PinAcle Stainless Steel Achieves 99% Picking Accuracy with Modula VLMs

Case Study Summary

PinAcle Stainless Steel Inc. is a Canadian distributor of stainless steel fluid-handling products with locations across Canada. As the company grew, limited warehouse space and staffing challenges made traditional storage increasingly difficult to manage, contributing to picking errors and lengthy operator training.

To improve warehouse efficiency, PinAcle invested in Modula Vertical Lift Modules. Today, the company operates 12 VLMs across its Toronto and Montreal facilities, with six at each location. With Modula, PinAcle has increased picking accuracy from approximately 75% to 99%, reduced operator training from nearly six months to about one week, and now processes approximately 50% of its fitting orders through the VLMs.

The Challenge

Maintaining a large, readily available inventory is central to PinAcle’s ability to serve customers quickly. As the company grew rapidly, its existing storage operation struggled to keep pace with increasing inventory and order fulfillment demands.

Products stored on conventional racks required employees to locate and identify inventory manually, contributing to miscounts, misplaced products, and picking accuracy of approximately 75%.

The manual picking process also required extensive operator training, with new employees taking nearly six months to become fully trained. PinAcle needed a more efficient way to manage its growing inventory while improving accuracy, reducing training time, and making better use of available warehouse space.

The Solution

PinAcle turned to Modula Vertical Lift Modules to automate picking and make better use of available space. Today, the company operates 12 Modula VLMs across Toronto and Montreal, with six at each location. The Toronto installation featured in this case study includes four MX75D and two MX1000D units, allowing PinAcle to store different stainless steel grades, fasteners, and heavier inventory. Approximately 50% of the company’s fitting orders are now processed through its VLMs.

Instead of searching through conventional racks, operators now receive inventory directly at the Dual Internal Picking Bay. Adjustable Tray Dividers keep products organized within each tray, while the Laser Pointer, and Alphanumeric LED Bar provide clear guidance throughout the picking process. Together, these technologies have helped PinAcle increase picking accuracy from approximately 75% to 99% and reduce operator training from nearly six months to approximately one week.

The VLMs have also helped PinAcle manage its order volume with fewer labor requirements. With approximately 50% of fitting orders now processed through the VLMs, PinAcle estimates that handling the same volume without automation would require an additional five to seven employees at each location.

Modula WMS Premium supports inventory management and integrates with PinAcle’s automated picking operation. The benefits extend beyond picking performance, with PinAcle reporting no machine breakdowns to date and annual preventive maintenance helping keep the VLMs operating reliably. PinAcle also praised the straightforward integration process and support from the Modula team. Shane Gough, Branch Manager at PinAcle, described the experience: “I would recommend Modula for VLM automation. They’re fantastic to deal with. The integration is next to none, and everything works perfectly seamlessly.”

Key Results of PinAcle Case Study:

• Greater Picking Accuracy: Picking accuracy increased from approximately 75% to 99%, with the Laser Pointer and Alphanumeric LED Bar providing clear visual guidance to help operators identify the correct product and picking location.
• Faster Operator Training: The intuitive picking process has reduced training time from nearly six months to approximately one week, allowing new employees to become productive much faster.
• Improved Labor Efficiency: Approximately 50% of fitting orders are processed through the VLMs, with PinAcle estimating the same volume would otherwise require an additional five to seven employees at each location.
• Faster, More Efficient Picking: Goods-to-person delivery and the Dual Internal Picking Bay reduce time spent searching for inventory and help keep orders moving efficiently through the picking process.
• Organized Inventory Management: Adjustable Tray Dividers help keep inventory organized, while the Modula WMS Premium software supports accurate inventory management and an efficient automated workflow.
• Reliable Performance: PinAcle reports no machine breakdowns to date, with annual preventive maintenance helping support dependable operation and minimize potential downtime.

Technical Information:

• 4 MX75D Units: Each with a height of 23.29’ (7,100 mm) and a tray load capacity of 1,654 lbs (750 kg).
• 2 MX1000D Units: Each with 50 trays, a height of 23.29’ (7,100 mm), and a tray load capacity of 2,183 lbs (990 kg).

“We’re processing approximately 50% of our fitting orders through the VLMs. Without them, we would need another five to seven people at each location. So it’s definitely worth it.” – Shane Gough, Branch Manager

“Before the VLMs, our picking accuracy from the racks was roughly 75%. Now, we’ve increased that to 99% accuracy, which is excellent.” – Martin Fenech, Warehouse Manager