Today's automotive assembly plants run on extremely tight production schedules. Materials and parts arrive at facilities just as they are needed on the vehicle assembly line. To add to this complexity, the many options available on today's automobiles mean that in many cases, the components are not the same for every car on the line. Suppliers must sequence the correct parts to match up with each individual vehicle being assembled.
At its 350,000-square-foot facility in Vance, Ala., BLG Logistics supplies wiring harnesses for the Mercedes- Benz assembly plant next door. The company receives the harnesses from manufacturers in Mexico, stores them for two or three days, and then sequences them to meet the exact specifications of cars on the line. It's a process that requires speed and precision—and one that must be performed within a very tight time frame.
"Once that order has been received, we have about 45 minutes to have the harnesses come down the line to be sequenced, picked, verified, and shipped to the plant," explains Jamaal Roberts, manager of operations at BLG.
Work at this facility would be nearly impossible without automation and software systems to drive accurate processing. At the heart of its operations, BLG relies on an automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) supplied by Stoecklin Logistics. The threeaisle system is based on a mini-load system that was modified to accommodate the large wooden boxes that hold the harnesses. The boxes measure 73 by 32 by18 inches, requiring larger carriages and right-sized racking locations to hold them.
To assure uptime, the interior racking within the AS/RS only contains one wiring harness between the two crane aisles. This is so that the middle crane in Aisle 2 can retrieve products from the interior racks of Aisles 1 and 3. The system has capacity for 3,400 harness sets in a footprint of only 50,000 square feet. At any given time, there are between 2,000 and 3,000 sets in storage. The additional capacity allows for growth and a continuous reshuffling of inventory, so that harnesses needed soon are re-deposited closer to output stations to reduce retrieval time.
SMART & FAST
Any delays in processing at BLG could stop the line at Mercedes- Benz. That's why it's critical that accuracy and speed are assured. Each car rolling down the line at Mercedes-Benz actually requires three different harness assemblies to meet the electrical connections in the engine, control console, and cabin interior. BLG uses the storage boxes to combine the harnesses needed for each car model based on the build plan. The harnesses then remain together in storage until needed for assembly next door. At that time, information is sent to the warehouse management system, which then coordinates with the Stoecklin warehouse control system to direct the cranes to retrieve the needed harnesses. The system handles 70 boxes in and 70 boxes out per hour.
The cranes deliver boxes of harnesses onto conveyors for transport to processing stations. Workers use scanners to verify that the correct harnesses have been delivered. They then use a put-to-light system to load the harness sets into metal racks for transport to the automotive plant, where they will arrive just before they're needed for assembly. The facility processes about 1,100 harness sets each day, depending on the plant's requirements, and 1,400 sets at peak production. The automation assures that BLG can meet the fast-paced demands of the plant continuously.
"The Stoecklin AS/RS is very dependable. We can run all day," says Roberts. "We chose this machine because it allows us to be competitive, smart, and fast."
For more information on Stoecklin Logistics, go to stoecklin.us.
Situated at the crossroads of the Choctaw Nation in Durant, Oklahoma, Big Lots' 1.2 million square foot distribution center serves 235 stores within a network of more than 1,300 stores across 48 states. Big Lots is a large national discount retailer, providing everything from furniture to food, as well as household goods and seasonal décor.
The Durant facility serves stores in parts of 16 states, stretching from the Canadian to Mexican borders. Such a vast area makes it difficult to find reliable transportation. For years, Big Lots utilized multiple carriers, but the complexity as the chain grew resulted in products not being delivered to stores on time. This complicated retail operations, as products often were not available to sell in a timely manner.
"We have a long average distance to our stores, which made it very difficult to hit the appointment times consistently that our stores expect," explains Kory Shinlever, director of domestic transportation at Big Lots. "We also had issues with DC productivity we needed to solve because we had a lot of transportation partners supporting that store delivery. It made our trailer pool very complex."
Big Lots needed a partner who could replace that complex mix of transportation providers with one dedicated fleet. They found that partner in Ruan.
"The services we provide Big Lots out of the Durant facility are dedicated contract transportation, yard services, as well as brokerage services during times of surge or other nuances that they have within their network to support," says Jeremy Carmichael, vice president of operations at Ruan. "Our partnership with Big Lots is one of a similar culture. Being people-first and people-oriented, we believe in enduring partnerships. We believe that shared culture fosters a long-term relationship."
Big Lots has improved service dramatically since moving its store deliveries to Ruan. Trailers are always available at the Durant DC, something that was a problem before and slowed down distribution operations.
"It's a great partnership from senior management down to the local management here," says Edwin Boothe, Big Lots' director of distribution at the Durant DC. "Drivers are courteous, professional, and they do a good job with the store personnel. On-time percentage has been great. Service levels have improved since we've been with Ruan."
"The working relationship is amazing," adds Holly Valcik, Ruan's dedicated transportation manager who works onsite in Durant. "The team here at Big Lots has been amazing and very supportive. Anytime I have any questions or needs, they are there to support me."
"Our stores from the Durant distribution center now are serviced at the highest level they ever have been at this point," notes Shinlever. "That makes a huge difference to the stores because they're able to improve their productivity. The stores don't have associates waiting for the truck. And because of that, they're more efficient at the unload. They've improved not only their productivity, but they decreased their total detention costs."
He adds that productivity at the Durant DC has also improved since Ruan right sized the trailer pool with units now always available at the 40 outbound doors. Warehouse associates can finish their picking and not have products stacking up at the docks, as trailers can be loaded on time.
Shinlever says that with Ruan, they found a long-term partner. "We wanted a partner who would be able to solve solutions at scale, who could grow with us and also matched our own company culture - one of being able to succeed together and playing to win," he shares.
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