ZOWELL Warehouse Project: 4 VUE Man-Up Three-Way Stackers and 1 RRE Double-Deep Scissor Reach Truck Increase Storage Capacity by Approximately 40%

ZOWELL has successfully delivered a narrow-aisle warehousing solution to an overseas third-party logistics (3PL) provider, featuring 4 VUE Man-Up Three-Way Stackers and 1 RRE Double-Deep Scissor Reach Truck.

The four VUE trucks operate in a large warehouse with 12 aisles, while the RRE truck serves a separate, smaller warehouse.

By combining high-level racking systems with specialized narrow-aisle material handling equipment, the customer increased the storage capacity of its main warehouse from 3,500 to 5,000 pallet positions — an improvement of approximately 40% — without expanding the warehouse footprint.

In addition to maximizing storage density, the new solution has significantly improved inventory organization, batch management, and order-picking operations for a wide range of products.

Project Background: Growing 3PL Operations Demand More Efficient Warehousing

The customer is a third-party logistics (3PL) provider offering warehousing and distribution services to multiple brand owners.

Its warehouse handles a diverse range of products, including infant formula, light bulbs, snacks, shampoos, and other consumer goods. With a large number of SKUs and demanding batch-management requirements, efficient storage and inventory control are essential to daily operations.

As the business continued to grow, the existing warehouse layout struggled to accommodate increasing inventory volumes. At the same time, managing and picking products across multiple categories became increasingly challenging.

To address these issues, the customer decided to introduce high-level racking systems and specialized narrow-aisle forklifts to upgrade its warehouse operations.

Key Challenges: Limited Storage Space, Inefficient Picking, and Complex Inventory Management

01 | Limited Warehouse Capacity

The warehouse previously relied mainly on reach trucks. Their relatively wide operating aisles occupied a considerable amount of floor space, limiting the number of storage locations available.

As inventory volumes and SKU quantities increased, the existing layout approached its storage capacity. The customer needed to maximize storage density without expanding the warehouse.

02 | Complicated Picking Procedures and Low Operational Efficiency

With conventional reach trucks, operators often need to reposition the truck several times during storage and retrieval operations.

For picking tasks involving partial quantities, operators may need to retrieve a pallet, complete the picking operation, and then return the remaining goods to storage. These additional handling steps increase operating time and affect overall order fulfillment efficiency.

03 | Dispersed SKUs and Difficult Batch Management

Products such as infant formula, snacks, and shampoos come in multiple varieties and batches. The same SKU may be stored across different warehouse locations.

The previous storage and retrieval process made it difficult to maintain a clear and standardized location-management system, creating challenges for first-in, first-out (FIFO) inventory management and batch traceability.

ZOWELL's Solution: Combining VUE and RRE Trucks to Maximize Storage Potential

1.7 m Narrow Aisles and 10 m High Racking Increase Storage Capacity by Approximately 40%

To improve space utilization in the main warehouse, ZOWELL implemented a high-density narrow-aisle storage solution using VUE Man-Up Three-Way Stackers and high-level racking systems.

Multiple rows of high-level racks were installed, creating 12 narrow aisles. The aisles use a guide-rail system to assist truck guidance, with a guide-rail spacing of only 1.7 meters.

The racking system reaches a height of 10 meters, while the four VUE trucks offer a maximum lifting height of 10.5 meters, allowing the customer to make full use of the available vertical storage space.

(The standard VUE model can achieve a maximum lifting height of up to 18 meters, with configurations available to meet different project requirements.)

By reducing aisle width and increasing storage height, the customer achieved a substantial increase in pallet positions within the existing warehouse footprint:

• Before: 3,500 pallet positions

• After: 5,000 pallet positions

• Capacity increase: Approximately 40%

This upgrade provides significantly more storage capacity without the need for warehouse expansion.

RRE Double-Deep Scissor Reach Truck: Maximizing Storage in a Smaller Warehouse

For the customer's separate, smaller warehouse, ZOWELL supplied one RRE Double-Deep Scissor Reach Truck.

The warehouse features four rows of racking served by a single operating aisle. Equipped with a 1,030 mm scissor reach stroke, the RRE can access pallets stored at greater depth within double-deep racking.

This configuration allows pallets to be stored in two positions deep, increasing storage density while making better use of the available aisle space.

One operating aisle provides access to double-deep storage, helping the customer maximize the capacity of a limited warehouse area.

Improved Inventory Organization and More Efficient Order Picking

The new narrow-aisle high-level racking system provides a more structured storage layout, allowing products to be assigned to clearly defined storage locations.

Different product categories and batches can be organized according to the customer's inventory management requirements. Operators can locate target pallet positions more easily, retrieve goods by batch, and support first-in, first-out (FIFO) inventory management.

One of the key advantages of the VUE Man-Up Three-Way Stacker is its operator compartment, which rises and lowers together with the lifting operation. This allows operators to travel to the required storage level and carry out picking directly at elevated positions.

All four VUE trucks supplied for this project are equipped with height preselection functionality. With a single operation, the operator can raise the compartment and forks to a preset target level, reducing unnecessary adjustments and making high-level picking more convenient.

From full-pallet storage and retrieval to elevated order picking, the VUE provides greater flexibility for warehouses handling diverse product categories and a large number of SKUs.

Guide-Rail Guidance and RFID Technology for Safer Narrow-Aisle Operations

In narrow aisles as tight as 1.7 meters, stable truck movement and accurate positioning are essential.

The project uses a guide-rail guidance system to help the VUE trucks travel steadily along the aisles. Once guided by the rails, operators do not need to continuously correct the truck's direction, reducing operating effort and helping minimize the risk of unintended deviation and rack collisions.

In addition, RFID-based electronic tag technology provides supplementary positioning and control functions. As the truck approaches the end of an aisle, the system can automatically reduce speed and bring the vehicle to a precise stop according to preset control logic.

The combination of guide-rail guidance and RFID technology provides additional control and safety support for high-density narrow-aisle operations.

Project Benefits: Improvements in Space Utilization, Efficiency, and Safety

01 | Space Optimization: Approximately 40% More Storage Capacity

Without increasing the warehouse footprint, the main warehouse expanded from 3,500 to 5,000 pallet positions, significantly improving storage density and making better use of available space.

02 | Operational Efficiency: Better Inventory Control and Order Picking

High-level racking, structured storage locations, and the VUE's elevating operator compartment with height preselection help operators locate and pick target goods more efficiently. These features improve inventory organization and support more streamlined order fulfillment.

03 | Operational Safety: Enhanced Guidance and Positioning Assistance

The guide-rail system helps maintain stable truck movement in narrow aisles, while RFID technology supports automatic speed reduction and precise stopping near aisle ends. Together, these features reduce operating difficulty and help minimize potential collision risks.

ZOWELL Narrow-Aisle Solutions: Creating More Value from Every Square Meter

From high-density storage in large warehouses to double-deep pallet handling in smaller facilities, ZOWELL provides tailored material handling solutions based on each customer's warehouse layout and operational requirements.

For 3PL providers handling diverse product categories, large SKU inventories, and demanding picking operations, the right combination of racking design and specialized narrow-aisle equipment can unlock additional storage capacity and streamline daily warehouse operations.

ZOWELL — Delivering Smarter Narrow-Aisle Solutions and Greater Warehouse Efficiency for Customers Worldwide.