Over the past 10 years the automotive industry has changed dramatically. When working in an environment which was designed for manufacturing over a decade ago, it’s no surprise things needed to change.
The question is how much and at what price?
After a 360 degree review of a current logistics contract, the Rudolph and Hellmann Automotive development team identified areas which could deliver significant costs savings. This focused upon the Integrated Logistics Centre and the equipment, resource and racking used.
The Materials Handling Equipment (MHE) equipment which operated within this facility was slow and expensive ‘Man-up’ MHE to pick and putaway pallets into the racking locations. The Very Narrow Aisle racking configuration, installed 10 years previously, meant that no pallet racked locations could be sacrificed. Plus, any extra floor space available for the racking footprint was minimal and also restricted configuration options.
Rudolph and Hellmann Automotive’s team identified that if the Narrow Aisle racking configuration could be replaced with a Wide Aisle configuration, the VNA truck application could then be replaced with a faster, cheaper more flexible reach truck application, delivering cost savings and operational efficiencies at the same time.
With the cost savings agreed and the project given a green light by the manufacturer, the next challenge was deliver the revised racking and MHE solution within a 4 month stipulated timeframe. Oh yes, whilst maintaining the operational service levels as stipulated within the renewed contractual service level agreement!
A dedicated Rudolph and Hellmann Automotive project team worked alongside the customer’s projects team
The relevant racking suppliers had to ensure their racking was de-assembled and re-assembled within a phased and structured plan, in a safe and contained environment. This phased process allowed the logistics operation to continue as normal.
Rudolph and Hellmann Automotive’s Operations team ensured there were no manufacturing losses
No manufacturing losses were directly attributable to the racking re-configuration process. In fact the whole transition process was so smooth many of the manufacturing employees that worked at the plant were not aware of the entire process which was occurring within such a major part of the facility.
The whole racking re-configuration project was successfully completed within the boundaries of the planned timeframe
The revised layout further allowed the Rudolph and Hellmann Automotive’s Operations team to re-evaluate the MHE fleet deployed within the operation. This resulted in the use of more cost effective reach truck applications over the combined VNA ‘Man-up’ applications. The greater use of reach truck applications was now also synergising across the whole operation, which further reduced overall equipment and resource costs.
