Unipart has a long and successful history of working with some of the biggest names in the automotive sector, supporting them to bring innovation to the marketplace as part of transformative supply chain solutions that have evolved over time.
Transport Service Excellence
Unipart manages multiple inbound carriers to the UK and the movement of materials and components for a premier car manufacturer. We also oversee outbound freight movements across the globe.
Utilising Unipart’s proprietary freight visibility platform, UniTrack, our Customer Services and the client’s own supply and inventory management teams can
see what freight is being moved by sea at any given time to better understand parts lead times and make more informed ordering decisions. For example, automatic notifications can be issued whenever a container misses designated milestones in its journey, including its estimated time of arrival. This provides proactive insight as events occur which may impact upon service, enabling real-time, intelligent decision-making on corrective actions to protect the customer experience.
Additionally, we manage export fr
eight according to agreed terms with overseas import accounts. Our Export Road Replenishment service ensures supply to European warehouses and this includes assessing and planning vehicle capa
city and making sure that pre-shipment compliance paperwork is in place and export declarations meet EU shipping requirements.
Customer-nominated air freight providers are controlled via our Export Air Shipment service, which ensures the smooth and timely flow of materials and parts through the air freight process. By offering an expedited air freight service we are able to reduce cus
tomer lead times and enhance both the ownership and after-sales experiences of the end customer.
Smart, Agile Solutions for Every Need
Unipart solutions are designed to always put the customer first and add value. Using dedicated systems such as UniTrack we have maximised the service offering to end customers for one of the world’s leading automotive manufacturers. We have also identified key cost-saving opportunities through creative problem-solving and continual innovation, for example, by removing certain routes and introducing double stack trailers. In 2020, operational improvements in this client’s transport programme resulted in savings of £600k.
Implemented during the global pandemic, in response to the increasing need to provide supply chain transparency, UniTrack was piloted and proven on US routes and quickly expanded to cover China, the Middle East and North Africa, South Korea, Japan and Australia.
Our ability to gather, use and share data intelligently also enables us to target resources wisely. We work closely with the customer to find new norms in the face of shifting complexities and our experience and supply chain knowledge certainly came to the fore during the pandemic so that we could make and support changes to data required by Customs and work with carriers to improve communication processes.
Global Freight is one aspect of our varied and specialised Integrated Distribution Solutions which includes closed loop, last mile, temperature controlled, automotive line-side and branch/ store networks. With a fleet of over 450 vehicles, we provide tailored, global distribution solutions and utilise a suite of digital systems that drive insight and supply chain intelligence into differentiated customer solutions. To find out what we can do for you contact lee.chambers@unipart.com