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Automated Storage Retrieval Finance

Spread the cost of an automated storage and retrieval system from £50,000 to £1,500,000+ with flexible finance options. HP, lease, or refinance, compare rates from 40+ lenders.

Can you finance a automated storage retrieval?

Yes, automated storage retrievals are financed as a standard asset purchase, usually on hire purchase or a lease, with the machine itself acting as the security. UK prices typically run £50,000 to £1,500,000, and most deals are written over 36-84 months with a deposit of around 10-20%. Decisions typically take 1–3 weeks. Used machines are financeable too, usually with a shorter term.

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Typical Cost

£50k – £1500k

Approval Speed

1–3 weeks

Faster for < £150k shuttle-based systems

Rates From

5.3% APR

What would a automated storage retrieval cost per month?

£300,000
10%
60 months
9%
£0

Your estimate

Indicative only. Not a quote and not an offer of finance.

Pre-filled with a typical automated storage retrieval price. Indicative only, not a quote.

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Finance options

Hire Purchase (HP)

Rate
From 5.8% APR
Term
36-84 months
Deposit
10-20%
Ownership
Yours at the end
Best for
Businesses wanting to own the system outright

Finance Lease

Rate
From 5.3% APR
Term
36-84 months
Deposit
None required
Ownership
Return or buy (balloon payment)
Best for
Tax efficient; claim payments against profit

Asset Refinance

Rate
From 6.0% APR
Term
24-60 months
Deposit
None required
Ownership
Release capital tied up in the system
Best for
Businesses wanting to free up capital from an existing installation

Representative example

On a purchase price of £300,000: a 10% deposit of £30,000, then 48 monthly payments of £6,329 at 5.9% APR representative (fixed). Total amount payable £333,792, including the deposit. The rate you are offered depends on your business and the asset.

What buyers actually specify

Guide prices for sizing a finance agreement, not quotes. Manufacturers in this market mostly price on application, so where a current UK list price could not be confirmed the row describes a specification class rather than naming a model. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.

Machine or specification Guide price Type
Kardex Cube Shuttle-Based AS/RS POA; specification class £150,000 - £500,000 Shuttle-Based AS/RS
SSI Schaefer Miniload AS/RS POA; specification class £250,000 - £800,000 Miniload Crane AS/RS
Mecalux Stacker Crane AS/RS POA; specification class £300,000 - £900,000 Unit-Load Stacker Crane AS/RS
Full Automated High-Bay Warehouse £600,000 - £1,500,000+ (specification class, price not independently verified) High-Bay Automated Warehouse

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Tax benefits

An AS/RS installation is a complex, purpose-built machine combining racking, cranes or shuttles, conveyors and control software, and is generally treated as plant and machinery for capital allowances purposes in the same way as other warehouse automation equipment. Because these projects are large and often installed in phases, it is common for the racking, the mechanical handling equipment and the control software to be itemised separately on the supplier's quote, which can make it easier for your accountant to apply the correct treatment to each element and to track the asset for future disposal or upgrade.

Market context

AS/RS installations are typically specified by e-commerce and third-party logistics operators facing both a space constraint and a need to move a high volume of totes or pallets quickly and accurately, since the system stores to the full height of the building and brings stock to a picking or dispatch point automatically. Because of the scale and cost involved, most UK businesses choosing an AS/RS have already outgrown or ruled out conventional racking and forklift operations for their volume. Projects of this size are often planned in phases, with an initial installation sized for current volume and space physically reserved for later expansion, since retrofitting extra capacity into a live automated system is considerably more disruptive than building it in from the start.

Bad credit?

Several of our 200+ lenders specialise in businesses with imperfect credit histories. You may need a larger deposit or personal guarantee, but options exist. Checking your options here does not affect your credit score, because we do not run a credit search to match you. A lender will run their own checks only if you decide to apply.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a miniload AS/RS and a unit-load AS/RS?
A miniload system handles totes, trays or small cartons rather than full pallets, and is typically used for piece-picking operations with a high number of individual SKUs, such as e-commerce fulfilment. A unit-load system handles full pallets or large containers using a stacker crane, and suits high-volume, lower-SKU-count storage such as finished goods before dispatch. Many larger sites run both types together, with a unit-load system for bulk storage feeding a miniload system for order picking. The right combination depends on your product mix and order profile, which your systems integrator will model as part of the design.
How long does an AS/RS installation take from order to going live?
Timescales vary considerably with project size, but a typical mid-sized installation runs from several months to over a year from order to commissioning, covering detailed design, steelwork manufacture, on-site construction, equipment installation, and software integration and testing. Because of this lead time, finance is often structured with staged drawdowns matched to project milestones rather than a single payment at order, which is worth discussing with your lender early in the process alongside your systems integrator's payment schedule.
Can I finance an AS/RS installation in phases as my business grows?
Yes, and this is a common approach given the scale of investment involved. Many businesses install an initial system sized for current volume with the building and racking structure designed to accept later expansion, then finance each phase separately as a new agreement when the business is ready to add capacity. Discussing your growth plans with both your systems integrator and your finance provider at the outset helps ensure the initial design does not make later phases more expensive or disruptive than necessary.
What happens if the AS/RS supplier goes into administration during the project?
This is a genuine risk on any large, phased automation project and is worth discussing directly with your systems integrator and your finance broker before signing a contract, since the answer depends on the specific contract structure, any parent company guarantees, and how staged payments are protected. It is not something a general finance guide can assess for a specific supplier, but a specialist broker arranging finance for a project of this size will typically factor supplier and contractual risk into how the deal is structured.
How quickly can I get AS/RS finance approved?
Given the scale and complexity of most AS/RS projects, approval timescales are longer than for standard equipment. Smaller shuttle-based systems under £150,000 can sometimes be approved within a week. Larger, fully bespoke installations typically take several weeks, since the lender will want to review the full project specification, the systems integrator's track record, and often a staged drawdown schedule matched to construction milestones.

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