Freiburg i.Br., July 30, 2015 Following the Untertürkheim plant, the Daimler AG plant in Berlin has now also introduced timeslot management (TSM) at the incoming goods ramps. The car manufacturer opted for the Internet-based TSM system “TimeSlot” from Freiburg-based supplier Cargoclix. “Our main goal was to gain transparency about the processes in the incoming goods department. We achieved this after a short time,” says Werner Böhm, Head of Transport Logistics & Production Supply Logistics.

Mercedes-Benz produces engines, components, transmission parts and fuel systems at its Berlin plant. The focus at the site is on the development and production of components and parts. Among other things, the V6 diesel engine, one of the cleanest and most innovative engines in its class, is produced in Berlin. According to Böhm, 50 to 60 trucks supply the site with parts for production every working day.

Goods receipt is handled via four ramps, another three ramps are available for the loading of empties. “There were no traffic jams at the ramps even before the introduction of TimeSlot,” says team leader Böhm. However, the goods receipt required relatively high coordination efforts within the plant and with the service providers. In addition, Böhm lacked valid information on the distribution of truck arrivals during the day, possible waiting times at the ramp and the duration of handling. Böhm wanted to get to the bottom of all this for strategic and operational reasons. “We opted for the Cargoclix solution because it is already being used successfully in our Stuttgart plant,” says the logistics specialists. In Berlin, “TimeSlot” was launched without any problems after its introduction by Cargoclix employees.

Timeslot booking has now become an integral part of the process chain. A special feature: The booking of regularly arriving transports of the regional freight forwarders causes the plant employees to give priority to the regional freight forwarders. For the remaining transports, the service providers book corresponding timeslots and also bear the costs. “The majority of these timeslots are booked one to two days before the truck arrives,” Böhm observed. When booking, the service providers also provide information such as the Bordero number and the type of truck required for smooth handling at the ramp.

The positive effects of the TSM system have also been felt at the Berlin plant. Due to the timeslot postings, the personnel at goods receipt can be planned even more specifically than before. The management has precise information on the handling time, the distribution of deliveries over the day and the punctuality of the service providers. In addition, the administrative effort for incoming goods was reduced. According to Böhm, the service providers are also satisfied with the TSM solution. “Many of our forwarders already knew TimeSlot from Stuttgart,” adds Böhm.

In a further step, empties logistics will also be integrated into timeslot management. The aim is to improve the interaction between goods delivery and empties transport.