Thwaites moves parts warehouse into new 4,000 sqm factory building

Dumper manufacturer Thwaites has moved its parts warehouse team into a new 4,000 sqm factory building alongside its production operation, in what the company said was the most significant factory investment in its 88-year history.

Thwaites said the build was completed on time and to budget and is now a fully working facility housing both the production and parts warehouse teams.

Putting the two functions side by side will cut the movement between them and improve manufacturing efficiency and productivity, the company said, with the aim of driving output and growth.

Tim Frost, Commercial Manager at Thwaites, said: "We are delighted that the new facility is now live, the movement of tens of thousands of parts and the repositioning of tens of thousands of parts is no small feat."

The parts operation

Thwaites said every genuine Thwaites part held in the new warehouse has been given a unique QR code. Parts pickers work from dedicated stations with access to supporting data, which the company said lets them pick and pack more accurately, consistently and quickly.

The company reported a first pick rate of 96% in the new operation.

Further spending has gone on new "sized to fit" stock bins, which Thwaites said reduce wasted storage space and improve stock sequencing. Parts have also been repositioned under a refreshed protocol based on how often each item is ordered.

New weighing scales have been installed to improve accuracy on packaging size and shipping costs, according to the company.

Thwaites said the building gives it headroom to double its parts stock holding over time, which it expects to improve availability and value for customers.

Distributor supply

John Paul Milling, Thwaites Parts Supervisor, said: "When our distributors sell genuine Thwaites parts supplied by the team, we know that part has been designed and manufactured to ensure the continuing reliability and longevity of the dumper it is being fitted to."

Frost credited the parts team for the relocation, saying improved processes and procedures could not have been achieved without the skill, knowledge and dedication of the team, which he said distributors trust to advise on solutions and supply the correct parts.

Thwaites Limited is registered at Welsh Road, Cubbington, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, under company number 00387579, according to Companies House. Its registered activity is the manufacture of lifting and handling equipment.

The company has published a video of the parts move on its website alongside the announcement.