AutoStore Brings 500% Productivity Boost to Automotive Parts Supplier

Factory Motor Parts (FMP) is a multi-generational, family-owned company providing premium original equipment and name-brand automotive parts to independent service centers, dealerships, fleets, and wholesale customers.

To meet growing e-commerce and wholesale demand, FMP needed to modernize its new distribution center in the Charlotte area in North Carolina. AutoStore, empowered by KPI Solutions, was implemented as part of the FMP strategy to maximize storage density, improve order accuracy, and boost productivity in order fulfillment.  

The Challenge: Traditional Warehousing Unable to Meet Order Fulfillment Demands

FMP's rapid business expansion called for an innovative approach to their new distribution facility. As they planned their greenfield site, it was clear that traditional warehousing methods wouldn't deliver the speed, accuracy, and efficiency needed to serve their growing customer base effectively.

With their new 22,296 m² (240,000 ft²) distribution center, FMP needed a modern, automated solution that would optimize space, improve labor productivity, and streamline both e-commerce and wholesale order fulfillment. Rising demand for quick and accurate order processing, particularly in e-commerce, required a scalable system that could support both current operations and future growth.

The Solution: Integrated Automation for Efficient Order Fulfillment

The FMP distribution center uses an AutoStore system with the following modules to increase order fulfillment speed:

• AutoStore core system with 90,000 parts storage Bins and 68 R5 Robots
• 4 inbound and 5 outbound CarouselPorts for efficient parts handling

Integrated technology

AutoStore seamlessly integrates with six Modula VLMs that handle oversized items, and with a traditional conveyor network that routes through consolidation, packing, hot shot, counter pick up, and shipping. This integrated system connects all picking areas, with automated tote returns ensuring continuous operation. The packing area is split into two groups to manage different order types, with shared outbound lines in the center.

KPI Solutions' Opto Warehouse Execution Software (WES) orchestrates the entire operation, managing communication between host software, AutoStore, Modula VLMs, and conveyor systems. With AutoStore at the core, this integrated technology solution has delivered a 6X (500%) increase in productivity for order picking and putaway tasks.

Key benefits: Productivity, Accuracy, Efficiency

• 6X increase in productivity: Automated picking and putaway, powered by 68 R5 Robots, delivered a 500% productivity gain.
• SKU storage density: The high-density design allowed FMP to expand their SKU offerings while maximizing space use.
• Improved order accuracy: AutoStore's precision reduced error rates and rework time, improving customer satisfaction.
• Labor efficiency: Automation helped address labor shortages while increasing fulfillment speed.
• Ergonomic design: Optimized picking Ports created safer workflows for employees handling heavy automotive parts.

Delivering Value Through Automation

The AutoStore system has enabled a massive increase in picking and putaway productivity while reducing order turnaround time and errors. High-density storage optimizes the facility’s footprint, with more SKUs stored in less space.

The solution has also improved workplace efficiency and safety, with ergonomic picking Ports protecting employees from the heavy lifting of automotive parts. Combined with fewer full-time employees needed, these improvements have created a more efficient, accurate, and worker-friendly distribution operation.

Project Specifications

• Installation Type: Greenfield
• Robots: 68 R5 Robots
• Workstations (Ports): 4 Inbound CarouselPorts; 5 Outbound CarouselPorts
• Bins: 90,000+ Bins
• WMS/WES: KPI Solutions’ Opto WES
• Integrated Technology: Conveyor system; ergonomic picking ports; Modula VLMs
• Implementation Partner: KPI Solutions