Walser Subaru Protects 75% of Their Auto Parts Inventory Storage Within Only Two VLMs
Case Summary
Car dealership Walser Subaru increases their auto parts inventory storage, enhances productivity, and protects high-value items within two Modula inventory storage solutions.
Walser Subaru, located in Burnsville MN, is a car dealership and parts/service facility. Due to their expanded growth and need for increased auto parts inventory storage capacity, Walser Subaru decided to research automated vertical storage solutions that would take advantage of their high ceilings. After reviewing several companies, they decided to purchase two 20-foot Modula VLMs. The VLMs allowed them to store over 75% of all their parts within an arm’s reach of their front counter, speeding service for customers.
The Challenge
Additional storage solution needed for mechanical automotive inventory parts on the service floor
The dealership needed a more compact way of storing a wide variety of items — from nuts and clips to large body pieces, as well as valuable items that they needed to keep secure. Additionally, the team at Walser Subaru also found inefficiencies in the time it took for them to pick up and deliver parts to their customers and service mechanics on the floor. Because of this, they researched car inventory storage solutions for these issues.
The Solution
Two Modula vertical lift modules installed for convenient and secured access to the automotive parts inventory
After doing a product/benefit comparison, the dealership decided to purchase two Modula VLMs with a storage capacity of 1,170 cubic feet within an overall footprint of 198 square feet. This allowed them to store over 75% of their inventory through a mezzanine deck while taking up minimal space on the floor. The integration between their CDK Global Dealer Management System (DMS) and Modula WMS software for inventory control was seamless. This enabled the operator to easily map the products’ location and quantity within the tray, which significantly cut the time it took to fulfill a pick ticket.
Another key advantage was the ability to conceal high-valued parts within the enclosed and safe environment of the VLM and a security feature that limits and traces user access. The barcode scanner sped up the morning stock routine by letting them scan a label and enter the number of parts they are adding to their inventory rather than manually typing in the information. Productivity has greatly increased because the technicians no longer need to search for the items. Rather, the majority of parts can be delivered directly within one or two trays, quickly and at an ergonomically correct angle.
Every day, they are adding to the number of items stored in the VLMs and consequently decrease the floor space needed for auto parts inventory storage. “I’d recommend this to other dealerships, especially if they are building a brand-new building,” says Andrew Kaelberer, Parts Advisor. “You’d want to be able to design your parts center around this.”
