Service kits on-site

Machine builders will recognize the problem: for the maintenance of produced machines you need different sets of parts, in a different rhythm, sometimes ad hoc, in case of malfunctions shipped directly to your end customer and the packaging preferably in your own house style. And for that you don't want to take stock from your production stock. In addition, in many cases the service organization is a profit center - there must be a positive return and purchasing and sales must be separated from the parent organization. Teesing has a separate department that provides this type of service organization with its components.

Supply chain integration

Without exception, our customers produce high-tech machines that run all over the world, often in cleanrooms. "In 2017, we were asked by a major customer to think along with us about this service challenge," says Jurre Oorlog, sales and marketing manager. The parts that mechanics need are often part of a specially assembled kit, which is delivered in our customer's box. Sometimes this involves periodic maintenance, but there are also wear parts that are kept in stock. These are not only machine factories, but also co-makers and OEM suppliers. We take care of everything from assembling, checking, clean packing in our cleanroom and shipping. For planned maintenance jobs it is easy to oversee and we deliver to the service warehouses according to a delivery schedule. In case of breakdowns, a short delivery time and quick reaction on our part is crucial and we deliver directly to the end customer.

Sourcing based on TPD's

After we enter into a framework agreement with the customer, we receive requests for the delivery of parts. These can be loose parts, kits or (sub)assemblies. In addition, a TPD is delivered, which describes the parts. Even the labels, the colors of the labels and the bag in which the accompanying paperwork has to be put is described in it. For the parts it is sometimes prescribed from which supplier we have to buy it, sometimes we source it ourselves for the customer. And from the smallest screw to packaging.

Mike Gijsbertse is responsible for this process at Teesing: "For the customer this method is also a second check on the TPD. Sometimes not everything is specified. Or sometimes something is missing or just doesn't fit in the box". We then see if we can deliver and at what price.

Particularly with packaging, it can happen that the specification is sometimes old, or suppliers no longer exist, or have been taken over. "We then source the supplier. If it's not right then it becomes an engineering change, we propose the change to the customer and they do an update of the TPD".

Often the supply chain is integrated because Teesing works in the ERP of the customer. Serial numbers attached to certain orders are uploaded. This has everything to do with quality: tracing which delivery went where and in which machine it was mounted.

It also involves large quantities of parts. Mike Gijsbertse: "Some subsystems have a TPD with a parts list of 500 items. For some parts you can choose from a number of suppliers. That takes a lot of time. We have to be able to offer the right delivery time. We often negotiate with our suppliers for shorter delivery times. However, we have quite a few parts in stock. Sometimes also custom made for us, which we then assemble and clean in our cleanroom.

Teesing cleanroom increases production capacity

Clean assemblies are in great demand. The new ISO Class 4 cross flow cleanroom can meet this growth in assemblies for years to come.

Together with the new warehouse, this gives us the opportunity to meet the demand from the market. "This integration with customers and suppliers is something you see happening more and more often. It is also a position we like to take," says Rene Roozen, Operations Manager of Teesing.

"Customer and supplier are crawling ever closer together, the relationship is growing from supplier to partnership.