When Whirlpool Corporation began to purchase parts and components in Asia, they faced a change in overall business strategy, and a major change in thinking. They had no experience in working with a 3PL; outsourcing their inventory management was a new concept to them.

But, certainly not to DSC Logistics’ supply chain management veterans. In Whirlpool’s supply chain, DSC is the deconsolidation center. Goods from suppliers in Asia are shipped in containers by Maersk Sealand to Long Beach, CA, and intermodaled to DSC’s Logistics Center in the Elwood, IL, intermodal center, slated to be the largest in the U.S. From there, DSC, partnering with Maersk Logistics, takes over, managing inventory, warehousing and shipping to Whirlpool’s eight plants.

Because each of the eight plants does something different, the goal is to improve efficiency through consistency. And, DSC’s systems and practices have been key in meeting this goal. Before, each plant managed its own inventory. If a plant was running low on a part, a quick phone call to a nearby supplier resulted in more stock by the next day, or the next hour.

Now, that part is all the way in Asia; it’s essential for the plants to know exactly what DSC has in inventory when planning production schedules and ordering. And, it’s all visible to them, in real time, at their fingertips, via the web through DSC’s Advanced Supply Chain Knowledge visibility tool (ASK!).

DSC inventories parts and components and stores product in the warehouse by plant. Since each plant can see all of the inventory, if one plant is out of a part, it can borrow stock from another plant or arrange air freight.

The Asian suppliers depend on the efficiency and visibility too. When product is shipped, a supplier still owns the product until it arrives at Whirlpool, making it important for the supplier to keep close tabs on the product, in real time. DSC makes this possible.

It’s no wonder Maersk Logistics’ nationwide search led that company to partner with DSC. As more and more companies find themselves in Whirlpool’s situation, it has to be reassuring to know that there’s a potential partner like DSC.