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Automotive and truck parts departments need to keep a wide range of parts on hand, often including small parts like nuts and bolts that need to stay organized, to large bulky items such as hoods and wiper racks. With space often limited in dealerships and truck centers, storing these parts can be difficult, which is why it’s important for parts department storage to be as efficient as possible.

Below, we’ll break down five game-changing reasons why Vertical Lift Modules (VLMs), specifically the Hanel Lean Lift, and vertical carousels, specifically the Hanel Rotomat, offer efficient automotive parts storage for automotive and truck parts departments. Check out more about these innovative automotive storage solutions.

1.  Gain Valuable Floor Space

With the Hanel Lean Lift and the Hanel Rotomat, you don’t just gain back a little bit of floor space in your dealership or truck center, you can reclaim over 60% floor space savings. This means more than half of your existing floor space can be freed up.

This level of floor space recovery is significant. Integrating these automotive storage solutions can allow your facility the space it needs to continue to grow, expand, or even hold more inventory or work space to increase production. In many cases, this can often make more sense than upgrading or moving facilities when needed as it’s more cost effective to meet future goals.

2.  Inventory Control

When your parts department is backed by a solution that manages inventory with precision, daily operations become simpler, smoother, and more consistent. Inventory inaccuracies can be costly, which is why these automation solutions play such a valuable role. These solutions can offer over 90% inventory accuracy for parts department to maintain control over stock, making it easier to have the parts on hand when a customer needs it.

With better pick and replenishment tracking, pick error minimization, and ERP coordination down to the specific tray/bin location, the control of inventory can be much more accurate, saving money over time.

3.  Increased Productivity

The Hanel Lean Lift and Hanel Rotomat increase productivity in several key ways. By consolidating parts in one central location, these material handling solutions shorten the pick route distance. Everything can be found in one spot, eliminating the need to walk around the facility for different parts. Parts are presented quickly as a technician can simply call an item down, and the tray will present the item at the pick window.

These parts department storage solutions transform the entire picking process. Instead of the traditional person to goods workflow, these offer a goods to person flow.

4.  Improved Ergonomics

Ergonomics plays a major role in the value of these automation solutions. Instead of requiring a technician to reach or stretch for inventory, products are presented and placed at a “Golden Zone”, a comfortable level that isn’t too high or low, minimizing the risk of injury. This means when moving heavy items like tires or car hoods, technicians are less at risk for injury.

For heavy items and unwieldy parts, additional features such as roll-away trays and cranes can be integrated with these solutions to eliminate any heavy lifting from a worker. These automotive storage solutions not only offer a safer way to store inventory, but help ensure a safer way for technicians to move around their dealership or truck center.

5.  Solid Security System

When items are stored in one central location, controlling inventory becomes easier. With controlled access to specific trays in the Vertical Lift Module, or compartments on Carousels, you can decide who has access to the entire solution or specific trays. Access can be controlled by a keycard or keycode access and these material handling solutions create access logs for historical records.

With more visibility and controlled oversight of your inventory, your operations become more secure and easier to take accountability of.

Want to learn more about these automation solutions?

Vertical Life Modules and Carousels can make life a lot easier for parts department storage. With enhanced security and a better overview of inventory, these material handling solutions offer several game changing solutions. Reach out to our automotive team at Industrial Shelving Systems to see how a VLM or carousel can integrate into your parts department. Give us a ring at 1-800-875-6201 or reach out to us here to get started.