Modula

What Modula does

Modula designs and manufactures automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS), with its core technology being vertical lift modules (VLMs) that exploit ceiling height to reclaim up to 90% of warehouse floor space. The product portfolio spans five VLM models — Lift, Slim, Next, Pallet, and the Flexibox high-speed bin system (up to 180 bins/hour launched March 2025) — supplemented by horizontal carousels for low-ceiling environments, specialized Climate Control and Clean Room modules, and a full picking-solutions suite (Put to Light, Picking Station, Mobile Picking App, Color Guided Picking). The Modula software stack comprises Modula WMS as the central warehouse management system, Modula IoT and OPC-UA telemetry for industrial connectivity, Modula Web Analytics for remote monitoring, and the AI Services bundle containing Plant Designer (simulation) and Optimizer.

The company serves manufacturers, automotive OEMs and dealers, e-commerce and 3PL operators, biomedical and pharmaceutical firms, food & beverage producers, aerospace and MRO operations, electronics manufacturers, and government agencies. Named customers include Boeing, GE Aviation, Ferrari, BMW, Volkswagen, Subaru, Coca-Cola, Nestlé, Pepsi, Johnson & Johnson, Roche, Abbott, Bayer, Kuehne+Nagel, and Los Angeles Metro. Products are manufactured in the USA at Lewiston, ME (headquarters) and Franklin, OH.

Revenue is generated primarily through the sale of automated storage hardware (VLMs, carousels, accessories), software subscriptions (WMS, IoT, AI Services, Cloud monitoring), and recurring service contracts (preventative maintenance, integration, training). The go-to-market combines a 70+ authorized dealer network across North America with direct enterprise field sales and international distribution through affiliated entities such as Modula S.p.A. Pricing is quote-based, with projects typically delivering payback in 6–18 months and deployment in approximately 8 weeks. Modula is privately held, was founded in 1987 by Franco Stefani (credited with inventing the vertical storage concept), operates approximately 1,000 employees across three continents, and reports 25% year-over-year growth and more than 20,000 installations worldwide.

Name

Modula

Legal name

Modula S.p.A.

Website

https://modula.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Modula manufactures automated storage and retrieval systems, principally vertical lift modules, for manufacturers, automotive, e-commerce, pharmaceutical, and aerospace enterprises, selling via a 70+ North American dealer network plus direct enterprise sales, with quote-based hardware, software, and recurring service revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS)

NAICS

Industrial Truck, Tractor, Trailer, and Stacker Machinery Manufacturing (333924)

SIC

Industrial Trucks, Tractors, Trailors & Stackers (3537), Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530)

akta.pro primary industry

Warehouse Automation Systems (AS/RS, Shuttle Systems, Vertical Lift Modules) (IMAHABAK)

Keywords

• Automated storage systems
• Vertical lift modules
• Warehouse management software
• Warehouse automation solutions
• Industrial storage equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Lewiston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Automated Storage Hardware Sales: Sale of Vertical Lift Modules (VLMs), Horizontal Carousels, and related automated storage equipment manufactured in the USA
2. Warehouse Management Software: Modula WMS system, Modula IoT, Modula AI Services (Plant Designer, Optimizer), and cloud-based monitoring solutions
3. Service and Support: Preventative maintenance, remote support, nationwide field service, software integration, and user training programs through dealer network
4. Customization and Accessories: Add-on options, accessories, and customization solutions for Modula products

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Modula manufactures and sells automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) centered on Vertical Lift Modules (VLMs), horizontal carousels, and specialized clean-room and climate-controlled storage units. Its hardware is paired with proprietary software (Modula WMS, Modula IoT, Modula AI Services) for inventory management, optimization, and integration with ERP and AMR systems.

Product overview

Modula offers a comprehensive portfolio of automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) centered around Vertical Lift Modules (VLMs) as the core product family. The main product lines include Modula Lift (flagship VLM), Modula Slim (compact footprint), Modula Next (precision picking), Modula Pallet (pallet handling), and Modula Flexibox (high-speed fulfillment at 180 bins/hour). Supporting hardware includes Horizontal Carousels for low-ceiling environments, specialized Climate Control and Clean Room modules for sensitive environments, and Picking Solutions (Put to Light, Picking Station, Picking Cart, Mobile Picking App, Color Guided Picking). The software ecosystem comprises Modula WMS as the central warehouse management platform, supported by Modula IoT for industrial connectivity, Modula Web Analytics for remote monitoring, Modula OPC-UA Telemetry for integration, Modula Plant Designer for warehouse simulation, and Modula Optimizer for operational optimization. Robotics integrations include Modula Robot Interface for anthropomorphic robots and AMR integration for autonomous mobile robots. The company serves industries including manufacturing, e-commerce, biomedical/pharmaceutical, food & beverage, automotive, electronics, ceramics, and logistics across over 20,000 installations worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Modula Lift: The most popular VLM model offering up to 90% space savings and 300+ lines per hour picking speed.
• Modula Slim
• Modula Next
• Modula Pallet
• Modula Flexibox

Products and services

• Modula Lift Modula's most popular Vertical Lift Module (VLM) that saves up to 90% of floor space, with scalable picking speeds of 300 lines per hour or more, advanced tray configurations, and integration with robots, conveyors, picking stations, and cranes.
• Modula Slim Vertical Lift Module designed for areas with smaller footprint requirements, offering the same space-saving benefits as the Modula Lift in a more compact configuration.
• Modula Next Vertical Lift Module combining space-saving efficiency with industrial vending machine precision and control, designed for the most precise picking operations.
• Modula Pallet Innovative warehouse solution designed to safely handle euro pallets directly from the ground, simplifying pallet handling operations in warehouse environments.
• Modula Flexibox High-speed automated storage solution processing up to 180 bins per hour, designed for fast-moving industries needing high-performance picking without compromising flexibility.
• Modula Horizontal Carousel High-speed order fulfillment carousel designed for environments with low ceiling constraints, ideal when vertical space is limited but high-speed picking is required.
• Modula Climate Control Temperature and humidity control solution for automated storage in climate-sensitive environments, protecting sensitive materials from environmental damage.
• Modula Clean Room Automated storage solution for cleanroom storage environments, meeting stringent cleanliness and contamination control requirements.
• Modula WMS Complete end-to-end Warehouse Management System providing inventory control, real-time visibility, order management, and integration with ERP/DMS systems.
• Modula IoT Industrial IoT platform for connecting and managing Modula storage systems, enabling real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, picking speed tracking, energy use tracking, and data collection across Modula's storage hardware.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 90% floor space reclamation
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers35 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

AI capability3 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Tier 1 MROcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 20 May 2026Authorized Modula dealer expanding national VLM service and support capabilities including preventative maintenance, remote support, nationwide field service, turnkey inventory migration, software integration, and user training programs. Positioning as long-term operational partner for manufacturing, aerospace, distribution, and industrial operations.
• status CcoreTechnology or Integration · 21 March 2025Partnership to simplify SAP integration for automated warehouses, focusing on modular connection solutions for SAP ERP and SAP S/4HANA environments. Enables real-time data exchange between Modula's vertical storage systems and SAP platforms.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Kardex: Kardex is a global leader in vertical lift modules and automated storage solutions — a near-direct competitor to Modula across VLM, horizontal carousel, and AS/RS product categories serving the same enterprise manufacturing/distribution customers.
• Hänel: Hänel specializes in vertical lift modules and rotary racks for industry and intralogistics, competing head-to-head with Modula in the VLM category with comparable product positioning and target customer base.
• Murata Machinery (Muratec): Murata Machinery (Muratec) manufactures VLMs under its Materials Handling division, offering a product line directly comparable to Modula Lift/Slim/Next and competing for the same enterprise parts storage and tooling customers.

Broad incumbents

• SSI Schaefer: SSI Schaefer is a broad intralogistics incumbent offering AS/RS, conveyors, and automated storage across many product categories — overlapping with Modula in warehouse automation but as part of a much wider portfolio.
• Dematic: Dematic is a major global supply chain solutions integrator offering AS/RS, robotics, and warehouse automation software — serving the same enterprise customers as Modula with a broader end-to-end value proposition.
• Swisslog: Swisslog provides automated warehouse and distribution center solutions, including AS/RS and item-pick systems — competing with Modula primarily in the integrated intralogistics segment serving enterprise customers.
• Knapp: Knapp is an established warehouse automation and distribution software specialist with shuttle-based AS/RS and OSR shuttles — addressing similar enterprise distribution and pharma customers as Modula through a different but overlapping technology stack.
• TGW Logistics Group: TGW is an integrated warehouse automation provider with AS/RS, conveyor, and WMS offerings — competing with Modula in distribution centers and manufacturing parts operations across Europe and North America.

Emerging players

• AutoStore: AutoStore pioneered cube-based goods-to-person AS/RS, an emerging architecture that competes with traditional VLMs for high-density e-commerce and parts storage deployments — a disruptive adjacent peer in the same warehouse automation category.
• Bastian Solutions: Bastian Solutions designs and integrates warehouse automation, including AS/RS implementations — competing with Modula in solutions selling to enterprise manufacturing and distribution customers in North America.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ModulaUS
• Facebookfacebook.com/ModulaUSA

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Modula