ELLESMERE PORT, England - A new web-based management tool will significantly increase the efficiency of one of the automotive industry's most sophisticated logistics operations. The new system, thought to be the first of its type, is being piloted by Delphi Automotive Systems, the world's largest supplier of automotive technologies, at its Ellesmere Port SILS (Supply In Line Sequence) Center in Ellesmere Port, UK. 

The Ellesmere Port SILS Center schedules deliveries from 73 suppliers around Europe.  The operation is exceptionally lean, with just three to four hours of stock for some product lines.   Because components and modules are supplied to the adjacent Vauxhall car plant in the correct sequence for vehicle-build within a time window of just one to three hours, outages can not be permitted. 

"Our traditional systems use telephone, fax and EDI messages to schedule and confirm deliveries from each supplier," says Stan Chadwick, manager of Delphi's Ellesmere Port SILS Center.  "It works very well, but is resource intensive.  EDI in particular has proved to be complicated and expensive and its uptake amongst our suppliers has been understandably poor."

The new system, developed in partnership with EDS, holds the scheduling information on a Web server.  Every supplier reads and updates relevant fields in real-time using a conventional Web browser, receiving order information from Delphi and confirming quantities and timings for dispatch. Delphi can confirm acceptance within minutes and immediately respond to any shortages.  An appropriately sized vehicle can then be scheduled by Delphi's Ellesmere Port logistics supplier P&O GBE, generating further savings. 

"The benefits are numerous," enthuses Chadwick.  "The new system focuses our attention on the exceptions, rather than on confirming every transaction, which may eventually save up to 20 man days a month.  It increases accountability, we have transportation savings on 30-40 vehicles a day, better quality data, and all at significantly reduced cost to both ourselves and our suppliers." 

Trials of the system have been so successful that it will be rolled out to all suppliers to Delphi's Ellesmere Port SILS Center by the end of the year. The full system will also be evaluated for use at other Delphi manufacturing sites around the world. 

(June 29, 2000)