Comprehensive Logistics Models Efficient Supply Chain Operation for University Program

Dec. 3, 2010 - PRLog -- Comprehensive Logistics Inc. (CLI), a premier provider of highly efficient, engineered logistics services for complex supply chains, recently served as a model logistics operation for executive MBA students studying supply chain management.

On Nov. 12, 17 graduate students from Cleveland State University (CSU) toured CLI’s flagship logistics optimization center (LOC) in Austintown, Ohio, as part of the university’s Executive MBA program.

Alan Hicks, plant manager at the 500,000-square foot LOC, and Lou Conti, program manager, provided the graduate students with a behind-the-scenes look at the intricate processes involved in bringing new products to market.

For example, as a strategic logistics partner for the all-new Chevrolet Cruze, CLI receives parts and components from hundreds of global suppliers and builds complex vehicle configurations for just-in-time delivery to General Motors’ assembly plant in Lordstown, Ohio. The LOC also oversees scheduling, storage and retrieval, metering, sequencing, kitting, returnable containers and outbound transportation for the Cruze line .

CLI schedules and receives more than 30 containers per day from overseas suppliers. Inbound vehicle parts and components are then used to build approximately 900 vehicle subassemblies daily. At full capacity, the LOC will build more than 1,000 complex configurations—including front horizontal, vertical and rear suspension systems and headliner modules— every day to support the production of approximately 296,000 Cruze units per year.

Graduate students were impressed by CLI’s 55-second cycle time, a result of the company’s deeply ingrained process-improvement culture. They also learned about the company’s stringent 40-micron quality standard and the high-tech vision systems and multiple error-proofing techniques that ensure compliance. “Imagine splitting a single human hair lengthwise seven times,” Hicks said. “That’s our tolerance for error.”

Hicks also offered an overview of the company’s proprietary supply chain intelligence system, which provides CLI’s clients with lot- and part-level visibility across the entire supply chain—from first mile to last.

“The processes that were covered parallel our current course of study,” says Paul Dulick, executive MBA student at CSU. “It is evident that Comprehensive Logistics successfully delivers just-in-time solutions through the use of state-of-the-art technology, a talented and knowledgeable workforce and a focus on continuous improvement initiatives.”

“The representatives of Comprehensive Logistics were very welcoming, and their knowledge sharing really demonstrated their high-level expertise of the logistics industry,” adds Shante R. Roddy, another executive MBA student. “Likewise, as a quality manager, I found the company culture to be grounded in lean practices with focus on continuous improvements, which has contributed to their continued success in delivering quality products to their customers.”

“It was truly a great experience,” adds Dulick, “and I wouldn’t hesitate to reach out to Comprehensive Logistics for future manufacturing or assembly needs.”

About CSU’s Executive MBA Program
CSU’s Executive MBA program (http://www.csuohio.edu/business/emba/index.html) is designed for business executives, managers and professionals who want to earn their MBA degrees without interrupting their careers. The curriculum emphasizes strategic decision making and includes supply chain management as a core requirement. Led by CSU Lecturer Perry A. Trunick, EBA 612: Supply Chain Management, covers supply management, push-pull systems, e-business issues, third-party logistics companies, distribution systems, purchasing, decision-support tools and other supply chain concepts.

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About Comprehensive Logistics Inc.
Comprehensive Logistics Inc. (CLI) is a premier provider of holistic warehousing, distribution and transportation management capabilities. Founded in 1995, CLI manages more than 4 million square feet of facility operating space in the United States and Canada and is ISO 9001 and ISO/TS 16949 certified. A non-asset-based, end-to-end supply chain services company with roots in the transportation industry dating back to 1903, CLI specializes in subassembly, sequencing and value-added processes. The company engages lean management techniques to engineer unique service models that surpass the most stringent quality standards. CLI’s refined process- and technology-based culture cultivates collaborative business relationships based on real-time transparency and unrestricted access to part-level control. For more information, call 800.734.0372, e-mail info@complog.com, or visit http://www.complog.com.