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Pallet Shuttle Finance

Spread the cost of a pallet shuttle system from £20,000 to £400,000+ with flexible finance options. HP, lease, or refinance, compare rates from 40+ lenders.

Can you finance a pallet shuttle?

Yes, pallet shuttles 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 £20,000 to £400,000, and most deals are written over 24-60 months with a deposit of around 10-20%. Decisions typically take 24–48 hours. Used machines are financeable too, usually with a shorter term.

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Typical Cost

£20k – £400k

Approval Speed

24–48 hours

Same-day for < £75k

Rates From

5.5% APR

What would a pallet shuttle cost per month?

£90,000
10%
60 months
9%
£0

Your estimate

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

Pre-filled with a typical pallet shuttle price. Indicative only, not a quote.

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Finance options

Hire Purchase (HP)

Rate
From 6.0% APR
Term
24-60 months
Deposit
10-20%
Ownership
Yours at the end
Best for
Businesses wanting to own the shuttle and racking outright

Finance Lease

Rate
From 5.5% APR
Term
24-60 months
Deposit
None required
Ownership
Return or buy (balloon payment)
Best for
Tax efficient; claim payments against profit

Operating Lease

Rate
From 6.2% APR
Term
24-48 months
Deposit
None required
Ownership
Return at end
Best for
Businesses scaling shuttle lanes as volume grows

Representative example

On a purchase price of £90,000: a 10% deposit of £9,000, then 48 monthly payments of £1,899 at 5.9% APR representative (fixed). Total amount payable £100,152, 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
Compact Single-Aisle Shuttle Retrofit £25,000 - £70,000 (specification class, price not independently verified) Single-Lane Shuttle Retrofit
Stow Radioshuttle Semi-Automated System POA; specification class £60,000 - £180,000 per lane cluster Semi-Automated Pallet Shuttle
AR Racking / Mecalux Pallet Shuttle POA; specification class £70,000 - £200,000 Semi-Automated Pallet Shuttle
Fully Automated Shuttle with WMS Integration £150,000 - £400,000 (specification class, price not independently verified) Fully Automated Shuttle System

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Tax benefits

A pallet shuttle system has two distinct parts for tax purposes: the battery-powered shuttle unit itself, which is a self-contained mobile machine and a straightforward case of plant and machinery, and the racking structure it runs within, which is a bolted, demountable installation similar to standard drive-in racking. Both generally qualify for the same plant and machinery treatment, but it is worth asking your supplier to itemise the shuttle units separately from the racking steelwork on the quote, since this can help your accountant apply the right treatment to each part and makes any future partial disposal simpler to account for.

Market context

Pallet shuttle systems are typically bought by businesses running high-throughput cold stores, food and drink distribution centres, or any operation needing drive-in style density without a fork truck driving into the lane itself, since the shuttle carries pallets deep into the rack while the truck stays at the aisle end. This removes the risk of truck damage to racking uprights that can occur with conventional drive-in systems, which is a working practice benefit rather than a guaranteed saving. Semi-automated systems, where an operator controls the shuttle by remote, are more common than fully automated installations for small and mid-sized UK warehouses, with full automation more usual in large, purpose-built distribution centres where the additional software and integration cost is justified by very high pallet throughput.

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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 pallet shuttle and drive-in racking?
In drive-in racking, the fork truck itself drives into the lane to place and retrieve pallets, which limits lane depth to what the truck operator can safely reverse out of and creates a risk of the truck contacting the racking uprights. A pallet shuttle system instead uses a small remote-controlled or automated carrier that travels into the lane carrying the pallet, while the fork truck stays at the aisle end and loads pallets onto the shuttle. This generally allows deeper lanes and faster pallet movement than conventional drive-in racking, though it adds the cost of the shuttle units themselves on top of the racking.
Can I retrofit a pallet shuttle system into my existing drive-in racking?
In many cases, yes, provided your existing racking's rail spacing and lane depth are compatible with the shuttle manufacturer's specification, which your supplier will assess as part of a site survey. A retrofit is usually less expensive than a full new racking and shuttle installation, since the existing steelwork is reused. Finance for a retrofit is typically arranged against the shuttle units and any rail modification work, rather than the racking itself.
Do I need to buy one shuttle per lane?
No, most pallet shuttle systems are designed so a single shuttle unit can be moved between multiple lanes by an operator or a transfer car, rather than needing a dedicated shuttle permanently stationed in every lane. The number of shuttles you need depends on your required throughput and how many lanes are being worked simultaneously, which your supplier will help specify. This generally makes the shuttle units themselves a smaller part of total project cost than the racking structure.
Is a pallet shuttle system suitable for a cold store?
Yes, pallet shuttle systems are commonly installed in chilled and frozen environments, and manufacturers typically offer battery and electronics specifications suited to low-temperature operation. This is a supplier specification matter, and it is worth confirming the shuttle's rated operating temperature range matches your store before ordering, since cold-rated units can cost more than an ambient-temperature specification. Battery performance in particular can be affected by sustained low temperatures, so it is worth asking the manufacturer how duty cycles and charging schedules should be adjusted for your specific store temperature before finalising the specification.
How quickly can I get pallet shuttle finance?
Most applications are approved within 24 to 48 hours once a full supplier quote covering both the racking and shuttle units is available. Retrofit projects using existing racking under £75,000 often see same-day approval. Larger fully automated installations with warehouse management system integration typically take 5 to 7 working days while the lender reviews the complete project specification. Where the project spans more than one lender-funded element, for example racking from one supplier and shuttles from another, it is worth having both quotes ready at the same time so the whole scheme can be reviewed together.

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