A vacuum plate lifting system, comprising a vacuum lifter apparatus for lifting sheet material articles, and a control system, the control system being configured to control the vacuum lifter apparatus during said lifting of sheet material articles, the vacuum lifter apparatus comprising: - a substantially horizontal suction plate comprising a substantially planar perforated suction lifting surface extending across said suction plate, said suction lifting surface being downwardly oriented for making planar contact with an upper surface of said articles to be lifted; - an airflow suction system for conveying vacuum air pressure to said suction lifting surface; - at least one suction lifter proximate an edge of the suction plate, said suction lifter comprising a downwardly oriented suction cup, said cup being movably mounted in a substantially vertical direction relative to the suction plate and being connected to a source of air pressure for providing air suction to said cup for plucking upwards a local area of said of articles to be lifted; and - a suction cup actuation system including an actuator configured to drive substantially vertical movement of the suction cup between a raised orientation in which the suction cup is raised relative to a level of said suction lifting surface and a lowered orientation in which the suction cup is substantially at or below the level of said suction lifting surface whereby, in use, said air suction is directed substantially downwardly beneath said suction lifting surface towards a sheet material article to be lifted when said suction cup is in the lowered orientation; - wherein the control system is operable to control the actuator of the suction cup actuation system to position the suction cup in the lowered orientation for initially plucking said local area of said article to be lifted and subsequently to position the suction cup in the raised orientation in order to transfer said local area into said contact with said suction lifting surface; and - wherein the suction lifter extends downwardly through an aperture in said suction lifting surface, and is recessed within said aperture when in the raised orientation. - a substantially horizontal suction plate comprising a substantially planar perforated suction lifting surface extending across said suction plate, said suction lifting surface being downwardly oriented for making planar contact with an upper surface of said articles to be lifted; - an airflow suction system for conveying vacuum air pressure to said suction lifting surface; - at least one suction lifter proximate an edge of the suction plate, said suction lifter comprising a downwardly oriented suction cup, said cup being movably mounted in a substantially vertical direction relative to the suction plate and being connected to a source of air pressure for providing air suction to said cup for plucking upwards a local area of said of articles to be lifted; and - a suction cup actuation system including an actuator configured to drive substantially vertical movement of the suction cup between a raised orientation in which the suction cup is raised relative to a level of said suction lifting surface and a lowered orientation in which the suction cup is substantially at or below the level of said suction lifting surface whereby, in use, said air suction is directed substantially downwardly beneath said suction lifting surface towards a sheet material article to be lifted when said suction cup is in the lowered orientation; - wherein the control system is operable to control the actuator of the suction cup actuation system to position the suction cup in the lowered orientation for initially plucking said local area of said article to be lifted and subsequently to position the suction cup in the raised orientation in order to transfer said local area into said contact with said suction lifting surface; and - wherein the suction lifter extends downwardly through an aperture in said suction lifting surface, and is recessed within said aperture when in the raised orientation.