2 min read

WesTrac Cuts Spare Parts Fulfillment to Five Minutes with AutoStore

Country Australia
Industry Industrials
Partner Dematic

Table of Contents


WesTrac is one of the world’s largest authorized Cat® equipment and spare parts dealers.

 

WesTrac is one of the world’s largest authorized Cat® equipment and spare parts dealers. The company was under pressure at its New South Wales, Australia, distribution centre to improve its spare parts fulfillment efficiency for its mining and construction customers.

With the strain of labor shortages and a growing inventory, the company decided to implement a high-density, automated storage system from AutoStore, empowered by Dematic. The new system enabled faster picking and order fulfillment without increasing staff or the warehouse’s footprint.

 

Since we went live, we’re already exceeding the targets that were set... Our customers rely on us to ensure they can keep doing the work that they need to do.

Natalia Trewin
Warehouse Operations Manager, WesTrac

 

The Challenge: A Growing Inventory and Space Constraints

 

WesTrac’s Tomago facility in New South Wales relied on manual picking across a double-storey mezzanine, a setup that struggled to keep pace with demand. Delays in spare parts delivery risked costly downtime for customers, where even a small component could halt multimillion-dollar machinery. Limited space and labor shortages further compounded the challenge, demanding a solution that maximized density, accuracy, and speed without expanding the building.

 

Previously, operators worked on a double-storey mezzanine with a very manual picking process where they walked up and down aisles with trolleys and RF devices, being directed to pick orders. Our team members would be picking from shelves that ranged from foot height all the way up to shoulder height.

Natalia Trewin
Warehouse Operations Manager, WesTrac ‍

 

The Solution: Scalable Automated Storage

 

WesTrac implemented an AutoStore system that comprised:

  • A 16,750-Bin grid for ultra-dense storage
  • 34 R5 Robots retrieving items at 500+ Bins/hour
  • 10 Workstations (Ports) for ergonomic, goods-to-person picking
  • WMS integration for real-time inventory control

The system went live in 2023 after a 10-month installation period, and immediately exceeded performance targets. Natalia Trewin, the Warehouse Operations Manager at WesTrac, explained why they chose the system: “AutoStore was chosen for its densification capacity, the software-powered smarts behind its picking processes, and the speed at which it is able to pick parts for us.”

 

AutoStore is one of the most energy-efficient, sustainable warehouse-picking solutions available.

When it comes to earthmoving machinery, the smallest of parts — like a tiny seal — can make or break a machine. Being able to prioritize these parts within AutoStore allows us to deliver them quickly.

Georgia Denton
Warehouse Supervisor, WesTrac

 

Key benefits: Efficient, Quick, and Flexible Operations

  • Better use of space: AutoStore’s Grid design increased WesTrac’s available warehouse space by 1,000 square meters.
  • Faster picking: Picking speed improved 67%, from about 300 lines per hour to 500+ per hour.
  • Improved customer experience: Urgent customer orders are now processed within five to 10 minutes, and delivery cutoff times are extended.
  • Flexibility and scalability: The system scales easily alongside the growth of the company.
  • Employee well-being: The system creates less physical strain for warehouse workers with improved ergonomics and less walking.
  • Environmental impact: AutoStore is one of the most energy-efficient, sustainable warehouse-picking solutions available.


When you're very invested in the project, go-live is a bit of a nail-biting experience. Everything went to plan, and it went really well. We were very happy when we started to see Robots delivering parts down the chute. It certainly gave us a real sense of accomplishment and achievement.

Georgia Denton
Warehouse Supervisor, WesTrac
 
 

The system creates less physical strain for warehouse workers with improved ergonomics and less walking.

 

WesTrac is Ready for Expansion

 

WesTrac plans to expand its AutoStore Grid and Robot fleet to accommodate future growth. The success at Tomago has set a benchmark for deploying automation across other facilities and extending their current AutoStore system. Natalia Trewin sums it up by saying, “It's very easy to come back to the site and put more Robots on the Grid, and then you have more throughput over the weekend. Additionally, the system is designed for us to come back and build more Grid, buy more Bins, and that way we can grow storage.”

 

Project Specifications

  • Implementation type: Brownfield
  • Robots: 34 R5 Robots
  • Workstations (Ports): 6 CarouselPorts, 4 ConveyorPorts
  • Bins: 16,750 Bins
  • Integrated technology: AI-driven Bin optimization; conveyor sortation
  • Integration partner: Dematic‍