Perkins Engines is focusing on faster parts delivery and service with its new 37,000-sq.-ft. regional logistics center (RLC) in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.
Perkins chose the location for the center, which shares space in the UPS-SCS multi-client Kentucky Distribution Center, to be close to the UPS Worldport facility less than 50 miles away at Louisville International Airport and its access to the U.S. Interstate highway system to facilitate ground shipments across the U.S. and Canada.
The close proximity of the Perkins RLC to the UPS Worldport means that customers in the eastern U.S. can place orders for next-day delivery until 8 p.m. and West Coast customers can order until the end of their business day also for next-day delivery.
In today’s world, expedited delivery and service is the norm in many markets, and Perkins wanted to ensure they could compete in that environment.
“The experience our customers expect online today is very different,” said Nick Morgan, supply chain and operations manager for Perkins. “They’re used to ordering from places like Amazon and want everything tomorrow, or maybe even later today. To remain competitive, we have to make that happen through things like e-commerce channels, online buying, and our network of distributors and dealers.
The Perkins RLC stocks more than 7,000 spare parts, each of which has been ordered at least three times in the last three years. Less frequently ordered parts will be shipped directly from the Perkins distribution center in the U.K.
The RLC also is an integral part of Perkins online parts ordering system accessed via www.perkins.com/shop. Targeted at end-users of Perkins powered equipment, rental businesses, repair and engineering shops plus mobile service and repair engineers, the website allows U.S. customers to purchase genuine Perkins parts over the internet. Most of those parts will be shipped from the RLC to expedite delivery to the customer.
“The RLC is just the first step in implementing a new business model for our global aftermarket business,” Morgan said. “The future will be driven increasingly by data generated by engine telematics like our Perkins SmartCap and the Perkins My Engine App. That data will let us more precisely forecast what parts will be needed and when and where to support stocking decisions for facilities like the RLC.”
Morgan said this data-driven approach will brings Perkins a lot closer to its end-customers for direct feedback to improve its customer service.
“The future of parts and service is proactive and that’s where we’re going,” Morgan said.
For more information, visit www.perkins.com.
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