On the afternoon of September 15, EMBA students attending the IBSS EMBAC International Week 2026 in Suzhou were invited to visit Modula’s Asia-Pacific Smart Manufacturing Center for Modula Day, an open-house event that offered a first-hand look at the manufacturing process behind vertical lift modules and an up-close experience of intelligent storage solutions.
01 Welcome Address: Modula and IBSS EMBA Join Forces to Explore New Opportunities
The event began with a welcome address from the host, who, on behalf of all Modula employees, extended a warm welcome to the IBSS EMBA international cohort visiting from afar. The host expressed gratitude to the students for taking time out of their busy International Week schedule to visit Modula’s Asia-Pacific Smart Manufacturing Center, and noted it was a privilege to showcase Modula’s innovations in intelligent storage to business leaders from around the world.
Miguel, Managing Director of Modula Asia-Pacific, then walked the EMBA students through the company’s nearly 40-year journey of innovation: founded in Italy in 1987, Modula grew into a leading global brand in intelligent storage solutions through continuous research, development, and patent accumulation in vertical lift module technology, now serving more than 30,000 customers worldwide.
He particularly highlighted that, with the rapid growth of manufacturing and e-commerce logistics demand in Asia, Modula established its production base in Suzhou Industrial Park in 2019 — a key step in the company’s global expansion and a strategic anchor for getting closer to customers in China and the Asia-Pacific region, shortening delivery lead times, and enabling localized service and responsiveness.
Miguel noted that the Suzhou Smart Manufacturing Center embodies Modula’s brand mission of “making storage smarter and space more efficient,” and expressed his hope that today’s open day would allow EMBA students to witness firsthand how this “Italian craftsmanship” has taken root and continues to innovate in China.
02 Factory Tour: Making Cost Reduction and Efficiency Gains Visible
True cost reduction and efficiency improvement should never remain confined to a PowerPoint presentation — it should be seen and verified on the production floor. This was precisely the picture Modula’s factory workshop aimed to present to the EMBA students.
In the workshop, rows of vertical lift modules operated quietly and rhythmically up and down, quietly “tucking” storage space that would otherwise fill an entire factory floor into just a few cubic meters. No elaborate explanation was needed — the scene itself was the most direct and convincing answer to what efficiency looks like.
The EMBA students walked the production line, witnessing the complete manufacturing process of vertical lift modules from raw materials to finished products. This gave them an intuitive understanding of how Modula’s “goods-to-person” philosophy is put into practice — by vertically consolidating storage space, the system automatically delivers the required goods precisely to the operator, helping customers save up to 90% of floor space while significantly improving picking and retrieval efficiency.
These changes need no data to explain. The scene itself is the best proof.
03 Q&A: A Meeting of Minds, Exploring New Possibilities
After the factory tour, the atmosphere did not cool down with the quieting of the production line — instead, it was quickly ignited during the Q&A session. Students raised their hands one after another, posing a series of well-prepared questions based on what they had seen and felt during the visit.
Some focused on automation and digital transformation, asking how Modula upgrades traditional storage equipment into intelligent systems capable of connectivity and remote monitoring, and how it accumulates data at the device level to feed back into product iteration. Others approached from the perspective of global supply chain resilience, exploring how Modula mitigates risk and ensures delivery stability through multi-location manufacturing amid intensifying geopolitical and market volatility. Still others turned their attention to localized production, curious about the experience the Suzhou factory has accumulated in supply chain localization, talent development, and technology transfer, and how it balances “Italian standards” with “Chinese speed.”
Facing question after question, Modula’s management team responded patiently one by one, sharing specific cases and insights, forming a deep dialogue with the EMBA students that transcended language and culture yet felt entirely without distance.
04 Modula’s Long-Term Open Program
This visit was also an important part of Modula’s long-term visitor and demonstration program. We are transforming the Suzhou factory into an Intelligent Warehouse Experience Center — open not only to industry clients but also to a broader range of professionals interested in collaboration.
Here, visitors can:
- Unlock: Experience firsthand how Modula’s automated storage technology drives a dual transformation in efficiency and space
- Connect: Address warehousing pain points directly and explore solutions together with industry leaders
- Witness: Observe a fully automated production line up close and discover the front lines of lean management in action
