Everyone's had this unhappy experience... the repair shop had promised your car would be ready on Tuesday. But the necessary part still hasn't arrived yet. So now you'll have to wait until the end of the week... or maybe even longer.

This nationwide distributor of automotive parts for imported vehicles is doing everything it can to make this all-too-common scenario a thing of the past. With the help of their Hytrol integration partner, they have streamlined their entire operation to ensure that the parts reach the repair shop when promised. Their modern, 123,000 square-foot distribution center is a key part of that effort.

Smooth Order Flow

Prior to installation of the new system, order-fulfillment was a largely manual operation, says the company's director of distribution. "The people moved through the facility, not the order," he recalls, adding that today it's the other way around.

The new operation boasts a simple and streamlined order-flow that all but eliminates manual handling and movement. The system integrates several of Hytrol's most popular units: live roller, gravity, and heavy-duty incline. His staff worked closely with a Hytrol Integration Partner in the design and installation.

The new system is fast, flexible, and responsive. It's been designed to swiftly handle different sizes of totes as well as corrugated boxes. In addition, oversize parts like tailpipes can move unimpeded throughout the distribution center.

Speed and Responsiveness

"The totes go through the system flawlessly, they go through quickly, too. A customer-direct order can be picked, checked, packaged, and manifested in as little as 20 minutes." The distribution center now is processing more than 1,000 of these orders a day.

In addition to the speed and responsiveness, shipment accuracy has increased, too. Plus there's one more benefit: The systems integrator is located only a few miles away. "If there's a question or a problem, I know that our Hytrol Integration Partner can get here right away."

In the end, the biggest beneficiaries of the streamlined operation may be the end-consumers. Their cars are ready when promised-and they get on with their lives.