How this estimate is built

The bands come from industry reference pricing for shuttle systems: US$120–220 per pallet position for radio shuttle (semi-automated) systems and US$180–350 for four-way shuttle (fully automated) systems, all-in for racking, shuttles and standard installation. Chilled stores add roughly 15% and freezer stores around 25% — different steel treatment, surface protection and shuttle specifications, not a markup.

A per-position number is a budgeting tool, not a quotation. It exists to answer the first question every project owner asks — "are we talking $200k or $2M?" — before five inputs are on the table.

What the number includes — and what it doesn't

• Included: racking structure, shuttle cars, standard installation, engineering documentation.
• Not included: duties and freight variance, site civil works, fire protection interface, WMS/WCS software, and — for four-way systems at the deep end — lifts and conveyor mechatronics, which are quoted per layout.

This is also why two suppliers can quote the same position count and differ by a factor of two: they are not quoting the same scope. Always normalize scope before comparing unit prices.

Which inputs move the number most

Lane depth and building height spread fixed costs (aisles, shuttles, lifts) over more positions — deep, tall systems land at the bottom of the band. Shuttle count is the throughput lever: you buy speed with cars, not steel. Seismic design, cold-store specification and compliance documentation (AS 4084 / FEM project files) each add real engineering and material cost. For the full breakdown, read the cost-per-position guide — then send your five inputs and get the project-specific number.

Frequently asked questions

Is this estimate a quotation?

No. It is a budgeting band built from industry reference pricing ($120–350 per pallet position). A firm price requires your warehouse dimensions, pallet spec, position target, temperature range and destination — structural pricing is always project-specific.

Why is the band so wide?

Because scope differs. Lane depth, building height, shuttle count, temperature specification and compliance documentation each move the per-position number — and two suppliers quoting the same position count may not be quoting the same scope at all.

What do you need for a firm number?

Five inputs: warehouse L×W×clear height, pallet size and loaded weight, target positions, temperature range, and destination port. With those, JISE engineers return a layout and budgetary quotation within 48 hours.