A system for article handling, the system comprising: a first article handling device having gripping assemblies arranged around its periphery, the first article handling device being capable of conveying articles gripped by the gripping assemblies along a first path; and a second article handling device having gripping assemblies arranged around its periphery, the second article handling device being capable of conveying articles gripped by the gripping assemblies along a second path; and wherein each of the gripping assemblies comprising a first arm (908A, 908B) a second arm (910A, 910B) and a third arm (912A, 912B), wherein each of the gripping assemblies are selectably movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein each of the arms comprises an inner surface; wherein the gripping assemblies of the first article handling device extend into the first path and the gripping assemblies of the second article handling device extend into the second path, wherein the first path and the second path merge at a hand off zone defined between the first article handling device and the second article handling device; wherein the second arm of the leading side of the gripping assembly of the first article handling device is positioned such that as the gripping assemblies (906A, 906B) simultaneously pass through the hand off zone, said second arm is received into the vertical space defined between the first arm and the third arm of the gripping assembly of the second article handling device, wherein the trailing side of the gripping assembly of the second article handling device has the second arm that is positioned such that as the gripping assemblies (906A, 906B) simultaneously pass through the hand off zone, said second arm is received into the vertical space defined between the first arm and the third arm of the gripping assembly of the first article handling device; characterized in that the inner surface of each of the arms of the gripping assemblies or the entire arm itself comprises a material that is soft, flexible, and/or compliant and can conform to the article being gripped and offer high friction to secure the article during transport; wherein the at least one of the first (908A, 908B) and second (910A, 910B) arms of each of the gripping assemblies is an inflatable flexible arm. a first article handling device having gripping assemblies arranged around its periphery, the first article handling device being capable of conveying articles gripped by the gripping assemblies along a first path; and a second article handling device having gripping assemblies arranged around its periphery, the second article handling device being capable of conveying articles gripped by the gripping assemblies along a second path; and wherein each of the gripping assemblies comprising a first arm (908A, 908B) a second arm (910A, 910B) and a third arm (912A, 912B), wherein each of the gripping assemblies are selectably movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein each of the arms comprises an inner surface; wherein the gripping assemblies of the first article handling device extend into the first path and the gripping assemblies of the second article handling device extend into the second path, wherein the first path and the second path merge at a hand off zone defined between the first article handling device and the second article handling device; wherein the second arm of the leading side of the gripping assembly of the first article handling device is positioned such that as the gripping assemblies (906A, 906B) simultaneously pass through the hand off zone, said second arm is received into the vertical space defined between the first arm and the third arm of the gripping assembly of the second article handling device, wherein the trailing side of the gripping assembly of the second article handling device has the second arm that is positioned such that as the gripping assemblies (906A, 906B) simultaneously pass through the hand off zone, said second arm is received into the vertical space defined between the first arm and the third arm of the gripping assembly of the first article handling device; characterized in that the inner surface of each of the arms of the gripping assemblies or the entire arm itself comprises a material that is soft, flexible, and/or compliant and can conform to the article being gripped and offer high friction to secure the article during transport; wherein the at least one of the first (908A, 908B) and second (910A, 910B) arms of each of the gripping assemblies is an inflatable flexible arm.