Redford, Mich., USA – Detroit Diesel Corporation (DDC), an engine manufacturing unit of Daimler Trucks North America, has been presented with the Productivity Award in Warehousing/Manufacturing by the magazine Modern Materials Handling. DDC was honored for its innovative materials handling process at its plant in Redford, Michigan.
Daimler Trucks’ lean management concept, known as the Truck Operating System (TOS), has led to a sustainable reorganization of DDC’s Redford location. The engine manufacturer invested nearly €200 million to refurbish and retool the three million square-foot plant, where the DD15 and DD13 engines are manufactured. Updates to the plant included creating a central warehouse area with narrow-aisle high bay storage to free up space for the new line and implementing a Kanban system for materials procurement. The new system uses a series of specially-designed carts that deliver parts and components to the line and route the engines from one workstation to the next.
“We are proud to be recognized for our redesigned materials handling and storage processes,” says Chris Russell, DDC’s material flow engineering supervisor. “We strive to continually increase productivity and quality in line with the TOS, and this distinction is a reflection of our innovative and pioneering approach to manufacturing.”Headquartered in Redford, Michigan, Detroit Diesel Corporation is a company of Daimler Trucks North America and a leading manufacturer of on-highway diesel engines for the commercial truck market.
About Daimler
Daimler AG, Stuttgart, with its businesses Mercedes-Benz Cars, Daimler Trucks, Daimler Financial Services, Mercedes-Benz Vans and Daimler Buses, is a globally leading producer of premium passenger cars and the global market leader of heavy- and medium-duty trucks as well as buses. The Daimler Financial Services division has a broad offering of financial services, including vehicle financing, leasing, insurance and fleet management. Daimler sells its products in nearly all the countries of the world and has production facilities on five continents. The company’s founders, Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz, continued to make automotive history following their invention of the automobile in 1886. As an automotive pioneer, Daimler and its employees willingly accept an obligation to act responsibly towards society and the environment and to shape the future of safe and sustainable mobility with groundbreaking technologies and high-quality products. The current brand portfolio includes the world’s most valuable automobile brand, Mercedes-Benz, as well as smart, AMG, Maybach, Freightliner, Western Star, Mitsubishi Fuso, Setra, Orion and Thomas Built Buses. The company is listed on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt, New York and Stuttgart (stock exchange abbreviation DAI). In 2008, the Group sold 2.1 million vehicles and employed a workforce of over 270,000 people; revenue totaled €95.9 billion and EBIT amounted to €2.7 billion. Daimler is an automotive Group with a commitment to excellence, and aims to achieve sustainable growth and industry-leading profitability.
Press Release:media.daimler.com