The Best Storage Solution For The Automotive Industry
Organised Storage Saves Money
If you’re going to buy a spare part for your car, you’ll want to know if it’s new or refurbished – often spare parts, even at the smallest size, are sealed in packaging if they are new, allowing you to feel confident that the are what the dealership or garage says. Perhaps they’ll have some of these parts on display, in their packaging, on hanging hooks, allowing the client to see what they are buying before they buy it. Perhaps they’ll be stored in the relevant box, allowing the mechanic to fit the pieces quickly. It matters in many ways because mechanics charge by the hour – and no one likes to think that half an hour of the time they’ve hired the mechanic for was hunting out the part.
Storage in these environments is also important from a dealer or garage owner’s point of view – it’s pointless ordering in a part you already have elsewhere. It’s a waste of money to order in menial parts such as spark plugs and gasket seals if you’ve got some already – but because different engines need different parts, storage becomes of the utmost importance to any garage owner – store the wrong things in the wrong place and there may be an accident while fitting the piece, and that accident could reflect badly on your company.
Spare Parts Storage? It’s Covered
Have you ever gone into a dealership and asked for a spare part, only to be waved towards a pile of scrap metal in a corner? Of course not! Dealers understand the intricacy and importance of storing genuine spare parts, both ordered in and stored there (such as the smaller items – spark plugs, batteries, gaskets etc.) and parts ordered in to custom standards.
Spare Parts Storage 101
Spare parts need to be stored safely to be usable at a later date – it’s very difficult to take anyone seriously that has to go hunting through dozens of hoppers or tubs to find one part, so the scrap and spare part industry have developed around supporting the client and ensuring that everything is stored safely and efficiently.
Spare parts, based on their size can be stored on custom drawer units, or pegboards with mounted small hoppers. Larger parts can be stored on shelves or in drawers, and the largest parts of all can be stored in cartons, on shelves. Everything will have its place, and everything should be labelled.
Display units could also be employed, providing hooks and grid systems where the books are attached, to display items that the customer may need. If the garage has room, shelves could also be employed, offering a range of items, from books to spare parts. No matter what the storage solution, garages can benefit from increased efficiency, and unparalleled ease of finding the parts that they need, when they need it. Waste and accidental duplicate ordering will be cut down on too.
Doing so should actually increase profit margins and efficiency, and give the customer a lot more faith in the mechanic, the garage, or the dealership. Finally, storage is of the utmost importance as ‘genuine’ spare parts, versus generic ones, are usually slightly more expensive. As this is often the case, it’s also expected that these parts be treated with respect, giving the end user confidence that they haven’t been damaged while stored.
What Will You Use Slatbox For?
“Thanks for such a fantastic product! We are using Slatbox® storage system to store our top 100 fastest moving spare parts. This system has really helped improve staff productivity in our workshop despatch. There is no doubt about the durability of the product and we have had no failures at either location carrying some very heavy, durable products. Clutter is very much reduced and as you can see it is aesthetically very nice, it keeps the place looking good. It makes it easier for the staff to pick and supply products therefore increasing the efficiency of supply and demand.”
Jim Keegan – General Manager of Southside Toyota, Mt Gravatt
