Automotive transport, delivery to unloading slots

Knowledge base

Automotive transport, delivery to unloading slots

In automotive the unloading window matters more than distance. A few pallets exactly on time, so the line does not wait.

In automotive, the unloading window matters more than the distance. We bring a few pallets of parts exactly to the booked slot, so the production line does not wait. We plan the route around the hour, track the vehicle and keep a fallback ready if something on the road goes wrong.

How we work for production

  • Delivery to a specific unloading slot, to the hour.
  • Dedicated transport for a few pallets, with no handling on the way.
  • Vehicle tracking and constant contact with the plant scheduler.
  • A fallback plan: a second vehicle or driver when a line stoppage is at stake.
Just in time means delivery exactly when parts are needed on the line, with no buffer stock at the receiver, which is why any delay stops production.

We work the same way on every time-critical delivery. See our transport types or write through the contact form.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if the truck misses its unloading slot at the plant?
In just in time deliveries the consignee holds no stock, so a late truck means a stopped production line, and the cost of that stoppage is many times the cost of transport. That is why we plan the route around a specific hour, monitor the vehicle all the way and stay in touch with the plant scheduler, so we can react before a delay becomes a problem.
Does a dedicated vehicle for a few pallets of parts make sense?
It does, when a production line is waiting on the other end. A few pallets then travel without any transhipment en route, straight to the assigned slot, to the hour. In a groupage network the same consignment would pass through terminals and lose time at every handling. For production deliveries that is the difference between arriving on time and stopping the line.
What does the contingency plan look like when something goes wrong on the road?
We prepare the contingency plan before departure, not in the middle of a crisis. It covers a second vehicle or an additional driver, ready to take over the load when a line stoppage is at stake. We monitor the truck continuously, so we know about a breakdown or a jam at once and inform the plant scheduler immediately, instead of explaining ourselves after the event.

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