Storing Ugly Goods automatically – answers from the even Webinar with advasolutions

In a nutshell: oversized items, irregular shapes, articles that cannot be neatly packed into a standard container. In most warehouses, they end up in manual processes because no automated solution can handle them reliably. Michael Reimold, Head of Sales Development at advasolutions, demonstrated in the Webinar how carrier-free storage works technically and when it makes sense as a complement to an existing system.

Missed the Webinar? Click here for the full recording.

During the even Webinar with Michael Reimold, it quickly became clear how great the interest is in concrete solutions for difficult articles. We have collected the most important questions and answers from the live talk here for you.

What exactly are Ugly Goods?

Michael: The term sounds negative, but for us these are not ugly articles. We are quite comfortable with them. Ugly Goods, to us, means everything that does not fit into a classic standard container – for example, a 400 x 600. That can be an oversized item, an irregular shape, or containerless articles. Our latest shuttle generation covers footprints of up to 800 x 600 millimetres with a weight of up to 25 kilograms. And beyond that, we can also store items directly without a load carrier – from a 1.5-kilogram coffee bag to dimensionally stable articles of the most varied geometries.

Where does the system reach its limits?

Michael: Clearly where articles are not dimensionally stable. In the fashion sector, for example, when someone works with polybags – that is where we reach our limits. But wherever articles have a defined shape, it does not matter whether the part is square or round. We can grip those perfectly.

How does it work technically? What makes your shuttle different?

Michael: Two things set us apart from classic captive shuttle systems. First, we have a closed shelf floor that enables direct handling without a load carrier. Second, our shuttle handles all movements itself. It climbs via a gear mechanism and travels independently into the respective aisle. We have no classic lift, which makes the system significantly more scalable. This also allows us to replace conveyor lines and bridge production logistics directly from the warehouse.

You capture every article at goods receipt. How time-consuming is that really?

Michael: At first glance it sounds time-consuming, but it is actually a huge asset. At goods receipt we capture morphological data, take photos of every article and record the dimensions. Based on this data, the system then dynamically calculates the storage location. There is no predefined location from the ERP; instead, chaotic storage is managed by the software. What emerges in the process is a database that most companies simply do not have: precise master data for each article, with dimensions, weight and photo. This can also be used as a by-product for quality control, batch management or serial number tracking.

Which industries is this particularly interesting for?

Michael: Fresh logistics is a clear focus. Wooden crates, fish baskets – these simply cannot be repacked into a standard container, and the industry is at the same time extremely labour-intensive and looking for automation. Beyond that, we see ourselves strongly in production logistics, in electronics and consumer goods, and in pharma. Spare parts and refurbished goods are a good fit, as are shoe boxes – those are always awkward to handle in classic containers. Fashion e-commerce in the traditional sense less so, although there are certainly niches there. Frozen goods are unfortunately something we cannot cover yet.

When does a carrier-free solution make sense as a complement to an existing system?

Michael: This is actually one of our most exciting use cases. We are explicitly positioned as an add-on to cube storage systems such as AutoStore as well. Where the article structure allows it, we take over the portion of the assortment that cannot be cleanly mapped in the cube. Beyond that, we can act as a buffer and sequencing system. A pre-picked order from the cube is completed with the Ugly Goods at our station before it goes to dispatch. That is a real sweet spot for us.

What is the economic sweet spot – from what point does it pay off?

Michael: We are not the system for very high throughput. Our comfort zone is between 500 and 1,500 picks per hour. Anyone who needs to scale beyond that will eventually need so many shuttles that it also becomes unattractive from a cost perspective. The business case works best where part of the assortment remains manual because no other system can handle it – that is precisely the part we can take over, automate and process with significantly fewer FTEs.

Can you see the system live somewhere?

Michael: Yes. We operate our own warehouse in Nieder-Aula near Bad Hersfeld – in the heart of Germany, easily accessible from everywhere. On a total area of 18,000 square metres, we run our own system there in full operation. That is the best opportunity to see the complete application live. Anyone interested is welcome to get in touch.

Conclusion: Ugly Goods are not an exceptional case – they are a systems issue

The Webinar made it clear: articles that do not fit into standard containers are not a fringe occurrence in most assortments. They end up in manual processes not because automation is impossible, but because most systems simply cannot accommodate them. advasolutions demonstrates that carrier-free storage not only works technically, but also presents a clear business case in certain industries and assortments – all the more so as a complement to an existing system.

Missed the Webinar?

👉 Here is the full recording.

👉 Here is the even profile of advasolutions.