What Apostore does

Apostore, which rebranded to KNAPP in 2025, is the pharmacy automation division of the KNAPP Group, a diversified Austrian automation conglomerate. The company develops and manufactures pharmacy-specific robotic picking and storage systems, with its core product being the R3000x Kommissionierautomat — a compact prescription dispensing automaton introduced in 1995 as the world's first pharmacy picking robot. The R3000x combines modular hardware components (PickEngine robotic picking, iScan 3.0 package recognition, Feeder OCR for fully automatic multi-product storage, Greifer gripper technology with optional second unit, Rolladeneinlagerung semi-automatic storage, and flexible output positioning) into an integrated automated storage and dispensing workflow designed for retail pharmacies.

The company serves a vertical customer base of retail pharmacies (Apotheken) in urban and rural settings, targeting both small independents and larger operations serving approximately 100 to 500 daily customers. Its business model is anchored on hardware sales of the R3000x system, with a multi-year recurring maintenance and service layer delivered through regional technicians who are part of a 50-location global service network inherited from the KNAPP Group. All systems are developed and manufactured in Austria to the parent group's quality standards.

Go-to-market is consultative direct sales: customers request first meetings via contact form or phone, and pricing is quote-based rather than publicly disclosed. Marketing channels are primarily the company website with technical resources and a newsletter, supplemented by direct field sales. The company emphasizes personal regional relationships, fixed contact persons, and short response times as competitive differentiators versus centralized hotlines and remote-support competitors. Note: the firmographic record lists Gelsenkirchen, Germany as a city, while operational and manufacturing activities are described as based in Austria — this may reflect historical or legal domicile versus operational headquarters, and the discrepancy is not resolved in the source material.

Name

Apostore

Legal name

KNAPP

Website

https://apostore.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Apostore (now KNAPP) develops and manufactures the R3000x, a compact robotic pharmacy picking automaton, serving retail pharmacies across Austria and internationally through direct consultative sales and a 50-location global service network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmacy Automation Systems

NAICS

Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing (3391)

SIC

Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)

akta.pro primary industry

Healthcare & Assistive Robotics (HDAAAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Medication Inventory, Procurement & Supply Chain (Pharmacy) (HLACAKAI)

Keywords

• Pharmacy automation
• Robotic picking systems
• Medication dispensing
• Automated storage
• Pharmacy robotics

Headquarters

HQ city

Gelsenkirchen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales - R3000x Kommissionierautomat: Sale of the R3000x picking automaton system for pharmacies. The system is manufactured in Austria to highest quality standards. Investment costs include acquisition, maintenance, interest, and depreciation calculated from total investment volume.
2. Maintenance and Service: Long-term maintenance services with regional technicians who know the customer's pharmacy and workflows. Includes planned maintenance and short response times through widespread service network.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Apostore designs, manufactures, and services automated robotic picking systems for pharmacies. Its flagship product, the R3000x Kommissionierautomat, provides automated storage, retrieval, and dispensing of pharmaceutical packages, controlled by the proprietary PickEngine software and supported by image-recognition and OCR modules.

Product overview

Apostore (now transitioning to KNAPP brand) offers the R3000x, a compact prescription dispensing automaton for pharmacies that combines automated storage and picking/commissioning capabilities. Developed and manufactured in Austria with 30 years of pharmacy experience, the R3000x is the company's core product featuring modular components including conveyor belt storage with iScan 3.0 package recognition, roller shutter storage (semi-automatic), gripper technology with optional second unit, flexible output positioning, and Feeder OCR for fully automatic multi-product storage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• R3000x Kommissionierautomat

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced walking paths and manual operations for pharmacy staff
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Omnicell: Omnicell provides pharmacy automation solutions including automated dispensing and medication management for retail and hospital pharmacies globally, directly competing with Apostore's R3000x in the pharmacy automation category.
• Hänle Group: Hänle is a German pharmacy equipment manufacturer that designs and supplies storage, automation, and workflow solutions for retail pharmacies, making it a direct regional peer in the DACH pharmacy automation market served by Apostore.
• ARxIUM: ARxIUM produces pharmacy automation solutions including robotic dispensing, inventory management, and workflow software for retail and hospital pharmacies — a direct competitor in pharmacy robotics with comparable product offerings.
• Willach Pharmacy Solutions: Willach designs and manufactures pharmacy automation and storage systems for European retail pharmacies, offering comparable robotic picking and dispensing equipment positioned in the same German-speaking and broader European market as Apostore.
• BD Rowa (Becton Dickinson): BD Rowa is the most direct competitor in automated pharmacy storage and picking systems for retail pharmacies, offering high-throughput robotic dispensing solutions comparable to the R3000x and serving the same European pharmacy customer base.
• TOSHO (Tosho Computer System): TOSHO develops pharmacy automation and information systems including robotic dispensing solutions primarily for the Japanese market, comparable to Apostore's R3000x but serving a regional pharmacy market with similar automation technology.
• Swisslog Healthcare (KUKA): Swisslog Healthcare provides hospital and pharmacy automation including robotic medication management solutions, competing with Apostore in pharmacy logistics and storage automation.

Others

• Knapp Group (parent): KNAPP Group is the parent conglomerate that owns Apostore and provides the broader automation technology platform, logistics robotics, and 50-location global service network that underpins the R3000x product line.

Broad incumbents

• Körber / Körber Pharma: Körber's Pharma division supplies warehouse, distribution, and intralogistics automation for pharmaceutical wholesalers and pharmacies; it is a broader incumbent that competes for adjacent automation projects relevant to Apostore's pharmacy-customer base.
• McKesson / CoverMyMeds: McKesson is a global pharmaceutical distribution and healthcare services giant whose pharmacy-services portfolio and technology investments position it as a broad incumbent whose automation offerings intersect with Apostore's pharmacy technology stack.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Apostore