Case Study: Scalable Automation Model

Capacity, Efficiency, and Reduced Costs

A leading global beverage company set out to transform logistics at its Southeastern U.S. brewery – streamlining raw material handling, packaging, storage, and outbound shipping while expanding on-site inventory capacity. Beyond operational efficiency, the company envisioned this facility as a lighthouse automation site, setting a global benchmark for future automation initiatives. To bring this vision to life, the company partnered with Miebach to design a fully automated logistics solution, ensure business viability, and identify the right supplier to execute the project.

Miebach designed a fully automated logistics system by analyzing historical data and growth projections to ensure long-term scalability. At the core of the solution was an Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS), strategically positioned near dock doors to optimize material flow and future expansion. The ASRS featured double-deep storage, high-speed stacker cranes, delivering a 100+-pallet-per-hour throughput for slow- to medium-moving products. Complementing this, a fleet of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) was deployed, each specialized for raw materials or finished goods. These AGVs seamlessly transported inventory across trailers, conveyors, and racking, ensuring smooth, adaptive operations throughout the brewery’s logistics network.

To identify the optimal supplier for implementation, Miebach led a rigorous competitive bidding process, ensuring alignment between the brewery’s automation needs and vendor capabilities:

• Developing a Detailed RFP Package – Miebach structured a comprehensive Request for Proposal (RFP), outlining system requirements, performance expectations, and integration needs.
  
  
• Engaging Six Leading Suppliers – The RFP was distributed to a select group of automation providers with expertise in large-scale ASRS and AGV deployments.
  
  
• Quantitative & Qualitative Evaluation – Each proposal underwent an in-depth assessment, including:
  - Technical feasibility and system performance
  - Cost efficiency and total cost of ownership
  - Implementation timelines and scalability
  - Supplier track record and post-implementation support
  
  
• Strategic Recommendation – Based on a data-driven analysis, Miebach delivered a clear, confident supplier recommendation, ensuring the chosen partner aligned with the client’s automation and business goals.

By setting a new standard for logistics automation, this facility now serves as a replicable model for future automation projects across the company’s global network – reinforcing its leadership in supply chain innovation.