Fairchild Metro II

Keeping the Production Line Moving

​Manufacturers rely on fast deliveries and ultra-critical delivery deadlines to maintain seamless operations, especially in just-in-time (JIT) production models where parts are delivered only when needed. This ensures storage warehouses and additional personnel to manage and secure that inventory aren’t needed. Scheduled same-day deliveries help minimize downtime by ensuring that essential parts arrive in time to feed the production line. This fast airfreight delivery capability improves operational efficiency and helps manufacturers maintain smooth production lines.

The Challenge

According to the agreement with the automaker, the supplier was responsible for ensuring that a new shipment of critical components arrived daily before the production line opened. The automaker followed a strict just-in-time delivery model and little to no inventory was stored onsite. Ground transportation alone wasn’t fast enough, and there were potential risks and bottlenecks with commercial carriers. 

The supplier needed a dedicated, reliable airfreight solution that could guarantee their parts arrived every morning before production started. Any failure to meet this deadline could result in line stoppages, production slowdowns, significant financial losses for the automaker, and loss of business for the supplier.

How We Solve It

The supplier went to the AirFreight.com website and submitted an online request for a quote to arrange daily door-to-door airfreight services from their facility to the automaker. The AirFreight.com Expeditor reviewed the request, and being very familiar with the daily delivery model and the routes between the supplier and the automaker, returned a quote in a very short time outlining the plan and cost for delivering the supplier’s parts to the automaker: 

At midnight each day, several pallet bins packed with electric control modules, transmission control modules, and wire harness assemblies were to be picked up from the supplier’s facility and transported to the nearest airport. There, the pallet bins were loaded onto aircraft dedicated to flying regional routes, which flew the parts directly to the airport nearest the automaker in the early morning hours. The Expeditor would provide in-flight tracking and real-time notifications of the shipment’s progress.

Upon arrival at the receiving airport, a waiting truck would transport the shipment to the automaker’s assembly plant before the first shift began. The streamlined process eliminated excess handling and reduced the chances of delays or damage.

When the truck reached the automaker’s assembly plant, the pallet bins were quickly unloaded and moved to designated areas where the assemblies would be integrated into the assembly process. The just-in-time delivery system ensured that these essential parts were on hand precisely when needed, keeping production on schedule without unnecessary inventory buildup.

By minimizing excess handling, the process reduced the risk of damage or delays, allowing the plant to maintain its streamlined workflow. The newly arrived components were immediately put to use, feeding seamlessly into the production line where vehicles were assembled with precision. This careful coordination between suppliers, transportation providers, and the assembly plant kept operations running smoothly, reinforcing the efficiency and reliability of the automaker’s supply chain.

Scheduled flights are cost-effective and predictable, using both commercial and cargo aircraft from major airlines across many airports. If your shipping needs are too urgent or unpredictable for scheduled services, alternative options remain available to accommodate tighter timelines.