To optimize regional dealer and customer support while further strengthening the supply chain, Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas has added a 173,000-square-foot warehouse in Salt Lake City, Utah. This facility will provide support seven days a week and expedite quick shipping to dealers and customers in the construction and mining markets. Now, when a machine down event occurs, the western region of North America will have quicker access to parts for their Hitachi machines.
Balancing growth with parts availability
Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas recognizes that parts availability and location are critical to minimizing downtime and lowering shipping costs for customers. As the company continues rapid growth and expansion in the construction and mining markets, it now has $140 million in parts inventory spread across its warehouses in the Americas to ensure high parts availability. The lowest cost of operation comes with the least amount of machine downtime, so fast shipping of parts is essential.
“When we were deciding upon the location for this warehouse it was important for us to be close to our customers. While this requires additional investment and complexity for us, our goal is to improve the speed of delivery to our customers, maintain world class fill rates, and be a highly reliable partner,” said Jeremy Dieterle, vice president, parts, Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas.
Minimizing downtime lowers cost of ownership
Investing in regional warehouses allows Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas to continue to lower the cost of ownership for its customers and ensure that downtime is minimized. Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas warehouses cover several time zones across the Americas to ensure parts are readily available when needed.
“Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas is committed to being the best partner with the quickest delivery solution regardless of location,” said Dieterle.
The warehouse complements an existing supply chain network that stretches from Georgia to Indiana to Illinois and now Utah. Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas has invested in specialized technologies and equipment to efficiently handle all parts from the smallest O-ring to the largest EX8000 mining shovel components. The company’s supply chain in the Americas is backed by the strength of Hitachi Construction Machinery. Parts from all over the globe can be shipped via plane to warehouses across the U.S.
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