, staging areas, conveyors, and pedestrian or vehicle routes. Manufacturers need this context to assess aisle layout, equipment interfaces, and installation requirements.

Ask the supplier to identify the information it still needs before finalizing the design. A responsible proposal should distinguish confirmed site facts from assumptions that require survey or engineering review. This is especially important when the system must fit into an existing building or operate alongside other warehouse processes.

3. Convert throughput goals into a system requirement

Describe expected demand by shift, peak periods, inbound and outbound task mix, and any replenishment or order-picking processes. Clarify whether your throughput target refers to crane movements, completed pallet transfers, or another operational measure. These definitions matter because different proposals may use different assumptions when presenting capacity.

Ask the manufacturer to explain the basis of its performance estimate, including the assumed travel distances, load pattern, control logic, and operating schedule. Request a system-level discussion rather than evaluating a single speed figure in isolation. Actual throughput depends on the full layout and operating conditions, so treat unverified estimates as design assumptions until they are documented and agreed.

4. Evaluate engineering and system integration

Review whether the manufacturer can coordinate the stacker crane with the storage racks, load-handling interfaces, controls, and warehouse management or warehouse control systems in your project scope. Clarify which party is responsible for each interface, including data exchange, safety functions, network requirements, and commissioning coordination. Ask for a written responsibility matrix if multiple vendors are involved.

For a project involving stacking racks and shelves, rack and crane coordination is particularly important. Confirm who designs and verifies the storage structure, what building and load information is required, and how tolerances and equipment interfaces will be managed. Do not assume that purchasing the crane and rack from separate suppliers automatically establishes a coordinated design.

5. Compare service, installation, and lifecycle support

Ask what support is included before, during, and after installation. Clarify the division of work for site preparation, mechanical and electrical installation, testing, operator training, documentation, and handover. Also discuss spare-parts planning, maintenance recommendations, remote or on-site support availability, and the process for reporting and resolving faults.

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Compare the scope behind each quotation, not only the total price. One offer may include more engineering, integration, or commissioning work than another, while leaving different responsibilities to your team. Request a breakdown of included items, exclusions, optional services, payment milestones, and any assumptions that could affect cost or schedule.

Key decision points when comparing manufacturers

Requirement fit: Does the proposal address your load units, building constraints, storage plan, and operating targets?
Engineering clarity: Are design assumptions, required inputs, and technical responsibilities clearly documented?
Integration scope: Are controls, software interfaces, and coordination with other equipment assigned to specific parties?
Project delivery: Is there a practical plan for design review, manufacturing, installation, testing, and handover?
Service readiness: Are support channels, maintenance expectations, training, and spare-parts arrangements explained?
Commercial transparency: Can you compare quotations on equivalent scope, exclusions, and delivery assumptions?

Ask each shortlisted supplier the same questions and provide the same project information. This makes differences in scope and technical approach easier to identify. If a proposal contains a performance guarantee, certification statement, or delivery commitment, request the applicable conditions and supporting documentation rather than relying on a verbal summary.

Common mistakes to avoid

Choosing on price or speed alone

A low quotation may exclude engineering, integration, installation, or support that your project needs. A high speed specification also does not establish that the system will achieve your required throughput. Compare complete scope and the assumptions behind each technical figure before making a decision.

Sending incomplete or inconsistent project data

Unconfirmed load dimensions, peak volumes, or building constraints can lead to proposals based on different interpretations. Mark estimates clearly and identify which details are final. Update all shortlisted manufacturers when requirements change, so the comparison remains fair and technically relevant.

Leaving interfaces and ownership unclear

When responsibilities for racks, controls, conveyors, software, or commissioning are not assigned, gaps can surface late in the project. Identify a responsible party for every interface and define how design changes will be reviewed. Include acceptance criteria and required handover documents in the project discussion.

Improve the selection process with a structured request

Prepare a concise request for information or quotation that includes a site plan, load-unit data, storage objectives, throughput profile, operating environment, preferred integration scope, and target project milestones. Ask manufacturers to return a technical concept, a list of assumptions, a scope breakdown, and a list of outstanding questions. This format encourages useful clarification before a final offer is prepared.

Use a weighted evaluation sheet if several stakeholders are involved. You might score requirement fit, engineering approach, integration responsibility, service plan, delivery assumptions, and commercial scope separately. Agree on the criteria before reviewing bids, and record the evidence behind each score to keep the decision transparent.

How HEGERLS can support your evaluation

As a supplier in stacking racks and shelves, HEGERLS can discuss storage requirements and the coordination needed between storage structures and an AS/RS project. Share your load data, building information, and operating objectives so the project scope can be reviewed against the intended application. The appropriate solution, equipment configuration, and division of work depend on the specific project and require technical confirmation.

When contacting HEGERLS or another stacker crane manufacturer, include the information you already have and identify what remains undecided. Ask for clarification on design assumptions, rack and crane interfaces, controls scope, installation responsibilities, and service arrangements. A focused technical discussion can help you determine whether the supplier is a suitable partner before moving to detailed design or procurement.

Conclusion: choose for the whole AS/RS project

The right stacker crane manufacturer is the one whose proposal fits your loads, building, workflow, integration needs, and support expectations—and explains that fit clearly. Define requirements first, compare suppliers using consistent data, and verify technical claims, responsibilities, exclusions, and lifecycle support in writing. These steps help reduce avoidable uncertainty during design, purchasing, and installation.

Your next step is to prepare a project brief with load-unit specifications, layout information, throughput goals, and a list of required interfaces. Send the same brief to shortlisted manufacturers and request a documented technical proposal with assumptions and scope boundaries. HEGERLS can review your stacking-rack and storage requirements as part of that initial discussion.