Membership Meeting – Special Date and Location - November 22nd, 2010 – Plant tour

5:00 – 7:00 PM Comprehensive Logistics Plant Tour:

Plant manager Alan Hicks hosted the tour group. In addition to sequencing components from tier suppliers, this Austintown facility is the value added assembly (VAA) supplier for the front and rear suspension, radiator and headliner for the Chevrolet Cruze. Approximately 80% of GM's parts are routed through CLI's Austintown facility before they reach the Lordstown plant.

The clock starts ticking when vehicles leave GM’s paint shop and CLI receives the broadcast for Just-In-Time delivery via its dedicated T1 lines. Redundant networks and backup power guarantee synchronization with GM in case of emergencies. Computer monitors display the Lordstown plant stock. Only 100 minutes are allotted to have headliners delivered and ready to install.

The sheer enormity of the operation and the criticality of inventory control are apparent when considering some facts regarding day-to-day operations: 121 trucks plus 36 sea containers are unloaded per day using 87 forklifts. Since many of the materials use returnable containers, these also need to be routed back to suppliers. Careful urgency is required to meet schedules and avoid inventory pileups and errors. This 365,000 square foot Austintown facility employs approximately 700 hourly and salaried employees.

CLI takes quality seriously. They have to. GM charges stiff monetary penalties per minute of plant downtime. In their efforts to provide accurate and timely service, they utilize RFID tags to ensure completion of VAA process steps and bar coding for all stages of inventory movement. Approximately 140 bar code scanners are in use at any given time. This approach also generates a record for use in containing potential quality spills. CLI has now completed 54 error free weeks.

For those in the market for logistics help, CLI offers advantages including: speedy implementation of logistics, low warehousing costs, low transportation costs, and nearly zero VAA errors with a full team to troubleshoot any issues that might arise.

Comprehensive Logistics Inc. (CLI) is a premier provider of holistic warehousing, distribution and transportation management capabilities. Founded in 1995, CLI manages more than 4 million square feet of facility operating space in the United States and Canada and is ISO 9001 and ISO/TS 16949 certified. A non-asset-based, end-to-end supply chain services company with roots in the transportation industry dating back to 1903, CLI is one of the fastest-growing privately held logistics service providers in the United States.

Comprehensive Logistics, Inc.
365 Victoria Ave
Austintown OH 44515