Maintenance and repair operations (MRO) are key enablers of manufacturing facility performance. If a critical piece of equipment goes down, you need to have the right parts on-site and readily accessible to fix it. When repair tools and equipment are misplaced, disorganized, or difficult to access? Downtime rises.
A modern, automated spare parts storage system transforms the way MRO teams work.
By replacing inefficient shelving and manual searches with automated storage and intelligent inventory management, companies can reduce downtime, improve technician productivity, and make better use of valuable floor space.
In this article, we explore the limitations of traditional approaches to spare parts MRO storage, explain the specific benefits of automated systems, and highlight the specific technologies that work together to enable more accurate, efficient, and scalable MRO management.
The Problem with Traditional Parts Storage
At many facilities, spare parts are still managed with rows of shelving, bins, and locked cabinets. Of course, these tried-and-true approaches to parts storage can get the job done, but it’s important to recognize that they can also be the source of hidden, chronic inefficiencies that directly drag down MRO performance.
- Excess walk and search time: Technicians often spend valuable minutes hunting through shelves or traveling across the floor to find what they need. Any time spent searching or in transit is time that doesn’t contribute to improving MRO outcomes.
- Poor visibility: Traditional storage schemes often have limited organization and no real-time tracking, it’s easy for items to be misplaced, forgotten, or buried in the back of a rack. These issues can lead to wasted time, duplicate part purchases, and even production line downtime.
- Low pick accuracy: Manual lookups and handwritten logs increase the risk of errors, leading to the wrong part being pulled (or going missing altogether).
- Space inefficiency: Traditional shelving eats up square footage without truly maximizing capacity, limiting room for growth.
- Tool quality and usability: Then there’s the inevitable tool quality issue. Sometimes, you spend minutes searching for the right tool, only to discover that it’s damaged or in an unusable condition. MRO parts can oxidize or rust over time if they’re not stored properly. And some critical components (oils and lubricants, for example) expire.
The costs of these inefficiencies add up fast.
On a day-to-day basis, wasted time and misplaced inventory inflate MRO costs and erode margins. And when a critical piece of equipment goes down, the stakes are even higher: every extra minute spent searching for the right part can translate into thousands of dollars in lost production.
Why Choose an Automated Spare Parts Storage System?
An automated spare parts storage system directly addresses each of the challenges described above. In doing so, it can drive ROI across a broad range of operational priorities.
1. Minimize Downtime by Speeding Up Repairs
When a machine goes down on the production line, technicians can’t afford to pace aisles or flip through bins hoping the right part is there. Automated systems cut straight through that delay, delivering the exact part to the operator in seconds. This means fewer production lines sitting idle, fewer crews waiting on a fix, and far less revenue lost to preventable downtime.
2. Improve Your Technician Productivity
Skilled, high-value technicians shouldn’t be wasting hours walking the floor or chasing down misplaced parts. Automated storage brings everything directly to their workstation, with logins and digital records replacing clipboards and manual checkouts. Freed from the grunt work of searching and logging, technicians can spend more of their shift turning wrenches, troubleshooting problems, and completing preventive maintenance that keeps equipment running longer.
3. Enhance Inventory Accuracy and Accountability
In a manual system, it’s easy for a part to “walk away” with no record of where it went. With integrated software, every checkout is tied to a technician ID, job ticket, or machine number. Automatic reorder points keep shelves from running dry, while audit-ready reports give managers full visibility into MRO spend and usage patterns.
4. Boost Storage Density Without Expanding Your Footprint
Traditional shelving sprawls outward, eating up valuable square footage without truly increasing capacity. Vertical storage systems flip that equation by building upward and recovering as much as 85% of wasted floor space. The impact on the floor is immediate: entire aisles of shelving can be consolidated into a single compact unit, freeing space for additional production lines, safer walkways, or new equipment without adding a single square foot to the building.
5. Reduce Part Waste and Damage
Open shelving leaves critical spares exposed to dust, grime, and even the occasional bump from a passing forklift. Automated systems store parts in enclosed trays, shielding them from contamination and accidental damage. Organized storage also means technicians pull from the right stock first, avoiding duplicate orders or expired items sitting forgotten in the back.
6. Improve Ergonomics and Worker Safety
Manual storage forces workers to climb ladders, reach overhead, or bend into low shelves to grab parts, movements that risk strain and long-term injuries. Automated retrieval delivers items at a comfortable, waist-high level, so technicians stay safe and efficient. For heavier parts, trays can integrate with lifts or conveyors, further reducing the risk of accidents on the floor.
7. Enable Advanced Tool Crib Functionality
Automated storage systems can also be configured as secure tool cribs. For example, when combined with Zoller Tool Management Software (TMS), Kardex VLMs become a self-serve hub where every tool transaction is digitally logged, lifecycle data is tracked by actual usage, and regrind management is simplified.
Learn more about building an automated tool crib in our complete guide.
8. Scale As You Grow
Traditional shelving eventually limits growth: once the floor is full, you’re out of options. By taking advantage of vertical space and modularity, automated part storage systems can be designed to expand. Units can be built taller, trays can be reconfigured for new parts, and additional modules can be added as inventory grows. Instead of capping your potential, automated storage systems unlock it.
9. Unlock Operational Insights With Data
Every pick, return, and transaction generates data that managers can use. Over time, usage patterns reveal which machines consume the most spares, which parts are most at risk of stockouts, and even where inefficiencies may lurk. This insight turns storage from a passive system into an active source of operational intelligence.
10. Improve Cost Center Accounting
Traditional MRO costs often get dumped into one broad overhead bucket. Automated systems make it possible to assign parts usage to a specific machine, department, or technician. That precision in cost tracking not only supports more accurate budgeting but also highlights where resources are being consumed most heavily, giving finance and operations a clearer picture of true costs.
Automated Storage Solutions for Spare Parts and MRO Items
Automated spare parts storage comes in two primary forms: Vertical Lift Modules (VLMs) and Vertical Carousel Modules (VCMs). Both are designed to replace static shelving with compact systems that deliver parts directly to the operator.
For either technology, the right software is just as critical as the physical system.
Without intelligent inventory management, it’s impossible to achieve the accuracy, traceability, and scalability that MRO operations demand. The software layer ensures every part is logged, every transaction is tracked, and every technician has the right level of access.
For example, the Kardex Power Pick System provides this capability through a modular, scalable inventory management solution that connects an automated storage solution with real-time visibility, dynamic picking strategies, and seamless integration into WMS or ERP environments.
Choosing the Right Spare Parts Storage Solution
| Optimum Unit Height | Technician Productivity | Inventory Accuracy | Ergonomic Part Accessibility | High-Density Storage | |
| Vertical Lift Module (VLM) | >14 feet | Best | Best | Best | Best |
| Vertical Carousel Module (VCM) | Between 6 - 12 feet | Best | Best | Good | Good |
| Traditional Drawer System | < 5 feet | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair |
| Traditional Shelving System | < 6 feet | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair |
Vertical Lift Modules (VLMs) for Spare Parts Storage
VLMs are best suited for heavy tools, dies, and bulky spare parts. Using enclosed trays with high weight capacities, they store items vertically to recover up to 85% of wasted floor space. VLMs can also integrate with cranes, conveyors, or other handling equipment to streamline the movement of oversized parts.
The Kardex Shuttle Vertical Lift Module (VLM) provides a great illustration of how this technology works.
Vertical Carousel Modules (VCMs) for Spare Parts Storage
VCMs are designed for small to medium-sized MRO items. By rotating carriers to the operator, they minimize search time and provide fast, reliable access to frequently used parts. Their modular design makes them an efficient option for space-constrained facilities that need compact, high-density storage.
Kardex Megamat Vertical Carousel is a great example of how a spare part carousel operates.
Still not sure which technology solution is best for your application?
We put together a comprehensive guide that helps you compare the VLM vs a VCM side-by-side.
How Automated Spare Part Storage Drives Real-World ROI
The real-life success stories below show how automated spare part storage can be a direct cog in MRO operations, enhancing the productivity of technicians and uptime of equipment across single sites or entire MRO facility networks.
Automated Tool Storage Streamlines Aviation MRO
Jazz Aviation, a regional carrier in the US and Canada, maintains over 120 aircraft at is operational base in Toronto, Ontario. Operational efficiency is at a premium at this 24/7 maintenance facility, which provides maintenance and spare parts to onsite technicians in addition to five other line-bases. According to the Stores System Manager, “our employees often had to sort through 50 parts to find the correct batch number. It was a time consuming and labor-intensive process.”
With 20,000+ SKUs to manage, Jazz Aviation decided to implement two Vertical Lift Module Kardex Shuttles with the Kardex Power Pick System inventory management software. In addition to a four-position batch station, pick-to-light technology and label printers help precisely guide operators and inter-facility shipments.
The results?
- Pick accuracy improved to 99%.
- MRO productivity boosted by 77%
- A 71% reduction in floor space compared to traditional shelves.
Learn more in the full case study here.
Automating a 35,000 Square Foot Spare Parts Storage Room
Plasser American, a leading OEM for railroad equipment, maintains over $16 million of spare parts in a 35,000 square foot stockroom housed at their Chesapeake, VA facility. With strong growth and production operations at capacity, Plasser needed to expand production, growth which called for consolidating their traditional storeroom setup (a 4,875 square feet, two-story mezzanine bin system) to create additional space.
To boost production within their existing facility’s footprint, Plasser implemented eight Kardex Shuttles integrated with pick-to-light technology and Kardex Power Pick System inventory management software.
Implementing an automated spare parts storage system led directly to:
- A 70% reduction in required floor space.
- Pick accuracy improved to 99.7%.
- A reduction in labor needs by 20%.
Learn more in the full case study here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What’s the best way to store a large variety of MRO parts?
A: Use VLMs or vertical carousels with dividers/totes to separate small and large items while maximizing space. Not sure which is best for you? Book a completely free site visit and we’ll help you make the best choice.
Q: How can I prevent parts from being lost or overused?
A: Use inventory management software with technician logins for traceability. Or integrate with a tool like Zoller TMS for advanced tool crib capabilities.
Q: Can I store both heavy dies and tiny components in one system?
A: Yes, systems like the Kardex Shuttle Vertical Lift Module (VLM) offer flexible tray configurations to handle varied part types and are ideal for mixed storage applications
Q: How do these systems help reduce downtime?
A: They drastically reduce search time and ensure parts are ready when needed.
Q: Is this solution scalable as my operation grows?
A: Absolutely—trays, bins, and shelving can be reconfigured as your inventory changes. VLMs can grow as tall as your warehouse ceiling in modular increments as needed.
How Can Automated Spare Parts Storage Work at Your Facility?
Maintenance and repair operations can’t afford wasted time, space, or resources. Automating spare parts storage is a direct way to drive tangible, immediate ROI while directly relieving chronic sources of operational drag: reducing downtime, improving technician productivity, and reclaiming valuable floor space for revenue-generating operations.
Learn more about the systems that make automated tool storage possible:
>>> Check out the Kardex VLM in action.
>>> Check out the Kardex VCM in action.
If you’re ready to see an automated spare parts storage system up close, book a free site visit to explore how it could be configured for your facility and receive a custom quote tailored to your requirements.
