– In the third episode of the second season, the documentary series looks behind the scenes of the supply chains at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). – Logistics management acts as an interface between production and sales, at FCA on a global level and with a focus on sustainability. – Efficient supply chains generate benefits for customers, manufacturing and the environment.
The documentary series "FCA What's Behind" takes a look behind the scenes at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). The first two episodes of the second season offered a comprehensive overview of the company's philosophy: the constant pursuit of progress, expressed through research into even more sustainable drive systems.
The aim is to create new forms of mobility that have their roots in FCA's prestigious and inspiring history. In this philosophy, the automobile is not just a means of transport, but the embodiment of ideas, dreams and perspectives that must be as accessible as possible. Industrial production is required to implement them.
But the logistics used to reach customers are also essential. The management behind supply chains and logistics is the focus of the third episode of "FCA What's Behind".
The global interface between production and sales
The logistics management of an automobile manufacturer acts as an interface between industrial production and distribution or sales. In the supply chain, materials and semi-finished products are moved, the various production sites are linked together and the finished vehicles are finally delivered to the customers. The task of logistics management is to synchronize the entire process as precisely as clockwork in order to avoid uneconomical idle time and delays.
At FCA, the scope of logistics management includes the entire global supplier network, all distribution centers and over 100 plants around the world. This structure alone is an example of the global nature of the company. In order to meet customer demand quickly and efficiently, material movements must be precisely planned and fully functional before actual production starts.
Highly complex system
Logistics management must keep production in balance by balancing factory capacity with demand. In the supply chain, quantities must be determined and the necessary resources built up in order to optimize material flow and inventory. This creates an extremely complex and organic system whose components all work towards a common goal: to produce the vehicles configured according to the customer's requirements on time.
This is the only way to fulfill orders from every FCA trading partner worldwide quickly and efficiently. Supply chain and logistics management comes into play immediately after the order is placed. Material usage, production and capacities in the individual plants must be coordinated.
Based on the schedule created, I-Fast Container Logistics, a wholly owned subsidiary of FCA, organizes the transport of individual components from suppliers to FCA's factories, where they are processed and assembled. Once the car is produced, another FCA subsidiary takes over the transport to dealers worldwide: I-Fast Automotive Logistics.
State-of-the-art, natural gas-powered car transporters are also used for the transfer from the distribution warehouse to the port, representing the sustainable revolution in freight transport. Around 60 percent of the transports in and out of the FCA plants are carried out in an environmentally friendly manner by sea or rail.
environmentally friendly transport routes
FCA is also increasing sustainability through organizational innovations. The optimized loading of containers led to a saving of around 600 tons of CO2 in 2019 alone. Further measures to optimize material transport will save over 1.500 tons of CO2 saved.
Finally, the rationalisation of vehicle transport by road, sea and rail has enabled CO2emissions will be reduced by a further 2.700 tonnes. FCA's logistics and supply chain management works in an innovative, flexible and sustainable way to meet every customer request and achieve benefits for production and the environment.
