Projects /
Automotive Industry /
Porsche centralizes spare parts supply
Porsche centralizes spare parts supply
The Zuffenhausen-based sports car manufacturer Porsche has centralized its worldwide spare parts logistics service at the Sachsenheim site. Currently, 3.2 million order lines are shipped from there each year.
Customer: Porsche
Porsche, the manufacturer of premium sports vehicles, has invested over 100 million euros in this huge project. More than 700 Porsche retailers around the world are supplied with spare parts from Sachsenheim. The warehouse currently provides some 85,000 different Porsche parts or material numbers - everything, from a single screw to a complete hard top.
Location
Sachsenheim
Industry sector
Automotive Industry
Products
85,000 different parts
Solutions
AS/RS, OPS
Volume
3.2 million order lines per year
Special features of the project
For optimized processing, the Sachsenheim spare parts warehouse is divided into an automated storage and picking system for small parts and manual storage and picking areas for medium-sized and large parts. The various small parts in the automated small parts warehouse (AS/RS) are stored in a space-saving and compact manner using plastic totes of different sizes and dimensions. The medium-sized parts are stored in grid boxes, the large parts on post or wooden pallets. "This division into three units, which are also organizationally independent, enables us to have ideal process flows - by goods-to-person or person-to-goods", says Wels. “It also allows orders to be placed in the warehouse at the latest possible time, in line with the respective throughput time.” There is no need for interim consolidation - this saves time and handling and ensures a direct material flow. A train concept serves as an internal transport system in the spare parts warehouse helping the three sections to be connected with the receiving area, the packaging area, and the dispatch area. This technically simple and reliable solution ensures timed material flows via a defined schedule and thus the permanent material flow in the warehouse. The heart of the spare parts center in Sachsenheim is a highly dynamic automated small parts warehouse (AS/RS) designed and realized by WITRON. The decision in favor of the logistics experts from Parkstein further expands the long-standing trusting cooperation between the two companies. As early as 2000, WITRON implemented the TMS (Transport Management System) radio frequency system for Porsche at the former Ludwigsburg site and at various external warehouses. It optimizes the material flow from receiving to shipping below the SAP LES warehouse management system. "We focus on long-term partnerships. But the partner has to prove its worth again and again", says Jürgen Wels. In the summer of 2011, Porsche awarded WITRON the "Porsche Supplier Award" in the category "non-production material". This is awarded annually to the ten best suppliers and service providers of the sports car manufacturer.
Challenge
Two halls with a total storage are of almost 113,000 square meters were built in two construction phases within three years. “Our main concern at the spare parts center in Sachsenheim is to achieve excellence in physical logistics based on the flow principle”, explains Jürgen Wels. “To achieve this, we want to establish an optimal cost-benefit ratio in all processes.” Time is a very important factor here. Today, when a retailer orders a spare part from Porsche, it is usually received within 24 hours in Europe and within 48 hours in other regions of the world. The portfolio not only includes all spare parts for the current Porsche models - an increasing challenge in itself due to the increased diversity of models in recent years. The range of stored parts also includes stocks for classic vehicles, special products for the aftermarket (e. g. additives), and, more recently, also parts for prototype production in development.
Customer opinion
All our strategic goals at the new location have been achieved. In terms of spare parts business, Porsche offers a pioneering optimum in parts logistics", says Porsche's Head of Logistics, Jürgen Wels, summing up the positive achievements. We have high degree of flexibility in all processes and benefit from even faster access times. In comparison, the system availability in the overall process of more than 99 percent is also in the absolute top range. The specifications with respect to short distances and ergonomic processes at all workstations were consistently implemented.