Frasle Mobility has deployed a large-scale logistics automation system at its distribution center in Extrema, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The system, called 4Mobility, integrates robotics, data intelligence, and warehouse automation to handle rising order volumes across the company’s aftermarket brands. The company says the deployment is the largest of its kind in Latin America’s automotive aftermarket sector.
Highlights
- Order processing time reduced from 4–6 hours to approximately 30 minutes through automated goods-to-person picking using autonomous rail-mounted robots.
- 25 robots and 35,000 modular bins are now operational, with infrastructure designed to scale to 100 robots and 50,000 bins.
- 76% of picking lines are already automated, with capacity reaching 1,000 picks per hour and a sorter handling 1,500 items per hour.
- Warehouse footprint reduced by roughly 70%, storing equivalent volume in approximately 30% of previously required floor space.
How the System Works
The 4Mobility system replaces traditional manual picking with a goods-to-person model. Parts are stored in modular bins arranged vertically in a high-density grid structure. Autonomous robots travel on rails above the grid, locating and transporting bins to stationary picking stations.
Operators at those stations are guided by pick-by-light LED indicators and validate each pick with barcode or QR code scans. Intelligent software manages inventory in real time, prioritizes tasks, calculates routes, and automatically repositions high-turnover items for faster access.
“Our goal is simple: to guarantee the right part, in the right place, at the right time. This requires moving away from conventional logistics solutions and investing in technology,” said Marcelo Tonon, Executive Director of Ride & Comfort, Supply Chain and Latin America at Frasle Mobility.
Productivity Gains at Scale
The operational improvements are significant. Alexandro de Abreu Barbosa, Supply Chain Manager at Frasle Mobility, quantified the shift.
“In a manual model, an operator sorts around 200 lines per day in a 24,000 square meter building. With the automated system, each station can handle approximately 200 lines per hour, equivalent to more than 1,500 lines per operator in a shift,” he said.
The system also includes 140 meters of automated conveyor belts and maintains up to ten days of inventory to buffer against demand fluctuations. A hybrid model processes roughly 70% of volume through automation and retains 30% in conventional operations for flexibility.
Service and Safety Improvements
Beyond throughput, the automation targets service quality across the aftermarket supply chain. The new model supports faster partial-order fulfillment, reduced picking errors, and higher stock availability. Frasle Mobility says it can now consistently serve over 1,000 delivery points and absorb new distribution branches without performance degradation.
Worker safety and ergonomics have also improved. Daily internal travel within the facility dropped from 1,560 kilometers to 374 kilometers — a 76% reduction. Operators now work at fixed stations with technical training covering system operation, robot monitoring, WMS use, and safety protocols.
Expansion Potential
The 4Mobility platform was designed as modular and scalable. Frasle Mobility says the system could be replicated at other company facilities in Brazil and internationally. The Extrema center serves as the distribution hub for the company’s Fras-le, Fremax, Controil, and Nakata aftermarket brands, which together span more than 43,000 part references across over 125 markets.
Frasle Mobility is a subsidiary of Randoncorp, the Brazilian industrial conglomerate.
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