Case Study: Future-Ready Logistics: Scalable Automation & Cost Savings for Sustainable Growth

Business Challenge

Rapid growth exposed inefficiencies - demanding a future-ready logistics strategy.

A global consumer goods leader faced significant growing pains. While its multi-category facility leveraged advanced automation in production, logistics at this facility remained manual—driving inefficiencies and rising costs.

As production scaled, storage constraints forced reliance on off-site warehousing, adding unnecessary transportation costs and slowing material flow. A contract-heavy workforce further contributed to cost volatility and operational variability. To sustain long-term growth, the company needed a logistics overhaul—reducing manual handling, increasing on-site storage, and integrating automation.

Key Pain Points

Storage Bottlenecks: Off-site warehousing inflated costs and slowed material movement.
Manual Logistics: Heavy reliance on forklifts and manual picking created inefficiencies.
Workforce Volatility: Contract labor costs and availability impacted daily operations.
Growth Constraints: The logistics model couldn’t scale with rising production demands.

Solution Delivered

A logistics masterplan and automation strategy set the stage for scalable efficiency.

Miebach designed a future-ready logistics infrastructure - reducing costs, improving efficiency, and ensuring automation readiness. The project unfolded in two strategic phases:

Logistics Masterplan Development

Warehouse Optimization: Redesigned storage to eliminate off-site warehousing, increasing capacity.
Automation Blueprint: Mapped AGV/AMR integration to align logistics with manufacturing automation.
Material Flow Enhancements: Identified and removed bottlenecks to accelerate throughput.
Business Case Development: Provided financial analysis for automation-driven efficiency gains.

Automation Tendering & Vendor Selection

Functional Specifications: Defined technical requirements for automated material movement.
Supplier Evaluation: Led RFQ process to identify the best-fit automation partners.
Implementation Planning: Developed a phased execution strategy for seamless AGV/AMR deployment.

This end-to-end approach ensured a structured transition to automation—maximizing impact while minimizing disruption.

Results

The transformation unlocked cost savings, scalability, and supply chain resilience.

By combining logistics strategy with automation expertise, Miebach positioned the facility for sustained success—driving efficiency, scalability, and cost-effectiveness for years to come.

Operational & Financial Gains

$3.9M Annual Savings: Eliminated off-site warehousing and transportation costs.
$11.8M Labor Cost Reduction: Automation streamlined processes and increased reliability.
99% Reduction in Warehouse Logistics Labor: Manual picking and transport fully automated.

Scalability & Growth Enablement

50% Increase in Daily Production (5 Years): Logistics enabled higher throughput.
100% Capacity Growth (10 Years): Future-ready infrastructure ensured long-term expansion.
Optimized Space Utilization: Increased storage density reduced material handling times.

Strategic Business Value

Supply Chain Resilience: Reduced reliance on contract labor and external storage.
Automation Readiness: Built a digitally connected logistics system, primed for AI-driven optimization.
Enhanced Safety & Compliance: Reduced manual handling improved workplace safety.