A technique for handling discs, such as wafers for integrated circuits, which must be processed in ultra-clean rooms and which are transported to various workstations for processing. A horizontally extended rail has storage positions therealong where standard commercial carriers are positioned which contain vertically standing wafers. A lifting device can lift any carrier over neighboring carriers and moves it to a carrying basket located on an extension of the rail. The carrying basket is then turned by 90.degree. so that the vertical wafers lie horizontally. A tongue-shaped device can be moved under any of these wafers for removal thereof from the basket and subsequent transport to a workstation, and return.