Customer Background & Requirements

Polaris is a well-known U.S. manufacturer of automotive and powersports vehicles, with a diverse product portfolio that includes ATVs, off-road platforms, snowmobiles, and electric vehicles. As part of its global expansion strategy, Polaris operates a manufacturing plant in Opole, which serves as the company’s only production facility in Europe. The plant operates under exceptionally high standards, covering the full production lifecycle—from design and manufacturing to testing and validation.

At the Opole facility, Polaris manufactures and assembles a wide variety of automotive components, all with significantly different sizes, weights, and geometries. This diversity places stringent demands on the storage system: it must not only optimize space utilization but also ensure maximum protection for components, particularly painted and finished parts that are highly sensitive to surface damage.

Challenges

Prior to implementing an automated storage solution, Polaris faced multiple challenges in its component storage operations. Conventional racking systems were no longer suitable for handling large automotive parts safely and often led to scratches or physical damage. At the same time, the increasing volume of components made inventory control, part identification, and material feeding for production progressively more time-consuming.

The main challenges included:

• Risk of component damage caused by impact, dust, and humidity
• High space consumption with limited storage efficiency
• Long picking times affecting production flow

These issues had a direct impact on operational efficiency and overall manufacturing costs.

Solution

To overcome these challenges, Polaris selected four Modula Lift vertical automated storage systems from Modula. The solution was custom-designed to meet the plant’s specific operational requirements, balancing storage density, system performance, and ergonomic working conditions for operators.

The installation includes multiple system configurations—such as dual-access trays, single-access trays, and external-access trays—allowing seamless integration with overhead cranes or mechanical lifting equipment when handling heavy automotive components.

Painted body parts, including fenders and fuel tanks, are stored on trays lined with soft foam material, effectively protecting finished surfaces from scratches and cosmetic defects. The remaining units are dedicated to storing cartons and packaged goods for sales and outbound logistics.

The entire system is managed by Modula WMS Premium software, providing flexible location management, real-time inventory tracking, and direct integration with Polaris’s existing ERP system.

Achieved

Since deploying the Modula automated storage system, Polaris has recorded clear improvements in warehouse efficiency and component supply for automotive production:

• Substantial optimization of storage space, freeing up valuable factory floor area
• Secure, organized storage with faster and easier component retrieval
• Reduced picking times, supporting smoother and more reliable assembly operations
• Transparent inventory data fully synchronized with the ERP system

Beyond immediate operational benefits, the Modula solution also establishes a strong foundation for future production expansion—an essential factor in the automotive manufacturing environment, where consistency, quality, and operational stability are critical.

As the automotive industry continues to place greater emphasis on internal logistics optimization and intelligent inventory management, automated storage systems are increasingly becoming a standard feature of modern manufacturing plants.

Temas is the authorized distributor of Modula in Vietnam, offering a wide range of smart storage solutions across various series, sizes, and applications. Contact Temas today—our team is ready to support you with tailored consulting and practical solutions for your factory’s specific challenges.