TUBTRAX
RFID-tracked individual carrier system for high-volume, high-speed baggage transport through screening, storage, and sortation.
TUBTRAX is Vanderlande's market-leading Individual Carrier System (ICS) in which every bag travels inside a dedicated tub from check-in injection through explosive-detection screening, early-bag storage, and final sortation — without ever leaving its carrier. Each tub carries an embedded RFID tag, delivering 100% tracking and tracing of individual bags throughout the entire journey and eliminating the bag-loss risk associated with conventional belt-transfer handoffs.
The system is deployed across large international hub airports where high throughput and zero mishandled-bag tolerance are non-negotiable. Confirmed installations include Oslo Gardermoen, Amsterdam Schiphol, London Heathrow, Vancouver, Istanbul, and King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah — the GCC's largest BHS contract (over EUR 125 million), where TUBTRAX transports bags at high speed over distances exceeding 1 km inside the terminal.
TUBTRAX integrates natively with Vanderlande's ADAPTO BAGSTORE shuttle storage, HELIXORTER tilt-tray sortation, and VIBES control software, making it the backbone of a fully automated, end-to-end baggage hall. A start-stop function halts inactive track sections automatically, reducing energy draw during off-peak hours. The closed-tub design keeps bag conveyability high — reducing jams, damage, and misroutes even with irregular or soft-sided luggage.
For GCC airport procurement teams evaluating BHS for new terminals or major expansions, TUBTRAX is the reference standard for full-automation roadmaps: it is the one infrastructure choice that enables later addition of ADAPTO storage, robotic loading (BAGLOAD), and autonomous vehicles (FLEET Bag) without a full system replacement.
Technical specifications.
| System type | Individual Carrier System (ICS) |
| Tracking | 100% RFID per carrier |
| Integration | ADAPTO BAGSTORE, HELIXORTER, VIBES software |
| Energy saving | Start-stop inactive-section shutdown |
| GCC reference | King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah (>EUR 125m contract) |
Use cases.
- ›Hub-airport baggage halls requiring 100% automated tracking from check-in to make-up
- ›New terminal builds where the BHS must accommodate future EDS-3 screening integration
- ›Airports targeting zero mishandled-bag SLAs with airlines
- ›Long-distance intra-terminal transport (>1 km runs) between check-in islands and remote pier make-up areas
- ›Systems requiring seamless coupling to automated early-bag storage (ADAPTO BAGSTORE)