At DIRTT Environmental Solutions’ Phoenix facility, precision and speed define daily operations. Specializing in prefabricated interior construction, the team of 85 employees depends on seamless coordination between materials, people, and processes.
But like many growing manufacturers, DIRTT faced a quiet constraint: floor space was running out.
Traditional storage methods—bulky racks and scattered inventory—were beginning to compete with production itself. Workers spent valuable time locating small but essential components like bolts, brackets, and hardware. The result? Slower workflows and unnecessary friction in an otherwise optimized environment.
DIRTT didn’t need more space—they needed smarter space.
The turning point came with the introduction of the Hänel Lean-Lift®, installed directly within the production area.
Rather than expanding outward, DIRTT chose to build upward.
This vertical storage system transformed how inventory was stored and accessed:
What once required multiple storage zones was now handled by one compact, intelligent unit.
The Lean-Lift® didn’t just store parts—it became the heartbeat of production flow.
With its high-speed configuration, it now acts as a central distribution hub, delivering components exactly when needed. Instead of staging excess inventory nearby, DIRTT adopted a just-in-time picking model:
This shift reduced waste—not just in space, but in motion, time, and effort.
To further refine operations, DIRTT integrated Hänel Pick-o-Light®-Vario, turning picking into a guided, error-resistant process.
Here’s how it works:
No searching. No second-guessing.
This visual guidance dramatically reduces picking errors and ensures consistency—even for new or less experienced staff.
DIRTT deals with a wide variety of small components, each requiring careful organization.
Custom Hänel multifunction containers solved this challenge by offering:
The result is a system that feels less like storage and more like a well-orchestrated library of components.
Behind the scenes, the Hänel MP 12 N controller continuously monitors inventory levels.
This provides:
Instead of reacting to stockouts, DIRTT now operates proactively—ensuring production never slows due to missing parts.
DIRTT’s confidence in Hänel wasn’t built overnight. The company had already seen success with similar systems at its Calgary headquarters.
The Phoenix installation wasn’t an experiment—it was a strategic replication of a proven model.
And once again, the results delivered:
DIRTT’s transformation highlights a broader lesson for modern manufacturing:
Efficiency isn’t just about speed—it’s about flow.
By rethinking storage as an active part of production rather than a passive necessity, DIRTT unlocked:
In the end, the Lean-Lift® didn’t just organize parts—it reorganized the way work happens.
