Värdekedjeanalys av returflöden på Scania : Fallstudie på marknaderna i Sverige, Tyskland och Benelux

Sammanfattning: Today Scania give a high priority to the continuous improvements on the quality of their vehicles. To follow up the flaws in product quality, which are recognized by the repairs at the local workshops, material requests are carried through to be able to analyze the defects at the plant in Södertälje – in purpose to improve the product quality. The material requests are also carried through to compensate the workshop for their expenses and to check that they are working according to the company’s warranty manual. Due to local routines and different distribution structures at the different markets the lead times and the costs caused by the flow of material are hard to estimate. Furthermore the lead times are in many cases unjustified long, which imply that the information about quality problems reaches Scania at a late stage. The variations in lead times moreover results in problems with planning the activities. This study has, in the light of the background described above, aimed to map and analyze the lead times and costs which are caused by the flow of warranty material, from the company’s workshops to the plant in Södertälje. Based on the results of the analysis a range of alternative solutions also have been prepared in purpose to reduce the lead times in a cost efficient way. The mapping, which took place on the Swedish, German and Benelux markets, has mainly been carried out through visits at the workshops and the distributors at respective markets. Apart from the qualitative aspects in collected data the performance of the studied markets, in the form of costs and lead times, has been compiled and calculated. The observed characteristics were later on analyzed together with relevant logistics management theory to point out strengths and weaknesses with different solutions. Based on the mapping and the analysis the second part of the study could be completed, which aimed to formulate a range of recommendations. The recommendations, which are presented below, are principally formulated in correspondence with the priorities of Scania – namely to achieve high product quality and rapid information.

Improved and more concrete management at factory level. This can be achieved through clarified targets which include explicit measurements and directives towards all actors. Reduce the waiting time between activities. This can be achieved by a combination of incentives and demands on the distributors as well as on the workshops. Change the transport strategies. On the Benelux market the transport solutions are well designed and are therefore both cost effective and quite fast, which implies short lead times. On the Swedish market a consolidation of goods is proposed to decrease the delivery rate in Södertälje to just once a week. On the German market merged deliveries are proposed, the same transport that delivers spare parts to the workshop will through this recommendation also pick up the warranty material. The warranty material will in this solution also be merged in a collection point and thereafter be transported to the distributor once a week. Change the transport frequencies. The different markets will send in material on predefined days once a week, which will contribute to keep the lead times short and the quantities at a more manageable level. Even out the inflow of material to Södertälje and avoid handling in Building 220X, to reduce the problems with stress, mishandling and lack of recourses which occur because of the uneven inflow at the receiving area today. Clear information should in according to this be given to each market concerning for instance shipping date and quantities. Improve the integration of the information systems, to facilitate the spreading of information and administrative activities related to claims and material requests. This also implies that forecasting and management is facilitated.   Through the recommendations the lead time for the Swedish market is estimated to be reduced from 21 to 13 days, for the German market from 60 to 21 days and from 39 to 21 days for the Benelux-market. Apart from reduced lead times the more straight demands, incentives and improved routines will imply that the variations in lead times are reduced. Due to the changes according to the recommendations the costs will be reduced, both through the reduced lead times, which affect the capital costs, as well as more efficient structures that reduce the handling costs and the costs of transportation.