Automotive manufacturer Hino Australia has officially opened its new purpose-built Parts Distribution Centre (PDC) in Sydney’s Horsley Park.
A significant increase in the ‘truck park’ of Hino trucks has contributed to parts sales growing 24% over the last 5 years, which had bought the previous PDC in Caringbah close to capacity.
“This new facility will optimise our supply chain network to provide faster service, improve inventory levels, resulting in a higher supply rate, which will ultimately support the forecasted growth of parts sales,” said Greg Bleasel, Vice President – Product Support for Hino Australia.
Hino worked with a leading international storage solutions provider to design and install a storage solution that includes small parts storage, through to single and double depth pallet racking and open faced cantilever racking.
“This new storage system will ensure we can safely store and handle current and new parts of all sizes, future-proofing the operations against new product ranges and increased volumes,” Bleasel said.
Compared to Hino’s old facility, the floor-space in the new 9,272m² warehouse has doubled, including a significant increase in the ability to handle both incoming and outgoing freight with ten loading docks versus two at the old Caringbah premises.
“We partnered with our fellow Toyota Group Company, Toyota Materials Handling to implement new and highly innovative material handling equipment solutions, which will deliver significant improvements in productivity and safety,” Bleasel added.
Further enhancements include moving the racking from 8 to 6 metres in height to improve safety and visibility, resulting in better productivity.
In addition to a purpose-built collection area for drivers and customers including a waiting area, kitchen and bathroom facilities.
The new PDC is also targeting a 5 Star Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) with important sustainability features such as 30 kW solar system, a 40kL rainwater tank to capture and re-use rainwater within toilets, urinals and landscaping irrigation, energy-efficient LED lighting, and water-efficient fixtures and fittings.
“This investment will allow Hino and our dealer network to meet the forecast future business expansion and meet the growing needs of our customers,” he concluded.
The new PDC is located within Horsley Park and Eastern Creek, with access to key transport routes.
Source: Hino Australia