Automotive News Europe
May 19, 2008

Getrag-Ford expects productivity boost

By Douglas Bolduc   

Getrag Ford expects to save more than 500,000 euros and boost productivity 20 percent at their joint-venture transmission plant in Cologne.

The savings will result from improved flow of materials in the factory, which will reduce the plant's on-hand inventory from local suppliers to two days from seven days. The reduction is possible following the implementation of a wireless messaging infrastructure from US-based tracking specialist WhereNet.

The system manages the flow of parts from the supplier to the plant, from the plant's warehouse to the staging lane, and ultimately to the appropriate assembly-line operator.

"The system moves us a long way toward our ultimate goal of a completely forklift-less production operation, as we are now operating leaner than ever before," Getrag Ford Transmissions logistics boss Ralf Vierkotten said in a statement.

Ford of Europe and Getrag formed the 50-50 joint venture in 2001.

The factory makes more than 1 million transmissions a year for Ford, Mazda and Volvo.

The partners also may launch the system at their other plants in Europe. The other plants
are in Bordeaux, France; Halewood, UK; Gothenburg, Sweden; and Kechnec, Slovakia.

WhereNet, which is part of Zebra Technologies, also provides real-time locating solutions to BMW, Land Rover and Jaguar.