Stolarz-Lempert enhances operational excellence with Swarm Automation from Toyota at Polish plant
Stolarz-Lempert is a successful family-run carpentry business in Poland. Their objective to improve quality of the operational flow was reached by introducing a new warehouse management system (WMS) that works seamlessly with automated guided vehicles (AGV) from Toyota Material Handling.
About Stolarz-Lempert
Established in 1954, Stolarz-Lempert has grown through three generations, evolving from a small service provider to a major player in the carpentry industry. Initially offering doors, windows, and staircases, the company expanded its portfolio in 1989 to include series production of kitchen furniture and wardrobes. The construction of a second production facility in 1998 and Poland's accession to the European Union in 2004 further accelerated the company's development and production capacity.
Facts & figures
- Company: Stolarz-Lempert
- Location: Mroczeń, Poland
- Industry: carpentry
- Applications: large-scale home and office furniture production (kitchen, bathroom & living room), drawer ribbons
- Trucks: 7 Toyota Staxio SAE160 Autopilot Automated Guided Vehicles, 1 Toyota Levio LAE250 Autopilot automated Guided Vehicle, 1 Toyota Traigo48 electric counterbalanced forklift
Swarm Automation: a first cooperation
Continuous investment in modern machinery has enabled Stolarz-Lempert to excel in large batch production, constantly enhancing both the quantity and quality of its output to stay competitive. In 2023, the company started a significant automation project aimed at improving the technological aspects of its logistics operations. This initiative involved the simultaneous implementation of a new warehouse management system (WMS) integrated with automated guided vehicles (AGVs).
The primary goal of the project was to enhance the operational flow and reduce material losses. This collaboration marked the beginning of a new relationship between Stolarz-Lempert and Toyota Material Handling. They mainly chose Toyota Material Handling Swarm Automation solution because we have a strong local support team, which was crucial, alongside the importance of overall project costs.
The targeted profits and the additional benefits of automation
The automation project included the deployment of automated powered pallet trucks and stackers to perform various tasks, including:
- Transporting prefabricated and semi-finished products from six automatic roller conveyor systems on the production line side.
- Storing semi-finished products in buffer racks.
- Transporting semi-finished products to customer order picking and delivery lines.
- Operating 16 hours a day, six days a week.
In addition to the AGVs, Stolarz-Lempert ordered a small system of racks placed in rows within the zone operated by Toyota Material Handling AGV trucks. The simultaneous implementation of the AGVs and the new WMS marked a significant milestone. The benefits of this project were many. It refined processes, reorganised storage areas and significantly improved the traceability and accessibility of each pallet.
These improvements translated into shorter handling times for customer orders and a reduction in unjustified costs associated with starting up production of the same item multiple times. Additionally, aligning technological aspects with the physical flow of goods helped achieve cost reductions related to quality.
Swarm Automation drives teamwork
The trust generated by the automation project opened the door for Stolarz-Lempert to also order a first Traigo48 electric forklift. A mixed fleet means team play. Swarm Automation provides the right framework to build a collaborative warehouse where manual forklifts and AGVs work smoothly as one team.
Nowadays, an increasing number of mixed fleets are responsible for material handling because they’re a good way to optimise your warehouse operations and boost productivity. A good mix of manual and automated fleet operations can help eliminate unnecessary expenses and improve overall performance.
Scaling up automation, building on trust
The success of this Swarm Automation project has fostered a strong relationship built on trust. Stolarz-Lempert expressed satisfaction with our cooperation and implementation methodology, highlighting the excellent contact with Toyota Material Handling’s sales engineers, quick response times and short quotation lead times. The strong local representation of our automation team, including application engineers and project managers, was also appreciated.
And this trust continues. Thanks to Toyota Material Handling’s Pan-European service network and the quality of the work our local engineers delivered, Stolarz-Lempert added one additional forklift truck at Mroczeń and four more at a second plant in Marianka Mroczeńska. This is a testament to the fruitful collaboration and high customer satisfaction. Stolarz-Lempert's journey into automation underlines the importance of continuous improvement and innovation in achieving operational excellence. This partnership proves that trust and effective collaboration can drive success and pave the way for future advancements.