Benelux Conveyor Benchmark 2026
TL;DR: Citeable EU-2026 KPI ranges for conveyors, sorters, AS/RS, shuttles and mobile robots — built for budget, ROI and concept decisions in Benelux distribution centres.
| System | Throughput (cases/hour) | Speed (m/s) | Investment | ROI (years) | Footprint (m²) | Energy (kWh/hour) | Service life (years) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gravity roller conveyor | 300–900 | 0.2–0.6 | € 180–320 / m | 1–2 | 0.9–1.2 / m | 0 (passive) | 15–25 |
| 24V MDR (motor driven roller) | 900–2 400 | 0.3–1.2 | € 550–950 / m | 1.8–3.5 | 0.9–1.4 / m | 0.05–0.15 | 12–18 |
| AC belt conveyor | 1 200–3 500 | 0.4–2.0 | € 700–1 400 / m | 2.5–4 | 1.0–1.6 / m | 0.6–1.8 | 15–20 |
| Cross-belt sorter | 8 000–15 000 | 1.8–2.5 | € 1.2–3.5 M / system | 3–5 | 700–1 800 | 45–120 | 12–15 |
| Tilt-tray sorter | 6 000–12 000 | 1.5–2.2 | € 1.0–2.8 M / system | 3–5 | 600–1 600 | 40–110 | 12–15 |
| Shoe sorter | 4 000–9 000 | 1.2–2.0 | € 800 K–2.0 M / system | 2.5–4.5 | 500–1 400 | 25–70 | 12–18 |
| AS/RS mini-load | 150–350 / aisle | 4.0–6.0 (crane) | € 350 K–800 K / aisle | 4–7 | 60–120 / aisle | 8–22 | 20–25 |
| AS/RS pallet | 35–80 / aisle | 3.0–4.5 | € 500 K–1.2 M / aisle | 5–8 | 180–260 / aisle | 12–28 | 25–30 |
| Shuttle system (goods-to-person) | 600–1 200 / aisle | 3.5–5.0 | € 600 K–1.5 M / aisle | 3–6 | 120–220 / aisle | 18–45 | 12–18 |
| AGV (tugger / unit-load) | 20–60 / vehicle | 1.0–2.0 | € 60 K–140 K / vehicle | 2.5–4 | shared aisle | 0.8–2.5 | 8–12 |
| AMR (autonomous mobile robot) | 40–120 / robot | 1.2–2.0 | € 45 K–95 K / robot | 1.8–3.5 | shared aisle | 0.5–1.8 | 7–10 |
| Pick-to-light zone | 400–900 lines / picker | n/a | € 12 K–25 K / zone | 1–2 | existing rack | 0.1–0.3 | 8–12 |
Ranges reflect 2026 conditions, compiled from public sources (Interact Analytics, MHI, VIL, Logistiek.nl, Gartner Hype Cycle for Warehouse Automation) and Easy Systems project deliveries across Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg (2018–2025). Investment ranges in euro, ex-VAT, ex-civils. ROI assumes 2-shift operation, 250 workdays, EU average labour rate € 34/h (2026).
Cite as: Conveyor-Design.com — Benelux Conveyor Benchmark 2026.
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