Success Story · Automotive
−97 % Walking Time, −70 % Floor Space
Results at a Glance
Walking Distance per Pick
from ~40 m to ≈1 m
Floor Space Required
mezzanine utilization from 100% to 30%
Pick Errors
via color-coded Pick-by-Light
ROI
including installation and integration costs
The Challenge
The mezzanine storage area was nearly at full capacity, leaving no room for new variants. Pickers spent up to 80% of their shift walking and searching – with walking distances of around 40 meters per pick, increasing mis-picks, and long onboarding times.
Company Background
Company Background
Magna Exteriors is part of the Canadian automotive supplier Magna International and manufactures bumper systems for several OEMs at its Meerane plant.
The plant, opened in 2013, comprises approximately 19,000 m² of production and warehouse space with around 240 employees.
The Solution: NoyesStorage in the Hybrid Picking Process
The Solution: NoyesStorage in the Hybrid Picking Process
The implemented system includes 242 storage locations for 274 SKUs, operated by 8 NoyesBots in a 2-shift operation. Capacity is over 250 picks per hour.
NoyesStorage integrates into the existing tour logic – approximately 50% of variants are now available at a central point. CAPTRON sensors with color coding and capacitive confirmation ensure pick-by-light precision. The open REST API seamlessly connects the system to the existing WMS – without operational changes to ongoing operations.
Storage Locations
SKUs
NoyesBots
Picks/Hour
during ramp-up
Shifts
Process Flow
Process Flow
1. Tour remains unchanged – approximately 50% of variants are now retrievable at one point, eliminating walking distances.
2. Visual guidance: CAPTRON sensors show the picker color coding and quantity of the grip at both storage locations.
3. Robots fetch containers: While the picker confirms the previous pick, the next NoyesBot already brings the required container to the retrieval station.
4. Open API integration: Tour logic comes unchanged from the existing WMS – no system changeover needed.
Results: Numbers that Speak
| KPI | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Mezzanine Utilization | 100 % | 30 % |
| Walking Distance per Pick | ~40 m | ≈1 m |
| Pick Errors | Baseline | −95 % |
| Picks per Hour | — | >250 |
| ROI | — | <12 months |
Outlook: Step-by-Step Scaling
Magna plans to gradually transition further tour segments to the goods-to-person principle. For seasonal volume increases and model changes, the plant relies on the flexible rental model, which makes additional robots available at short notice.
"The Noyes storage system brings a significant optimization of picking: it reduces walking distances, saves valuable space and dramatically lowers pick errors."
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