DHL Launches Inbound Logistics for Jaguar Land Rover

DHL Supply Chain recently rolled out an inbound logistics system in Europe for Jaguar Land Rover. Through its “freight control tower,” DHL acts as lead logistics provider in planning and managing other supply chain service providers on behalf of JLR.

The JLR European inbound collection service is an expansive operation with over 980 full and partial load collections every week to sites in the UK. DHL said it has measured more than 10 percent improvement in supply chain efficiency within weeks of implementation. Further enhancements are planned over the next few months.

The collection strategy uses a combination of transport services -- full truck loads, milk round collections and groupage -- to improve efficiency and reduce costs. DHL’s freight control tower in Veghel, Holland, manages and procures the most appropriate carriers, leveraging other DHL contracts operated in Europe.

“This has been a hugely complex project to implement in a very short timescale – just four weeks from project approval to implementation – but one that has paid great dividends already,” said Laurie Cogger, vice president, lead logistics provider automotive, DHL supply chain UK.

As part of DHL’s team based at the JLR facility in Solihull, England, a container management team has reduced reverse logistics costs by improved management of the pallet and container processes, the company said. A vendor management quality system investigates delivery issues across the supplier base. DHL’s supply chain management system has been integrated with the JLR system to provide greater transparency and supply chain visibility.

Contact Thomas L. Gallagher at tgallagher@joc.com.