Daifuku Smart Palette from Daifuku Co. - compact shuttle system targets space constrained warehouses

Reviewed: ad hoc news Bestseller & Flagship desk. Edited and checked on 2026-06-23, 01:00. Details in the imprint.

Daifuku Smart Palette looks almost quiet from the picking aisle, with low shuttles sliding under pallets and a soft electric hum instead of clanking chains. Forklift drivers see fewer tight maneuvers, yet more pallets leave the warehouse in the same hour.

How Smart Palette works

Smart Palette is Daifuku's shuttle-based pallet storage system that automates deep lane storage in racking, using battery-powered carriers to move pallets instead of forklifts entering every lane. The shuttles run along rails beneath pallets and hand off loads at the rack face.

According to Daifuku, the system reduces forklift travel inside racks and allows higher-density storage than conventional selective racking, especially for high-throughput SKUs. Pallets can be handled in first-in first-out or last-in first-out patterns, depending on lane design.

Designed for tight warehouse space

Product manager Takashi Sato describes Smart Palette as a tool for sites where floor space is already full, yet adding a new building is not feasible. The system can use deeper storage lanes and higher rack levels to increase stored pallets per square meter.

Operators typically control shuttles via a handheld terminal or warehouse control system, selecting lanes for loading and retrieval. In practice, one worker can manage several shuttles, which changes the feel of the warehouse from constant driving to more quiet supervision.

Throughput and integration

In Daifuku case studies, Smart Palette is deployed in chilled and frozen warehouses that need consistent pallet flows with fewer forklift entries into cold areas. This can reduce door opening times and help stabilize storage temperatures, which matters for food quality.

The system typically connects to a warehouse management or control system, which assigns shuttles to tasks and helps avoid lane congestion. From the operator's perspective, the main sound is the whir of motors and occasional pallet contact instead of diesel engines.

Where Smart Palette fits in Daifuku's lineup

Smart Palette sits between conventional pallet racking and fully automated stacker crane systems in Daifuku's portfolio. Customers who want higher density than standard racking, but not a complete AS/RS, often consider shuttle-based solutions like this.

The company also offers related systems such as pallet AS/RS and mini-load AS/RS for cases where every pallet or tote must be individually addressed. Smart Palette instead focuses on lane-based storage where goods flow in batches.

Company context and shares

Daifuku, headquartered in Osaka, generates a significant share of its revenue from material handling systems for warehouses, airports, and manufacturing plants. For investors, shuttle and AS/RS projects like Smart Palette illustrate how the company aims to grow logistics automation demand globally.

This article was AI-assisted and editorially reviewed. Product information without guarantee; prices and availability may change at short notice. No investment advice, no buy or sell recommendation. Stock-market transactions involve risks up to total loss.