Medical Devices Sector Case Study
Our client is a global brand with a
medical device division that manufactures and maintains high-end
equipment and spare-parts for key items such as x-ray and
diagnostic machines, to hospitals across the UK.
The challenges
Before we were engaged, our client's collect and returns cycle
time was in excess of 10 days for goods that were required for any
of their 300-plus engineers. This included collection at their
European distribution centre in Germany, through to any UK
hospital, and back to Germany and Belgium. Our challenge was to
reduce this time to less than 10 days while tracking each
individual item at SIM level with live data.
Goods were also being left at hospital receptions and goods-in
areas. This carried repercussions of wasted time for the specialist
engineers who would then have to wait onsite while the equipment
was taken to its correct hospital location.
Our solutions
We looked at how the client's goods were being processed and
analysed the movement flow. We assisted in changing the air
linehaul and re-engineered the UK network to be client specific.
This included enhancing our operation at Coventry airport to allow
faster processing at night and adapted the IT processes to track
items throughout their journey.
We also created small regional centres and a final mile
solution, which allowed us to deliver individual items direct into
the precise designated hospital location - and at a specified
time.
Benefits to our client
- A reduction in the collection and returns time from 10 to 7.8
days, within a six-month period, which was one of the quickest ever
achieved in Europe.
- Inventory savings.
- A far more efficient delivery system means engineers spend less
time on site, saving our client and the hospital time and
costs.
- Improved equipment availability across Europe.
More information can be found in the relevant service section:
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