Digitalising manufacturing operations in a new facility

Australian automotive aftermarket service provider MotorOne Group has consolidated its manufacturing into a new, purpose-built facility. Manufacturers’ Monthly finds out how a new project will automate and digitalise processes. 

MotorOne Group is Australia’s largest after car care provider and scratch and dent repairer. With a focus on innovation, the company provides solutions to common challenges through automotive intermediaries – a portfolio of brands allows the business to utilise its network and provide strength in numbers.

Greg Lewis, CEO of  MotorOne Group said prior to this year, manufacturing was the ugly duckling of the business. 

“We are a manufacturer of a diverse range of products, for the cleaning of vehicles, prevention of paintwork deterioration, protection of interior – you name it, we actually make it,” he said. “In the past, the manufacturing never really was spoken about, because the old plants were small, unattractive old warehouses.”

With twelve different business units supporting continued growth, MotorOne needed to iron out inefficiencies in its manufacturing and warehousing. The business had four warehouses in Victoria from Bayswater through to Nunawading, all paying rent with four groups of workers, transporting goods in between each other with two trucks. 

“The loss of productivity was significant,” Lewis explained. “We purpose-built the new facility, so we’re bringing four into one for warehousing. We are now able to bottle, package, label into our warehouse, through to our distribution centre for delivery. It’s streamlined the whole process of what was a clunky operation.”