Case Study - CAT-UK
CAT-UK provides a complex range of value-added services to automotive manufacturers, dealer groups, rental companies and fleet owners, including PDI on 100% of units, fitting accessories on line, remarketing used vehicles and vehicle delivery to end users. Group wide, Renault remains CAT’s major customer, accounting for over 150,000 of 200,000 units per annum processed through CAT-UK’s two main centres in Southampton and Teesport.
The challenge
The challenge for CAT-UK was to manage increasingly complex service demands from a growing and diversifying customer base, whilst maintaining high levels of customer service and controlling costs.
The company recognized the need to replace existing heritage workshop systems at its two major import centres, Southampton and Teesport, with a more sophisticated system, common to both sites. The new management system needed to be able to interface with Group level systems, to gain information on imported vehicle flows from multiple countries and integrate with related vehicle specific data from UK sources.
However, over and above this base data, CAT UK wanted the ability to add new services to meet individual customer requirements, fulfilling locally based contracts with Renault UK, their dealers and dealerships for other marques as well as rental companies and finance/leasing houses.
The solution
Following competitive tender, CAT identified Vehnet’s Advance technology as the most flexible software available.
· Adaptability
Using unique Application Builder technology, Vehnet’s Advance Workshop Manager provided an adaptable tool that enabled CAT to build a tailored solution to meet its specific UK requirements, whilst interfacing with CAT’s Group level systems.
· Innovation
Working closely in partnership, Vehnet and CAT together developed,
tested and implemented innovative new functionality, which now forms
part of the Advance standard product.
· Visibility
Macro visibility of the supply chain – from factory to import centre and
from import centre to dealer – is available to CAT UK via Group systems,
however the implementation of Advance technology has provided micro visibility of workshop processes, which includes enabling CAT to manage parts ordering as part of intelligent work flow, giving visibility of parts required, parts ordered, parts in stock and integrating that information with the enquiry system.
· Efficiency
A further function of the Advance system was the facility for CAT UK to monitor, record and control operative hours worked, by job and by workplace, which enables CAT to assess productivity and set priorities accordingly, substantially improving efficiency and driving down costs.
The results
· Enhanced Complexity
Since the implementation of Vehnet’s Advance Workshop Manager, CAT UK has achieved instant and real time visibility of all workshop processes. Currently, the company is processing around 60 vehicles per hour and has the potential to run on three shifts. Over 200,000 vehicles per annum are processed through 2 import centres; individual processing requirements are allocated to each vehicle, including one of 20 possible PDI specifications, plus any additional services, from specialist badging requirements to fitting of post assembly
‘dealer fitted’ accessories from a potential range of 500 different alternatives, which include blue tooth, tow bars, roof racks and stripes, sports body kits and full van conversions.
· Control
The Advance Workshop Manager also enables the workshop control room to see all vehicles on line and all those about to come online, together with the processes to be carried
out for each one. It enables accurate forward ordering of parts to meet known requirements.
· Cost savings & increased productivity
The system has saved costs in terms of allocation of labour according to workshop loading. One of the tangible benefits reaped by the implementation of Vehnet's Advance technology has been the increased diversity of operations managed by CAT UK with a smaller, more efficiently deployed workforce.
· Competitive edge
Fitments and customization at point of import greatly reduce logistics costs for customers, shortening the supply chain and ensuring consistent high level of quality. By significantly extending such services at Southampton and Teesport centres, CAT UK has created competitive edge by delivering benefit across all interest sets, from manufacturers through sales and after sales to end users such as leasing companies.
The future
CAT UK’s ambition is to offer ever more sophisticated processes to more customers, interfacing increasingly through EDI and providing web based visibility to achieve further increase in performance and reduction in costs.
While Vehnet supports CAT in the development and continual improvement
of its customer specific solution, key personnel at CAT are trained and have been given the tools to adapt and refine the system in-house, delivering control, adaptability and autonomy into the hands of the company.
Customer conclusion
“The Advance Workshop Manager is an essential part of what we can offer our customers. It’s all about visibility, control and localized adaptability of our processing centres to cater for our customers’ demanding needs.” Stuart Warren, MD of CAT UK.
