The first time you walk into a warehouse that uses a vertical storage system, it looks like something out of a sci-fi movie. These things are tall and sleek, humming quietly and managing to pull out a box of tiny washers from the top of a 30-foot unit with grace.
But before pitching the idea of investing in a Modula vertical storage system to your boss, or even justifying the investment to yourself, you need to do what anyone making a big decision should: pause, breathe, and ask some painfully practical questions.
I’ve been through this process, weighed the options, and lived to tell the tale. So, here are a few questions you may want to ask yourself before diving in.
CONTENTS
1. Is Your Current Storage Setup Actually the Problem?
This might sound obvious, but hear me out: it’s easy to fall in love with a solution before you’ve clearly defined the problem. In our case, our warehouse was inefficient, hard to navigate, and even borderline dangerous, with ladders being used more frequently than they should have been.
We had employees wasting time searching for items; some zones were underutilized while others were overcrowded, and our picking errors were embarrassingly high. But not every business is dealing with this level of chaos.
So, before you start pricing out vertical storage systems, take a hard look at what’s going wrong. Are you running out of space, or just using space poorly? Are you losing inventory, or just lacking a decent labeling system? You don’t want to fix a leaky faucet by buying a new house.
2. How Much Floor Space Will You Actually Save?
Vertical storage systems, by design, extend upward instead of outward, and that can dramatically reduce the footprint of your storage operations. But not every warehouse has 25-foot ceilings or the floor layout to accommodate a machine with a loading bay and clearance space.
In my case, we had to relocate a few other machines to make room, which added to the cost and caused some temporary disruption.
Was it worth it in the long run? Absolutely. But it’s something to factor in early. Get someone to map out the physical integration and look at everything from ceiling obstructions, HVAC ducts, and access points to aisle clearance.
3. What’s the ROI and How Soon Can You Expect It?
One of the most persuasive arguments for a vertical lift module (VLM) is the return on investment. Reduced picking times, fewer errors, lower labor costs, and better space usage are all great things, but those benefits don’t happen overnight.
We began to see measurable improvements around the three-month mark, and we broke even within the first year. However, that timeline can vary depending on the amount of inventory you’re dealing with, the optimization of your workflow, and whether your staff actually utilizes the system correctly.
If you’re pitching this to stakeholders, you’ll need hard numbers. Fortunately, 55% of supply chain leaders report increasing investment in technology and innovation, and 83% are already deploying robotics and automation tools to improve operations (MHI & Deloitte, 2025).
Still, you should run your own numbers. Take into account installation downtime, training hours, maintenance costs, and potential software upgrades.
4. Are Your SKUs a Good Fit?
Not everything benefits from being stored vertically. Items with high turnover are perfect, as well as small parts and components that need careful sorting. But bulky, oddly shaped, or rarely accessed inventory may not be the best fit.
We ended up splitting our inventory. Fast-moving and small items were loaded into the VLM, while bulkier and seasonal stock remained on traditional racks. This hybrid approach worked beautifully, but it required more upfront planning than I expected.
If your warehouse handles a lot of variability in product size or type, you may need more than one VLM unit or a combination of solutions. Don’t force your entire operation into a vertical model if only part of it makes sense.
5. What Will Integration With Your Current Systems Look Like?
A modern vertical storage system comes with its own software, usually designed to integrate with warehouse management systems (WMS), enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms, or inventory control software.
But not every system plays nice with others.
We had to work closely with our IT team to get everything talking to each other. This involved mapping fields between systems, creating custom workflows, and thoroughly testing everything before going live. I’d advise looping in your IT people early in the decision-making process.
And if your current tech stack is outdated or manual, you might need to upgrade those systems before your shiny new vertical lift even arrives.
6. Will It Scale With You?
Perhaps the most underrated question of all: Is this future-proof? Remember, you’re not just buying for today but investing in something that should serve you for the next 5–10 years, maybe more.
In our case, we picked a modular system that we could add on to later if needed. That flexibility proved invaluable when our order volume surged during the launch of a new product.
Don’t just size your system for what you need now. Think about where your business will be in 2, 5, or 10 years. Will you need more storage? Faster throughput? Different kinds of items? Ask the tough questions now, so you’re not boxed in later.
If you’re planning a larger infrastructure upgrade in your facility, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, you may want to explore our insight on warehouse design and project development. It’s a solid resource for gaining context on how others are addressing growth, tech, and space constraints.
Final Thoughts
Investing in a vertical storage system isn’t like buying a new office chair or upgrading your printer. It’s a structural change that will reshape your workflow, layout, and even your team dynamics. Done right, it can save you space, time, and money, but it’s not a magic bullet.
Take the time to assess your needs, involve your people, and map out the ROI with brutal honesty. If you do all that and a vertical system still checks all the boxes, then you’re probably making a smart move.
Hey, I’m Jeremy Clifford. I hold a bachelor’s degree in information systems, and I’m a certified network specialist. I worked for several internet providers in LA, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Seattle over the past 21 years.
I worked as a customer service operator, field technician, network engineer, and network specialist. During my career in networking, I’ve come across numerous modems, gateways, routers, and other networking hardware. I’ve installed network equipment, fixed it, designed and administrated networks, etc.
Networking is my passion, and I’m eager to share everything I know with you. On this website, you can read my modem and router reviews, as well as various how-to guides designed to help you solve your network problems. I want to liberate you from the fear that most users feel when they have to deal with modem and router settings.
My favorite free-time activities are gaming, movie-watching, and cooking. I also enjoy fishing, although I’m not good at it. What I’m good at is annoying David when we are fishing together. Apparently, you’re not supposed to talk or laugh while fishing – it scares the fishes.