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    Automotive and Machinery

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    At Amethyst we understand that your reputation and success depends on understanding and efficiently servicing the complex demand chain to maintain and repair your products. Whether supplying to dealers, field based engineers, workshops or customer premises.

    Customer expectations are increasing and the competition are getting better – to stay on top you need an effective parts distribution system, impeccable stock holding accuracy and inventory control, and of course timely and accurate delivery whilst still keeping costs low.

    Amethyst can help. Amethyst people are experienced, qualified, professional but above all passionate about what we do and the positive impact it has in helping our clients to succeed.

    The service standards are second to none with KPI’s such as 99% order fill, 0.07% total error rate and 99.7% stock accuracy routinely achieved. We know that waiting on a part can cost you financially and the end customer in terms of service levels. We offer real-time pick & pack so you know the part that your field engineer ordered is actually in stock and has been picked for THAT job.

    We can deliver to and from your field-force and customers according to pre-defined service levels or warranty agreements.

    All our sites are ISO 9001:2008 accredited and we also have many years of success in dealing with the demands of the MoD and NATO and are accredited by both.

    WAREHOUSING

    Our experience in the automotive & machinery market ensures we answer common industry problems such as poor parts availability, high stock levels, long lead times, high return rates, poor reporting and stock management. We can deliver to and from your field-force and customers according to pre-defined service levels or warranty agreements. We offer a range of bespoke services including: Technical help desks; Stock reporting & perpetual inventory management; Late cut off; Next day – 8am; Internet access – order processing; Dial up – order processing.

    DISTRIBUTION

    Warehousing is just one element in providing effective and timely distribution of aftermarket parts to their point of need. We use a range of distribution partners to offer a comprehensive range of services to suit our clients needs. Whether it is a bespoke choice of delivery times, consolidating orders to specific collection points or a secure, closed-user network that is required, we can answer your requirements. We manage large easily damaged body panels with very low levels of transit damage through specialised packaging and tight working procedures with the selected transport providers. As you would expect returned or exchange parts are dealt with in the same professional manner. We can also link up with specialised re-processing or environmentally sound disposal partners.

    ADDED VALUE

    Our aim at Amethyst is to ensure we consistently add value for our clients by offering bespoke services, tailored to their needs. For example, because of the nature of the Ministry of defence (MoD), logistics management is a critical part of their supply chain, and lives can depend on the right products being in the right place, on time. Accuracy, quality and flexibility are must-haves for anyone working in this sector. As a direct supplier ourselves and working with other suppliers to the MoD we understand and accept the demands of this unique customer. Alongside the supply of conventional warehouse and logistics requirements we work with suppliers to the MoD to help them comply with the demanding additional needs. This applies at all stages of the supply chain whether it be inbound to batch assembly plants, working with complex bills of materials, control of kitting and de-kitting or transport of finished product. All the key specialist services for successfully fulfilling MoD contracts are available. In transport we have practical knowledge of MoD protocols and are security cleared to manage transport of the materials we accept. We are able to manage classifications of stock for security issues and ownership changes. We can kit and de-kit with accuracy and speed. In manufacturing logistics we operate and document procedures to conform to MoD and Manufacturer audit trail standards.

    IT

    Amethyst has provided electronic catalogue and order services for our clients customers for over a decade. This gives your customers real time access to our systems for selection of items and order placement. For some clients we also provide technical helplines to assist users in finding the right parts for their job. Our IT services have been tailor made for the sector and include: Electronic parts catalogues, On-line real time ordering, VOR time critical order management, Technical helplines, Next day delivery and carrier management.

    We have worked with many of our clients for over 10 years and consistently renew these contracts through focused Account Management and excellent Customer Service. For one of our largest aftermarket parts customers we provide a Dealer Help Desk Support function to provide expert assistance to the Dealerships. In providing these additional services we are able to work more closely with our clients and ultimately become a key supply chain partner. We manage this relationship through our operational teams with daily and weekly reviews and on a strategic level with Managing Director involvement for quarterly or annual reviews. This way we ensure the day to day KPI’s are achieved whilst allowing for planning of future developments and contract growth. We also offer online access for up to the second KPI reporting so our clients can monitor performance at all times.

    CASE STUDIES

     

    MHE Field Engineer Parts

    Amethyst Group has significant experience in providing time sensitive fulfilment solutions for our customers. An example of this is for a leading European MHE manufacturer requiring an innovative and forward thinking partner to manage their engineer van stock replenishment operations in the UK. They have 500 mobile engineers covering the UK who are required to arrive within a four hour time window for breakdown call outs. Over 100,000 individual parts can be ordered for the next day by engineers from customer locations throughout the UK. The van stocks have to be replenished by 06:00am each morning to ensure engineers arrive at their first job with the correct balance of customised parts relevant to the historical local operation.

    SOLUTION:

    The manufacturer appointed Amethyst Group to become a third party provider of engineer van parts. This includes parts inventory management, warehousing and distribution. The distribution centre utilised for the client is a shared user facility of 90,000 sqft based at Burton on Trent. The site receives inbound parts on a daily basis from the manufacturer’s European warehouse in Germany and processes engineer orders for daily despatches. Distribution vehicles leave Burton up to 17.00pm each day for delivery to our partner courier hubs for overnight sortation. Specialised “in van” deliveries are made to the engineers’ vehicles before 06:00am each morning, and any returns follow a similar route back.

    RESULT:

    Amethyst hold in excess of 150,000 stocked items, which turn 6 times per annum. Orders are received overnight and through the day, then despatched by 17.00pm for next day delivery. We achieve these SLA’s whilst maintaining KPI item accuracy in excess of 99.97%.

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    Car Manufacturer Parts Logistics

    An international car manufacturer took the strategic decision to appoint a suitable partner to manage their parts logistics operations in the UK. There are over 26,000 individual parts that can be ordered by the 150+ dealers on a day one for day 2 basis. The logistics partner would need to manage the inventory and procurement of the stock based on up to the minute demand planning management. Furthermore, a Dealer Help Desk Support function was required to provide expert assistance to the Dealerships.

    SOLUTION:

    The manufacturer appointed Amethyst Group to become a third party provider of parts logistics. This includes parts inventory management, warehousing and distribution together with dealer help desk support. The distribution centre utilised for the client is a shared user facility of 120,000 sqft based at Staplehurst in Kent. It is well positioned to take inbound freight on a daily basis from the manufacturer’s European warehouse in Belgium. Distribution vehicles leave Staplehurst up to 7.30pm each day for delivery to the UK dealer network overnight, for delivery either into lock-up facilities in the night or next morning. The initial contract has been renewed several times since 2000.

    RESULT:

     

    Amethyst hold 26,000 Stocked Lines, which turn 11 times per annum. There are over 1,000 lines inbound per day. Outbound we despatch from over 2,400 lines daily, across 140 orders. These orders are received by 11am and despatched by 7.30pm for delivery overnight. Furthermore, we offer an urgent, VOR, order service by 14:30pm, for overnight delivery, for all dealers. We achieve these SLA’s whilst maintaining a KPI of 0.07% line error against lines despatched.

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