Reading all these rates and numbers, I suddenly had an image of an infinite number of chinese people walking past a counting point. IOW, the cars never arrive because your car is never built. Or something like that.
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Manufacturing Rate
- Thread starter bunchathrees
- Start date
BADBOY
Elio Addict
"I ain't buying no bowels!" signed Mr. T
RUCRAYZE
Elio Addict
tell me again how they're gonna get 5k+/- units (a week) out to the 8 list centers (one is the factory site)
Yea I understand the centers will need a crap load of the 14 different unit combinations on hand. The'll need trucks from factory to 8 centers, they'll need trucks from each center to stores within 900 miles, and as I've learned here they'll all be dead-ended- returning empty.
And finish the units at the stores?? all within 24 hrs. (I don't think Amazon Prime would be up to the task)- although they can do it with refrigerators!!
Yea I understand the centers will need a crap load of the 14 different unit combinations on hand. The'll need trucks from factory to 8 centers, they'll need trucks from each center to stores within 900 miles, and as I've learned here they'll all be dead-ended- returning empty.
And finish the units at the stores?? all within 24 hrs. (I don't think Amazon Prime would be up to the task)- although they can do it with refrigerators!!
You bring up an interesting subject. I have wondered about these numbers also. 1000 vehicles to 9 marshaling centers equals 111 vehicles to each center, 5 days a week. How many vehicles does a transporter carry? This is how many must make the trip from the factory to the marshaling centers each day. Centers that are far away such as Washington or New York may need two sets of transporters supplying them, because the trip from Shreveport may take more than one day. There must also be another set or transporters to haul the 111 vehicles from the centers to the stores. This is a big financial investment in transporters. I can see why they are having another company pay for this (I assume).
Has this business model of modifying goods and delivering them to stores over night been used before? If so, has it been used with vehicles? When options are changed at the centers and items removed (ie. cloth seats) they must be returned to Schreveport where they can be reused. This requires careful packing so no damage occurs. (A lot of damaged goods will probably occur which is waste.) I assume they will be put in containers and returned on the empty transporters, but then they end up with a lot of empty containers at Schreveport that must find their way back to the centers. I guess they will return to the centers via the transporters, but then the transporters can not carry as many vehicles.
Manufacturing vehicles on assembly lines is a very well understood process. But the distribution method planned is not as common and not as well understood, especially when trying to apply it to vehicles. I see the distribution method being the biggest headache, not manufacturing.
champsman
Elio Addict
It's a simple matter of logistics
1 shipping out of Shreveport can be by truck or rail
2 some dist centers may have rail service available ( how many rail cars do you need)
3 Trucking just as simple, just need to find return loads ( trucking dispatchers job, not EM)
4 once a week the dist center packages up all returns and calls a freight co whom EM selects and off go the returns
all done with signed contracts with best rates
The equipment to assemble the vehicle was already at the Shreveport plant because that was the activity GM previously did there?
But, did GM machine engine parts and assemble engines there? If not, this would be equipment EM would have to purchase. Sounds expensive.
But, did GM machine engine parts and assemble engines there? If not, this would be equipment EM would have to purchase. Sounds expensive.
the last I heard, the blocks would be contracted to be machined elsewhere .... all parts will be shipped to the factory where they will be assembled
RUCRAYZE
Elio Addict
I have zero experience with any type of manufacturing process, distribution of product, and all the logistics of keeping the whole enterprise flowing.
That being said, my math skills, although limited to bills,savings, and checking accounts, call to question the distribuion package
I see daily, transporters, with 8 +/- cars, which would seem to be, based on the length of the E, maybe 10 units max/ truck- and has previously discussed, with minor alterations to accommodate the rear wheel.
lets round off to 110 per day average 6 dedicated trucks (an aside,with private car transporters they pick up and drop off cars on their trips, coupled with the return trip doing the same) -to centers around the country.
For example from the factory to the South Florida store is a 16 hour trip (approx) without knowing the limits of driving time allowed, it would still be 2+ days/truck (round trip, so now we need two trucks on the road to keep on schedule. Lets add in one center might need (the ever popular orange ugh), and that's just to florida, multiplied by other centers which will need more trucks on the road to each of the centers- i.e. NY and WA comes to mind.
Still having trouble wrapping my head around this- and of course the trucking necessary from the centers to the stores creates it's own problems, With centers being at max 450 miles from stores (has been mentioned that centers will cover approx 900 miles between them, so within 450 miles of each center, then, all the stores will also need to be supplied, with trucks dispersed within their "zone"
Given the stores will have extremely limited storage capacity (projected to be in small shopping centers) the whole system will constantly need to be adjusted daily.
I have experienced from car DEALERS units they might not have in stock they "trade" with other nearby dealers, so then each dealer doesn't need all models/colors in stock, not the case with the Elio.
Well, this gotta be my longest post ever, and it's still doesn't cover the details.
If you've gotten this far you've done well!
If they pre-stock the distribution centers and retail stores then it becomes a restock issue. So each retail center orders replacement units and parts from the distribution centers. The distribution centers order the same from the plant. In the midst of that there can be urgent out of cycle refills. That should take care of the initial public demand. After that they ramp up/down distribution based on demand. Properly done they shouldn't have an issue with the 24hr claim most of the time. Fleet orders should not be part of this process unless stock and current public demand permits it.
slinches
Elio Addict
In addition to pre-stocking, the distribution centers will be equipped to install options so they may do some minor re-assembly. That would allow EM to take off the wheels and crate up the Elios for improved shipment density out of Shreveport. I think they could probably fit 8 Elios in a standard 40' shipping container, which would make getting the vehicles out to the distribution centers fairly economical (especially if the locations have rail access).