Having witnessed a trend towards more small package orders and less frequent large stock pallet orders, automotive parts provider MAHLE Aftermarket selected an AutoStore automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) empowered by Kardex to increase capacity and throughput.
MAHLE, which provides parts globally for the independent aftermarket, was also experiencing storage capacity constraints at its distribution center in Olive Branch, Miss. MAHLE sought a high-density storage system that could enable it to adapt to the shift in customer order profiles, and one that would be scalable for future growth.
After examining a range of options, MAHLE Aftermarket invested in the AutoStore robotic cube AS/RS empowered by Kardex. The project has helped the company store more products in less space and ship small orders more efficiently.
Autostore robotic cube system tailored to MAHLE’s material flow
MAHLE chose systems integrator Kardex to implement the intelligent goods-to-person AS/RS tailored to MAHLE Aftermarket’s material flow, providing enough inventory storage density and processing capability.
The complete AutoStore system at the Mississippi facility comprises 42,000 bins, 7 ports, and 18 autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), in addition to a connected conveyor system with 18 gravity lanes used for consolidation.
Designed and planned by the team at Kardex, the AutoStore system was built and commissioned on schedule and ramped up quickly and smoothly.
“The support provided by Kardex exceeded expectations,” said Rhiannon Fisher, MAHLE Aftermarket head of business excellence for the North America region. “During the design process they were very hands on. They provided support on site during the entire process and ultimately delivered a turnkey solution.”
System integrated with existing SAP WMS software
Kardex FulfillX is a purpose-built warehouse execution system (WES) software package designed specifically for AutoStore end-user deployments.
Kardex said its FulfillX can maximize the capabilities of AutoStore robotic cube systems to optimize resources and processes, delivering fast order fulfillment, increasing storage capacity, and enhancing performance by up to 10 times compared with traditional methods - without additional workforce.
Fred Fox, Director of Project Success for the Kardex Solutions AutoStore team, said Kardex offers its clients the flexibility to either leverage Kardex FulfillX, integrate other warehouse management systems (WMS), or utilize their own software.
In the case of MAHLE Aftermarket, it chose to integrate with its existing SAP WMS.
“One of the reasons we chose Kardex is because compared to the other integrators they were able to provide an end-to-end solution tailored to our material flow, whereas the others were focused on selling their solution and not a holistic approach,” said Lorraine Hinderer, MAHLE Aftermarket head of business innovation and excellence.
Second deployment in France paves the way for the future
Following the success of the Olive Branch project, MAHLE Aftermarket automated a second operation in Décines-Charpieu (Lyon), France, including 22,440 storage bins, 7 robots, and 2 workstations.
Kardex said MAHLE continues to evaluate its other locations worldwide to assess if AutoStore empowered by Kardex can enhance customer service, increase efficiencies, and standardize its operations.
Kardex Case Study
AutoStore small part storage and order fulfillment for MAHLE AftermarketArticle topics
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