Schaefer

What Schaefer does

Schaefer (SSI SCHAEFER) is a Germany-headquartered, privately held provider of intralogistics, materials handling, storage, and waste-technology solutions, founded in 1937 and operating across more than 35 countries with over 10,000 employees. Its product portfolio spans static storage shelving, automated storage and retrieval systems, conveying and transport equipment, picking and handling solutions, and a growing installed base of automated guided vehicles (AGVs), autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), and the FastBot goods-to-person platform. These hardware lines are orchestrated by the proprietary WAMAS software suite, which covers warehouse management, warehouse control, material flow control, and a digital-twin emulation environment, with added predictive maintenance analytics on the installed equipment base.

The company serves enterprise customers through a direct sales model with quote-based, multi-year contracts, typically delivering turnkey facilities that integrate hardware, controls, and software. It targets more than eight end-verticals including apparel, food and beverage, e-commerce, and general manufacturing, and is positioned as a top-tier AGV supplier in the United States, where the AGV market is expanding at double-digit rates. Revenue is generated through hardware sales, WAMAS software licensing, and lifecycle services tied to large multi-year programs.

Name

Schaefer

Legal name

SSI SCHAEFER (full legal name not disclosed in provided sources)

Website

https://schaefershelving.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Schaefer (SSI SCHAEFER) is a Germany-based global provider of intralogistics and warehouse automation, offering storage systems, AGVs/AMRs/FastBots robotics, and WAMAS software to enterprise customers across more than 35 countries and eight-plus industry verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Intralogistics and Warehouse Automation

NAICS

Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers (42342), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance (811310)

SIC

Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Warehouse & Intralogistics Automation Systems (AS/RS, Sortation, Conveyance Controls) (IMAHAHAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial Automation Software (SCADA, HMI, MES, Historian) (IMAHAHAJ), Warehouse Storage & Racking Systems (Pallet Racking, Shelving, Mezzanines) (IMAHABAD), Conveyors & Sortation Systems (Warehouse & Parcel) (IMAHABAC)

Keywords

• Warehouse automation systems
• Intralogistics solutions
• Storage racking systems
• Automated guided vehicles
• Warehouse management software

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlotte

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Storage Systems and Shelving Products: SSI SCHAEFER generates revenue through the sale of physical storage infrastructure including warehouse shelving systems, pallet racks, cantilever racking, wide-span shelving, mobile racking, flow racks, and mezzanine systems. These are one-time hardware sales with potential for repeat orders as facilities expand or modernize.
2. Automated Storage and Handling Equipment: Revenue from automated systems including automated high bay warehouses, storage-retrieval machines (SRM), shuttle systems, AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles), and AMRs (Autonomous Mobile Robots). These represent capital equipment sales with integration services.
3. Software Solutions (WAMAS): WAMAS software suite including Warehouse Management System (WMS), Warehouse Control System (WCS), Material Flow Systems (MFS), and related software modules. Likely includes software licensing and potentially subscription-based maintenance/upgrades.
4. Professional Services: Services including planning, consulting and simulation, reactive and preventive maintenance, lifecycle management, predictive maintenance, secure remote access, and warehouse safety management. These represent ongoing service contracts and project-based consulting engagements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

SSI SCHAEFER designs, manufactures, and integrates intralogistics and warehouse automation solutions for businesses worldwide. Its core offerings span physical storage infrastructure (shelving, pallet and cantilever racks, flow racks, mobile racking, automated high-bay warehouses), picking and handling systems, conveying and transport equipment (overhead conveyors, small/large load conveyors, AGVs and AMRs), the proprietary WAMAS warehouse management software suite, SAP integration, and lifecycle services including maintenance and consulting.

Product overview

SSI SCHAEFER is a global intralogistics provider offering a comprehensive, integrated portfolio of warehouse automation solutions. The offering follows a platform-plus-modules architecture combining physical intralogistics hardware with proprietary WAMAS software. The physical product portfolio spans four main categories: (1) Storage — encompassing shelving systems, pallet racks, cantilever racks, wide-span shelving, flow racks, mezzanines, heavy-duty racking, mobile pallet racks, automated high-bay warehouses, channel storage, and containers for semi-automated and fully automated storage; (2) Picking & Handling — covering manual picking, semi-automated picking, automated picking, and automated handling; (3) Conveying & Transport — including overhead conveyors, small/large load conveyors, AGVs & AMRs, and the FastBots robotic solution; and (4) Software — centered on the WAMAS software suite (WMS, WCS, Material Flow Systems, Robotics, Control Center, Emulation Center, Entry-Level Solutions) plus SAP logistics integration. Services include reactive, preventive, predictive, and lifecycle maintenance, secure remote access, and warehouse safety management. The company also provides consulting, planning, and simulation services across process, collaboration, and market-specific intralogistic strategies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WAMAS: Proprietary warehouse management and control software suite including WMS, WCS, MFS, and related logistics software solutions.

Products and services

• Warehouse Shelving Systems High-quality shelving and racking systems for variable and economical storage of small parts, pallets, bulky goods, and long-span items, including pallet racks, cantilever racks, wide-span shelving, flow racks, mezzanines, heavy-duty racking, and mobile pallet racking.
• Automated Storage Systems Fully automated storage solutions including high-bay warehouses, storage-retrieval machines (SRM), and shuttle systems for pallets and small load carriers, enabling rapid material transport and short access times.
• Semi-Automated Storage Storage solutions combining manual and automated handling, including mobile racking systems for pallets and long goods, and channel storage systems for high-volume, low-article-range storage.
• Containers Storage containers and small load carriers designed for efficient handling and storage across warehouse operations.
• Small Parts Storage Specialized storage solutions for small parts, spare parts, wheels and rims, enabling organized and efficient picking operations.
• Manual Picking Manual picking solutions including gravity flow racks and pick-by-light systems for efficient order fulfillment without full automation.
• Semi-Automated Picking Hybrid picking solutions combining manual and automated processes to improve throughput and reduce labor intensity.
• Automated Picking Fully automated picking systems using robotics and mechanized systems for high-volume order fulfillment.
• Automated Handling Automated handling solutions for moving materials through the warehouse with minimal human intervention.
• Overhead Conveyors Overhead conveyor systems for transporting goods above floor level, optimizing warehouse floor space.
• Small Load Conveyors Conveyor systems designed for transporting small load carriers and packages through warehouse operations.
• Large Load Conveyors Conveyor systems for handling large pallets and heavy loads across warehouse facilities.
• AGVs & AMRs Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) for driverless transport of goods within warehouses and production facilities.
• FastBots Solution FastBots robotic solution for automated transport and handling tasks within intralogistics operations.
• WAMAS Software Suite Proprietary warehouse management software suite including WMS (Warehouse Management System), WCS (Warehouse Control System), MFS (Material Flow Systems), Robotics, Lift & Store, Control Center, Emulation Center, Entry-Level Solutions, and Lifecycle management modules, providing end-to-end control of warehouse operations from receiving to shipping.
• SAP Logistics Solutions SAP-integrated logistics solutions enabling seamless connection between SSI SCHAEFER warehouse systems and SAP ERP environments.
• Reactive Maintenance On-demand maintenance services for correcting equipment failures and restoring operations.
• Preventive Services Scheduled maintenance services designed to prevent equipment failures before they occur.
• Life Cycle Management Comprehensive management of warehouse equipment throughout its operational lifecycle, from installation to decommissioning.
• Predictive Maintenance Data-driven maintenance services that anticipate equipment failures before they happen, reducing downtime and optimizing operational efficiency.
• Secure Remote Access Secure remote connectivity services enabling remote monitoring, diagnostics, and support for warehouse systems.
• Warehouse Safety Management Safety management services and solutions for warehouse operations compliance and worker protection.

Quantifiable outcome

• High bay warehouse example: 92,800 pallet storage locations capacity
• +2 more outcomes

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Manhattan Associates: Manhattan Associates is a leading pure-play supply chain and warehouse management software vendor; it competes with WAMAS at the control/software layer and represents the broader enterprise WMS incumbent that integrated automation stacks must integrate with or displace.

Direct peers

• TGW Logistics Group: TGW is an Austrian privately-held provider of highly automated warehouses, shuttle systems, conveyor technology, and warehouse software for apparel, grocery, and industrial customers — directly competitive in mid-to-large AS/RS and shuttle-based installations.
• Swisslog: Swisslog (owned by KUKA) provides automated warehousing, AS/RS, shuttles, AGVs, and warehouse software, primarily serving healthcare, retail, and FMCG customers — a direct integrated-intralogistics rival with very similar solution architecture to SSI SCHAEFER.
• Dematic: Dematic (owned by KION Group) is one of the largest global suppliers of integrated intralogistics solutions — automated storage, picking, conveying, and WMS/WCS software — competing head-to-head with SSI SCHAEFER in AS/RS, sortation, and warehouse automation projects for similar enterprise customers.
• System Logistics: System Logistics (part of Krones Group) delivers automated warehousing, AS/RS, AGVs, and conveying systems with a focus on food & beverage and retail end markets — competing with SSI SCHAEFER for similar FMCG/cold-chain automation mandates.
• Daifuku: Daifuku is a Japanese global leader in material handling systems — AS/RS, AGVs, sortation, and cleanroom/automotive logistics — competing with SSI SCHAEFER particularly in manufacturing-vertical intralogistics and shuttle technology.
• Murata Machinery (Muratec): Murata Machinery's Logistics & Automation division manufactures AS/RS, automated storage, and material handling systems, and is a long-established direct competitor in automated warehousing and conveyance technology.
• Honeywell Intelligrated: Honeywell Intelligrated designs, integrates, and supports automated material handling solutions (conveyors, sortation, AS/RS, robotics, WMS/WCS) for retail, e-commerce, and third-party logistics — competing directly with SSI SCHAEFER in North American distribution-center projects.
• Knapp: Knapp is an Austrian-headquartered, family-owned global intralogistics specialist offering automated storage, shuttle-based systems (OSR), picking, conveying, and S0 software for retail, food, pharma, and industrial customers — directly comparable product breadth and customer base to SSI SCHAEFER.

Emerging players

• AutoStore: AutoStore is a fast-growing cube-based robotic storage vendor with a software-first, hardware-light model; its grid-and-robot systems increasingly compete for the small-goods storage portion of projects that SSI SCHAEFER traditionally addressed with its shuttle and SRM products.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/SSISchaeferNA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ssischaefer
• Xx.com/schaefershelf

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 Schaefer