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Automotive Parts Departments
At Industrial Shelving Systems, we specialize in automotive parts departments, providing space-maximizing storage solutions. Whether you need a row of tire racks or a fully outfitted department, our automotive team brings the knowledge in creating the most efficient parts department.
We understand that dealerships often struggle with limited space, organization and accessibility. That’s why we focus on creating efficient, high-density storage systems. This ensures every part has a space to be stored. From shelving to heavy duty bins, our goal is to help you achieve a system that ensures quick parts retrieval, efficient inventory management, and a streamlined workflow.
Explore case studies about parts departments we’ve worked on, receive tips for storage efficiency, and see how we can work together to achieve your dream parts department.
Efficient Solutions
Drawer Cabinets
These modular drawer cabinets are one of the most widely used storage solutions in parts departments. This storage solution features drawer units that hold and organize small parts. With pull-out drawers that open for 100% access, these are highly customizable. The height and number of drawers can be chosen by the end user. In each drawer, dividers and partitions can be inserted as needed to create a separate space for each tool or part that needs a place.
These drawer cabinets are widely used in parts departments as they maximize space for small parts that can get disorganized easily. The drawer cabinets come in several color options and can be color matched to your company colors. When needing a high-density storage solution, these modular drawers are great options.
These drawer cabinets can also come customized with shelving. These high density storage cabinets come with available space at the top of the unit for larger items such as boxes and bins.
Rivet Rack
Parts departments have a wide range of parts that need to be on hand – often coming in different shapes and sizes. The larger items can be best stored on rivet rack shelving. Rivet rack shelving can come with wood decking, with wire decking, and without decking. Since these rivet racks feature an open design, it allows for easy and quick picking, allowing workers to easily find and locate items.
These shelving units can be customized, ensuring that the size of these shelves will maximize the available space.
Flexi Bins
Flexi bins, also known as sliding shelf bins, are versatile racking options that benefit parts departments. These flexi bins have dividers situated on the shelf levels. By having these dividers, or space for separate bins, small parts can easily be sorted, stored, and picked.
This setup promotes an efficient inventory management system, allowing for quick identification and retrieval. The versatility of these flexi bins allows for reconfiguration, making them ideal for facilities that want to adapt over time. Being able to store a wide variety of SKUs is beneficial for parts departments, allowing for a great organizational system.
Tire Racks
One thing most automotive parts departments have on hand are tires, which are notoriously difficult to store when space is limited. Tires are bulky items, don’t fit well on standard shelving, and can take up a lot of floor space if not organized well.
Tire racks help to remedy this issue by offering an efficient solution. Available in one sided or two-sided configurations, these tire racks can be customized to fit your space requirements. Customization options include dimensions, color, and even mobility. We are able to add hand cranks or automation to eliminate the need for aisles between each rack.
By using a tire rack to take advantage of vertical space, floor space is freed up and inventory management is streamlined.
Mezzanines
Mezzanines are widely used across Parts Departments that have the available clear height. These second levels create double the store space, allowing for a cost-effective way to expand your storage space. Available in a free standing, full mat, or catwalk style, these mezzanines can be designed to meet your functional needs.
By creating more storage or workspace, these long term investments help parts departments expand upwards instead of outwards.
Vertical Reciprocating Conveyors (VRCs)
Vertical reciprocating conveyors (VRCs) are lift systems that function similar to freight elevators, but do not carry personnel. Many Parts Departments accompany mezzanines with VRCs. These automation solutions provide parts departments with a safe and easy way to move parts from level to level. By not only speeding up workflows, these VRCs reduce the risk of injuries and product damage.
VRCs can come in a range of platform sizes and can be customized by speed and load capacities. These are great for Parts Departments that need to move heavy or bulky loads from level to level.
Night Delivery Cages
Night delivery cages provide dealerships with a safe and secure way to receive inventory after hours. Built with sturdy wire partition and a reliable lock, a night delivery cage ensures inventory can get delivered without a driver needing access to your dealership. With this automotive solution, items stay secure, and there aren’t safety concerns with unsupervised individuals walking through your facility. With a night delivery cage in place, items stay secure, and your team stays safe.
Wiper Racks
Wiper racks are great additions for dealerships looking to maximize space and keep wipers organized. By using this racking specifically for wiper blades, you can streamline your inventory management, making it easier for technicians to find items quickly.
Storing wiper blades on these racks prevents damage to inventory, reduces clutter, and ensures these items stay organized. With a wiper rack system in place, your parts department can save time and space.
Key Machines
Having a key machine in your dealership makes it easier to deliver fast and reliable customer service. With the on-site ability to cut and program keys, your automotive team can handle replacements, duplicates, and lost-key situations quickly. This saves your customers time and reduces the need to outsource.
A key machine can also streamline work for your team. Technicians can quickly fix key related issues, providing convenience to customers and helping your team streamline their workflow.
Molding Racks
Molding racks are designed specifically to store long pieces in an organized and safe way. By being able to store molding vertically, these racks allow this inventory to stay safe, preventing bending or other damage when stored incorrectly. This also helps the overall flow of a parts department, giving each piece of molding a place to live so that technicians can quickly locate the exact piece they need.
Battery Racks
Battery racks provide an efficient automotive storage solution for dealerships. This racking can handle the weight of batteries and keeps these items neatly arranged. With easy visibility, a technician can quickly spot the right size and type of battery needed, creating an organized workspace. Overall, battery racks support an organized and productive parts department.
Hood Racks
Hood racks are designed to store hoods upright, creating easy access to these bulky items. This automotive racking prevents warping and scratches that may occur when stored improperly. Hood racks reduce clutter and protect this inventory, improved workflow and safety throughout the dealership.
How These Solutions Come Together
Once we identify the right mix of drawer cabinets, rivet rack, flexi bins, tire racks, mezzanines, and VRCs, the next step is planning how they work together in your space. A smart layout keeps fast-moving parts close at hand, separates small parts from bulk storage, and gives clear, safe travel paths for your team.
The sample layout below shows one way these products can be arranged in a single, efficient parts department. It illustrates how we zone storage, use vertical space, and connect the mezzanine and VRC to keep people and product moving smoothly.
Case Study: Elevating Efficiency for a Local Dealership
Challenge
The ISS automotive team was brought in to design a brand-new dealership. Working with the architect and dealership, ISS was tasked with creating a turnkey parts department that would support this luxury dealership.
Solution
Knowing that maximizing space would be everything, we designed tire racks equipped with a mobile aisle, moved with hand cranks. This design eliminated aisles and allowed for three extra tire racks, increasing this parts department’s storage space. Similarly, we installed Rousseau drawers on a mobile aisle system so that this dealership could easily access their special tools. For larger parts, heavy duty shelving was installed throughout.
Results
This dealership was able to store 35% more tire space with their mobile aisles. With all their new storage solutions, they’re now able to operate at a quick pace, keeping their customers happy.
Pro Tips: Automotive Parts Department Blogs
Bulk Storage Solutions
Within any given time, parts departments have many parts on hand. New parts are always coming in, and it’s important to keep stock on hand. Knowing what solutions would work for your dealership is important. Check out bulk storage solutions we would recommend for your automotive parts department.
Storing Odd Shaped Items in Parts Departments
Often times, parts departments will have items like car hoods, exhaust pipes, hoses, and more. These parts are difficult to store on standard shelving as they take up unnecessary space, stick out, and don’t often stack. Items like these are best stored on hanging racks, hung up with hooks. See how these hanging racks can save you space in your parts department.
High Density Storage Systems
One of the most important things in parts departments is making sure your space is maximized. There are many parts that are needed and often times limited space. Learn about different high density storage systems for your automotive parts department.
Ready to Get Started?
Ready to get started on your parts department? Reach out to our automotive team to get started on your new storage solution or full storage design of your parts department.