Auto industry supplier works with ClearOrbit on configurable shipping system to improve customer responsiveness, order accuracy
Austin, TX — June 30, 2004 — The Commercial Vehicle Systems business of tier-one auto industry supplier ArvinMeritor has partnered with supply chain execution (SCE) solution provider ClearOrbit to implement an advanced shipping methods solution for ArvinMeritor's Oracle enterprise resource planning (ERP) system with an eye toward improving customer responsiveness and order accuracy.
With $8 billion in annual revenue, ArvinMeritor serves light vehicle, commercial truck, trailer and specialty original equipment manufacturers and related aftermarkets. Headquartered in Troy, Mich., ArvinMeritor employs approximately 32,000 people at more than 150 manufacturing facilities in 27 countries.
ArvinMeritor worked with ClearOrbit to create a global solution for automated data capture and shop floor process automation that will be used across 22 manufacturing facilities in 13 countries.
As a leading supplier to automotive OEM's such as DaimlerChrysler, GM, Ford and Volvo, ArvinMeritor required a solution that allowed it to avoid the "pick, pack and ship" processes typically offered by ERP systems.
ClearOrbit said its solution allows ArvinMeritor staff to move items directly from work-in-process (WIP) lines to the shipping dock, providing maximum flexibility and responsiveness to changing customer requirements. The solution includes ClearOrbit's Compliance Label Manager for rules-based configurability when dealing with bar code labeling requirements.
Tom Dziersk, president and CEO of ClearOrbit, noted that ArvinMeritor's shipping challenges include a large number of facilities, high volume shipments and repetitive orders that are build-to-ship.
"When implementing this system, ClearOrbit's focus was on reducing ArvinMeritor's inventory, while managing sequenced just-in-time material shipments," Dziersk said. "We were able to layer on top of Oracle a standard SCE solution that provides an optimized workflow that dramatically reduces the number of transactions a user must enter, increasing order efficiency and accuracy. We do this while leveraging the configurations and setups within the Oracle ERP, reducing integration costs and avoiding customizations."
Jay McLean, vice president for information technology at ArvinMeritor's Commercial Vehicle Systems Group, said that ClearOrbit's standard product approach, integration capabilities with Oracle applications and history of enabling implementations for global material movement were deciding factors in the company's decision to go with the solution provider.
"We partner only with flexible, industry-leading technology innovators who share our commitment to developing global automotive shipping solutions," McLean said. "ClearOrbit was the best fit."
