The Solution
Before making the decision, I wanted to look at all my options.
There was another I considered, but it didn’t integrate with our Reynolds system or track performance, which was a major drawback. With Relo, our parts staff can assign deliveries directly through ERA-IGNITE, which makes the entire process simple and easy to manage. The integration also gives me the ability to track performance through things like where Relo is going, how long deliveries take, and how much time we’re saving at the parts counter. What previously took nearly 10 minutes per RO, has now been almost completely eliminated. Having that reporting is important because it lets me verify the impact Relo is having on the shop.
There were also practical differences in the equipment itself. The other robot we looked at could only carry about 80 pounds, while Relo can handle significantly heavier loads of up to 660 pounds and pull up to 800 pounds. That means we can deliver much more than just small parts. We can move larger items like engines or transmissions across the shop without tying up employees or risking injury. In a large facility like ours, delivering something like a transmission to a technician 24 bays down can be time-consuming, so having a system that can handle that workload makes a real difference.
Installation and training were simple.
Relo is probably one of the easiest systems we’ve introduced in the shop. It’s essentially a five-minute training process. The robot does most of the work automatically. You assign the delivery, it goes where it needs to go, and it comes back on its own. Nobody has to manage it or program complicated instructions.
Real Results with Relo
Since implementing Relo, the difference in the shop has been noticeable. It’s now extremely rare to see technicians standing at the parts counter. Parts are delivered directly to their bays, which means technicians can stay focused on the vehicles they’re working on instead of walking across the shop multiple times a day.
Even within the first few weeks, we saw measurable improvements. Our technician efficiency increased from 121% to 126%. That might not sound like a huge jump, but in a shop of our size, a five percent improvement represents a significant gain in productivity, especially during what is typically a slower time of year for us in Michigan.
Another benefit is that we didn’t have to hire additional staff. With the size of our shop, we probably would have needed to add at least one parts runner. That alone represents a meaningful cost savings.
For me, the biggest advantage of Relo is consistency. A robot doesn’t have downtime, sick days, vacations, or scheduling issues. It simply does the job it’s assigned to do, all day long. I can honestly say the system has exceeded expectations. It’s simple, effective, and it keeps our technicians focused on what they’re supposed to be doing: working on vehicles. In hindsight, it’s something I wish we had implemented even sooner.
“We've seen a five percent improvement in tech efficiency with Relo. This represents a significant gain in productivity.”
