Motorised expansion
POWER DRIVES and controls manufacturer Lenze is restructuring its operation in the UK with a big investment in logistics and a new Bedford operations centre. A new logistics hub in northern France increases the availability of complex parts and gives customers reliability of supply. The UK operation centred in Bedford is being restructured for closer customer support and will soon move to a new modern facility.
To satisfy customer needs for product diversity Lenze has invested £40m in a new logistics centre in northern France, not far from Lille. This site holds parts for the UK, France, Holland and Spain giving advantages of delivery flexibility from the centralised stocks. The full range of Lenze geared motors can be built from stock parts including customer-specified options such as brakes, encoders, blowers, special lubrication and paint finish. With optimal storage and handling facilities, the logistics centre is able to achieve both consistent quality and reliability of delivery. Order handling procedures are proven and precise. Where a customer orders an electronic drive with options such as communication or safety modules, the drive is assembled with the requested options so it is ready to run. Furthermore the shipping paperwork, archived data and product markings all reflect the fully assembled specification that is a great aid to future traceability and spares supply.
Meanwhile, at the Lenze UK headquarters in Bedford, steps are being taken in parallel to the introduction of new logistics. Customer service is being strengthened with an emergency stock of critical products and spare parts instead of the previous warehouse of general stocks. Customer support is being realigned with internal technical customer service, field sales and back-up from teams of application engineers and product managers. Part of the changes will see the Lenze Bedford head office move to a modern facility four miles away in autumn 2010, allowing more efficient work flow.
LENZE:
T: +44 (0) 1234 321227
E: gspear@lenze.co.uk