When Kimberly-Clark Healthcare, manufacturers of medical supplies such as surgical gowns, surgical drapes and sterile wrap, decided to turn a distribution center in Roanoke, TX, into a mega deployment center, more than twice the size of their next largest facility, K-C knew the magnitude of the undertaking. And, they knew DSC Logistics was ready to handle the challenge.

DSC doubled the volume, doubled the size, revamped and reorganized the Roanoke deployment center, prepped the building and put the people and equipment in place—in eight weeks! Then we nailed down the deployment process to K-C’s four other distribution centers and made it possible for K-C to ship full truck loads (TL) direct out of the Roanoke facility.

K-C had been shipping by truckload from several manufacturing sites in Mexico and Ft. Worth, TX, to five regional distribution centers in the U.S. Each facility then serviced a separate geographic area. Realizing that it would be more cost effective and efficient if the product came from Mexico and Ft. Worth to Roanoke and then was deployed to other distribution centers, K-C turned to DSC.

The Roanoke facility, managed by DSC, now serves as the stock clearinghouse for manufacturing facilities in Mexico and Ft. Worth. K-C now has stock where customers need it. There is optimal product mix on the trucks and more control over all of the SKUs.

With so much product at one location, K-C can ship TL direct to some of its major customers, large companies that ship into hospital networks, instead of shipping smaller LTL orders from multiple locations. K-C can bypass the regional distribution centers, cut costs significantly and provide better service.

The Roanoke facility also takes care of a problem that K-C had been trying to fix for some time: managing the allocation of knock down flats (KDFs) for the repackaging of damaged product.

With a ready for anything! philosophy and ability to execute, DSC helped K-C bring inventory levels and space needs down and service levels up across the network. Nothing was sacrificed and much was gained—a win-win situation.