Product category:
Metals and materials, stockholding
News Release from: Corus Group (Automotive) | Subject: Panel blanking facility
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 30 May 2003
JIT facility supplies automotive skin
panels
A Just-in-Time supply facility in Coventry will improve efficiency and increase flexibility to enhance service levels of delivering steel skin panel blanks to a local vehicle manufacturer.
Corus, the international metals company, has announced that it is to establish a Just-in-Time (JIT) supply facility in Coventry The facility will improve efficiency and increase flexibility to enhance service levels of delivering steel skin panel blanks from its dedicated Automotive Service Centre in Wolverhampton to Mayflower Vehicle Systems
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 26 Apr 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Steelmaker collaborates to optimise suspensions
Steelmaker is using advanced CAE combined with its extensive material expertise to help TKA Tallent Chassis optimise the design of future chassis suspension systems.
Steel supplier relationships get closer
Closer steel supplier relationship with Renault will provide the necessary material, manufacturing and logistic solutions to help the French carmaker meet its strategic objectives.
The 1200m2 satellite facility, located at Swallow Gate Business Park adjacent to the Mayflower operation, will be fully networked with the Automotive Service Centre, which is based at the Corus Steelpark, a 50-acre steel supply and processing hub, in Wednesfield in the West Midlands.
The networked JIT facility will allow Corus to provide Mayflower with full functionality including complete visibility and traceablity of stock, the processing of orders and even invoicing.
The JIT facility will stock Mayflower's complete requirement of 206 different sizes and specifications of automotive steel blanks for more than 100 different body parts, which the company supplies to several leading vehicle manufacturers.
Further reading
Heat treatments for bolts are on the way out
New wire rod products will eliminate costly heat treatments from the cold-heading process, which is used to manufacture screws, bolts and rivets for the automotive and construction industries.
Collaboration moves ahead on automotive steels
Corus and Sumitomo Metal Industries report good progress in developing new strip steel products for the automotive industry and also in engineering steels.
Heavy gauge slitting line installed
Corus has invested over GBP 500,000 in an additional processing line at the Coil Slitting Centre at its 50-acre steel distribution and processing development in Wolverhampton, UK.
With a 2000 tonne stock capacity, the distribution satellite will provide a flexible and efficient supply of blanks timed to meet Mayflower's specific manufacturing schedule.
A back-to-back loading and off-loading system will operate between the Corus Automotive Service Centre, the JIT facility and Mayflower.
This further streamlines the supply-chain allowing materials to flow in a more efficient and reliable way, thereby reducing storage, handling and transport costs.
Locating the facility on Mayflower's doorstep has enabled the company to eliminate its own steel stocks and release both capital and space tied up in this area.
In particular, the new facility will help to alleviate the specific logistics problems posed by the almost constant traffic congestion on the M6 motorway between Coventry and Wolverhampton.
The JIT facility is expected to be operational from the end of May 2003.
Commenting on the supply facility and the added value of working with a material supplier such as Corus, Dave Watson, general manager supply, Mayflower Vehicle Systems said: "Reducing costs through the supply chain is a major challenge facing the automotive industry, and the investment and commitment Corus has made in establishing this facility will help us to achieve this.
Corus has worked closely with us to understand our specific needs as a tier one supplier, which helps us deliver the quality of products and service demanded by vehicle manufacturers." The new supply facility follows the recent GBP 250,000 investment by Corus in an additional multi-strand blanking line at Wednesfield to help meet increased demand, which includes the contract to supply Mayflower Vehicle Systems with 100 per cent of its skin panel blank requirements.
The new blanking line is the latest addition to the GBP 30 million already invested by Corus in downstream facilities at the Steelpark site to help meet the increasing demand from the automotive supply chain for tailor-welded and full-finish skin-panel blanks ready for assembly.
The site already boasts a comprehensive line-up of dedicated processing facilities, including two 6000kN large-bed pressing and blanking lines.
In addition, Autolaser Technologies, the dedicated laser welding business adjacent to the Automotive Centre, was the first facility in Europe to have the capability to manufacture production volumes of advanced, second-generation, non-linear Nd:YAG (Neodymium-Yttrium Aluminium Garnet) laser-welded blanks.
These are being successfully used by BMW MINI and Jaguar.
Other recent automotive downstream investments by Corus include the world's first production-ready laser-welded tubular blank machine commissioned at the Corus Hyfo Competence Centre at the IJmuiden plant in the Netherlands. Request a free brochure from Corus Group (Automotive) ...
• Corus Group (Automotive): contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Manufacturingtalk email newsletter
• Manufacturingtalk Home Page
