The Starting Point
As a 3PL operator, Versandmanufaktur faces a specific set of challenges that differ significantly from manufacturers or owner-operated warehouses.
Existing Infrastructure
Versandmanufaktur operates conventional shelf racking. A new warehouse build or switching to an entirely new warehouse technology was not an option - too expensive, too time-consuming, and too risky for a business model built on flexibility.
The Path to NEO
The decision for NEO came down to three factors:
First: automation without CapEx. As a 3PL operator, Versandmanufaktur is particularly cost-driven. NEO’s pay-per-pick model eliminates investment risk entirely. There are no acquisition costs, no leasing, and no long-term capital commitment. Costs scale directly with actual volume - exactly what a fulfillment business needs.
Second: integration into the existing facility. NEO works within existing shelf racking. No construction, no new build, no downtime. For a live warehouse operation with active client contracts, this is critical - a months-long construction phase is simply not feasible.
Third: fast results. NEO implementations reach productive operations in 6 to 8 weeks. For Versandmanufaktur, that meant results within a quarter, not within a year.
The Implementation
From the first feasibility check to production, in three phases.
400 picks/h
Picking throughput per PickStation“No other provider combines such a simple automation solution with higher storage density like NEO. We see great potential to significantly support our fulfillment strategy with NEO.”
Scaling: From 1 to 3 NEO:pickstations
The strongest indicator of an automation solution’s success is the decision to add more systems.
After the successful production run of the first station, Versandmanufaktur commissioned two additional picking stations. This scaling from one to three systems demonstrates:
For the 3PL market, this scaling story is particularly significant: a fulfillment operator that invests its own resources into additional capacity has validated the solution through the hardest test there is - daily business operations.
The 400 picks per hour are particularly relevant in the 3PL context: in an environment where labor availability is the limiting factor, this level of picking throughput per station represents a fundamental shift in operational capability.
Conclusion
Versandmanufaktur demonstrates how goods-to-person automation works in a demanding 3PL environment: multi-client operations, variable volume, existing shelf racking, and intense cost pressure.
The journey from proof of concept through the pilot to scaling across three systems shows that NEO holds up in day-to-day warehouse operations.
What would this mean for your warehouse?