Precision Warehouse Design Helps Mouser Electronics Scale with the World’s Largest VLM Installation
About Mouser Electronics
Mouser Electronics is a global authorized distributor of semiconductors and electronic components, partnering with over 1,200 industry-leading manufacturers to offer the newest products and technologies. Founded in 1964, Mouser has grown into a multi-billion-dollar corporation with more than 4,000 employees and 28 locations worldwide. The company’s global headquarters and distribution center, located in Mansfield, Texas, spans over one million square feet and houses more than 1.2 million SKUs.
Mouser’s Challenge
As Mouser Electronics faced exponential growth, the company needed to rapidly expand its inventory to include over 200,000 new SKUs—all within a limited available warehouse footprint. With fulfillment volumes rising fast, it became critical to deploy a new solution that could be fully operational within six months or less. Traditional shelving and manual picking processes could no longer support the storage density, pace, or accuracy Mouser required.
Our Solution
To address this challenge, Mouser turned to its long-time automation partner, Precision Warehouse Design (PWD). Together, they designed and implemented a system centered around Kardex Shuttle Vertical Lift Modules (VLMs), which maximize vertical cube space without requiring new building construction. The initial rollout included 45 Kardex Shuttle VLMs, integrated with a conveyor system to support inbound and outbound operations. Thanks to strong coordination and proven execution, the system went live in under six months.
Impact it Made
Within the first year, the implementation delivered immediate results:
- Order picking travel time has been reduced in total by more than 162,000 hours annually.
- Storage density increased significantly by fully leveraging the building’s vertical space
- Order fulfillment accuracy and throughput improved with goods-to-person picking and pick-to-light technology
- Provided the storage needed for new inventory within a short timeframe, preventing the need for immediate building expansion
As Mouser continued to grow, so did their VLM footprint. What began with 45 VLMs quickly expanded to 216 VLMs, which now support 32% of all line items picked in the building.
Ongoing Expansion
PWD continues to lead the automation projects in Mouser’s Building 2, a multi-million-dollar expansion. The new facility will include additional Kardex Shuttle VLMs, bringing the total to nearly 439 VLMs—solidifying Mouser as the largest single installation of Kardex Shuttle VLMs in the world.
Perfecting Goods-to-Person Fulfillment
Mouser Electronics exemplifies the seamless integration of diverse goods-to-person (GTP) systems to enhance operational efficiency. Beyond the extensive deployment of Kardex Shuttle VLMs for order retrieval, Precision Warehouse Design has been instrumental in incorporating additional automation solutions. These include the integration of EuroSort sortation systems that channel picked items into the OPEX Perfect Pick® system for streamlined order consolidation. Furthermore, we’ve helped Mouser’s facility with multiple automated packing lines equipped for weighing, printing, and label application, all interconnected by over eight miles of conveyor systems. This comprehensive automation strategy not only optimizes throughput and accuracy but also positions Mouser at the forefront of scalable and efficient fulfillment operations.
