When offices and institutions wrestle with growing amounts of physical records, the need for compact, secure and efficient archival storage becomes critical. The Hänel Rotomat® is a vertical carousel storage system designed specifically to maximize storage density while bringing the requested item directly to the operator — a "goods-to-person" approach that both reduces footprint and speeds retrieval.
What is the Hänel Rotomat®?
The Hänel Rotomat® is a vertical carousel (storage lift) that stores items in rotating carriers or shelves and delivers the required tray or bin to an ergonomic retrieval opening. It is available in office-focused models for files and folders as well as industrial variants for bins, reels or heavy components. The system is part of Hänel's family of automated storage solutions, alongside Lean-Lift® and Multi-Space® systems.
How the Rotomat® saves space
Vertical use of room height
Instead of spreading horizontally with traditional shelving, the Rotomat® uses the available ceiling height to stack storage carriers vertically, drastically increasing usable storage per square foot of floor space.
Compact footprint
Because storage moves to the system rather than people moving through aisles, the Rotomat® packs far more capacity into a smaller footprint than conventional racking. Hänel cites space savings up to 85% (relative to the area required by equivalent shelving).
Proven office savings
In office/archive applications, Hänel documents examples where the Rotomat® freed up expensive office space by over 60%, while making documents immediately retrievable at an ergonomic height.
Operational benefits beyond saved square footage
Faster retrieval — time savings
The Rotomat® delivers the required carrier to the access point in seconds, cutting search and walking time. This "work-time slashed" effect speeds routine tasks and reduces labor overhead.
Ergonomics and safety
Doors open at an ergonomic retrieval height, removing the need for bending, ladder-climbing or long walks through aisles — a tangible benefit for staff comfort and safety.
Flexible interior fittings
The system can be fitted with multifunction carriers and a range of interior configurations to maximize compaction of different article heights and types — from standing file folders to small parts bins. This adaptability makes the Rotomat® suitable for both archives and spare-parts stores.
Energy efficiency and design principle
The Rotomat® is built on a vertical-carousel principle (often described as functioning like a Ferris wheel). That rotational concept, plus balanced payload handling, contributes to energy-efficient operation; Hänel highlights design features and energy-conserving concepts (such as balanced loading) that reduce power usage during operation.
Software, control and inventory integration
For managed inventories, Hänel offers software (HänelSoft® variants) and control modules that provide user management, inventory tracking, and different storage strategies (FIFO, fixed-location, chaotic storage). Onboard or networked software can integrate the Rotomat® into a customer's broader warehouse or office IT systems to support barcode capture and logging of pick/put operations.
Real-world examples (how archives and operations benefit)
Financial/office archives
Banks and administrative customers have used office Rotomat® models to consolidate large volumes of files into a small footprint and provide instant access to documents — improving office layout and user convenience.
Industrial & parts storage
Automotive dealers and manufacturers use Rotomat® and other Hänel lifts to store spare parts and components in bins of varying sizes, benefiting from higher security, space gains and faster parts provisioning.
Special applications
Hänel has adapted Rotomat® systems for unusual loads — for example, specially equipped units for turbine shafts or for material depots on production floors — demonstrating the platform's configurability.
When to consider a Rotomat® for your archive
Choose a Rotomat® when you want to:
- Maximize storage capacity within a limited floor area, especially if ceiling height is available.
- Reduce retrieval times and improve ergonomics for frequent file or parts access.
- Integrate storage with inventory control and IT systems for traceability and controlled access.
Conclusion
The Hänel Rotomat® is a proven vertical carousel solution that converts underused vertical space into high-density, easily accessible storage. By combining dramatic space savings (claims up to 85% in footprint reduction), faster "goods-to-person" retrieval, ergonomic retrieval heights, and software-enabled inventory control, Rotomat® systems can transform both office archives and industrial storerooms into compact, efficient, and safer workspaces. Organizations evaluating archival consolidation or parts provisioning should consider Rotomat® solutions where ceiling height and throughput requirements match the system's strengths.