Germany, China
Logistics planning / supply chain management
Our client, a leading car manufacturer, was looking to launch a vehicle in South East Asia that had previously only been sold in China. As a management consultancy, we supported the client in overcoming the numerous challenges associated with this project.
There were a number of uncertainties at the start of the project. The allocation of vehicle components for the supply centre was unclear, as was the origin of the parts from different suppliers and the frequency of deliveries. In addition, the high volatility of the forecast quantities made it difficult to plan the storage and packaging area. Another problem was that the packaging concept for sea freight shipping had not yet been fully defined. Furthermore, it was crucial to develop a warehouse strategy that would also allow for future adjustments to supply additional vehicle variants.
Taking these challenges into account, we carried out a thorough analysis and developed solutions to optimise warehouse planning. Our strategies were designed to ensure flexibility and scalability while meeting the customer's specific requirements.
The design for the new logistics supply centre was carefully planned, taking into account various important points to ensure efficient and flexible warehousing.
Firstly, it was crucial to coordinate the scope of the parts to be supplied with all the specialist departments involved. Through intensive collaboration with the client's relevant teams, the specific requirements and needs were identified to ensure that the building would fulfil the requirements of the logistics and packaging process.
Determining the number of vehicles was another important aspect of the warehouse design. Not only was the current demand taken into account, but a certain degree of flexibility was also built in to be able to react to possible fluctuations. This made it possible to adapt to changing production and sales scenarios.
Another focus was on consolidating the packaging data, both on the incoming and outgoing goods side. Information on the fill level, possible stacking factor, packaging dimensions, weights and other relevant parameters was collected and analysed. This data served as the basis for the optimal utilisation of storage space and the design of the storage areas.
In cases where packaging concepts were not yet available, we worked closely with the responsible packaging planners to develop suitable solutions. Determining efficient packaging methods played a key role in optimising the storage and repackaging process and minimising transport costs.
One of the customer's particular requirements was to have as few fixed points in the warehouse as possible in order to be able to react quickly to changes. This required a flexible warehouse design that reduced the use of fixed high-bay racking and instead favoured more flexible storage solutions such as supermarkets for small and medium-sized parts and block storage for large and oversized parts.
After all, scalability was already taken into account when selecting the building and the site. The aim was to create sufficient scope for future expansion, both in terms of storage space and the infrastructure of the supply centre.
Overall, the careful planning and implementation of the warehouse layout resulted in an efficient and flexible logistics operation that met the customer's requirements while providing a solid foundation for future growth.
The newly planned supply centre got off to a successful start once planning and set-up were complete and was a key success factor in opening up the Southeast Asian markets. The careful warehouse layout enabled a smooth flow of materials and efficient warehousing, which led to rapid adaptation to the dynamic requirements of the new sales markets.
These proved to be more promising than initially anticipated, leading to unexpectedly strong business growth. In response to this, the logistics building has already been expanded in order to better cope with increasing demand. In addition, a new building has been put into operation at another Chinese location in order to further strengthen the regional logistics infrastructure and fully utilise the business potential.
Overall, this case study shows how sound warehouse planning and a flexible approach to changing market conditions can play a key role in driving a company's success in international markets. Through the right combination of planning, implementation and adaptability, our client was able to strengthen its competitive position and successfully capitalise on new growth opportunities.
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