Product category:
Tanks, pipework, nozzles, tube fittings
News Release from: Swagelok
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 22 September 2006
New fulfilment centre focuses on
customer needs
The new Swagelok Order Fulfilment Centre became fully operational this June, assembling and shipping 95 percent of the Swagelok range around the world, from its single site in Ohio, USA
The new Swagelok Order Fulfilment Centre (OFC) became fully operational this June, assembling and shipping 95 percent of the Swagelok standard and custom products around the world from its single site in Ohio, United States The landmark centre increases efficiency and flexibility for Swagelok customers by bringing together Swagelok associates into "lean cell" teams that can work together closely to solve problems and deliver on customer demands
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 21 Feb 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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"The new Order Fulfilment Centre is part of our overall strategy to reduce costs and increase speed to market.
It allowed us to consolidate and co-locate assembly and distribution of make-to-stock and custom configurations of our broad family of fluid system components," comments Art Anton, Swagelok president and CEO.
The adoption of "lean cell" practices to every business activity at the OFC has further increased customer flexibility.
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This approach co-locates associates and resources from different functions in one physical space with the aim of achieving specific customer goals as efficiently as possible.
For example, an "assembly cell" tasked to custom assemble modular platforms would comprise a team of skilled Swagelok associates with the space and equipment to concentrate on delivering on a single customer order.
Open communication within the team reduces assembly time and cost and ensures system quality.
The OFC brings together over 1000 Swagelok associates from across Northern Ohio under one massive 33,720m2 (333,000 sq.ft) roof to form the centre of an industry-leading global supply chain.
Along with major regional distribution and technical centres in Switzerland and Japan, the OFC serves customers with standard and customised fluid system solutions through 200 authorised sales and service centres around the world.
Every aspect of the OFC, from special customer training rooms to open green space areas for impromptu problem solving, was designed to increase flexibility in providing solutions to customers and ensure all functions remain focused on customer needs.
The latest technology is integrated through-out the OFC ensuring delivery of the most advanced and reliable Swagelok products and services.
Massive air-handling units, located in the plant area, ensure climate control in the highly specialised Class 10 clean room for assembly of high-end stainless steel and plastic products used in the semiconductor industry.
Visitors to the centre will see extensive use of Swagelok products throughout the OFC, including the laboratory gas distribution system, robotic equipment in the product assembly cells, conveyor and inventory management equipment.
The OFC vision of increased efficiency and speed to market began when ground was broken in 2004, on the same site as the Swagelok corporate headquarters.
Over the past six months, as inventory, assembly and shipping from Swagelok facilities across Northern Ohio were moved into the new centre, that vision became reality.
Investment in the OFC gives Swagelok the industry advantage in global supply chain responsiveness, and ability to provide fluid system solutions that deliver on customer demands, now and into the future.
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