Case Study Header Out Of The Box Approach

An ICAT Logistics Case Study Out-of-the-Box Approach

An automotive customer experiences a technical glitch with part sourcing and reaches out to the ICAT team for assistance in locating alternative sourcing options and meeting a looming deadline.

The Problem

One Call

An automotive customer reached out to ICAT Logistics for help in transporting automotive parts from Thailand to the United States, and delivered by late August. The ICAT team worked diligently with the customer to create a detailed schedule and action plan. Everything was going according to plan until early August when a technical glitch in Thailand resulted in the cancellation of the part sourcing. With just three weeks left until the deadline, and a complete “start over,” the ICAT team sprang into action to find alternative sourcing options.

The Solution

Right Solution

After quickly considering multiple paths, ICAT turned to a trusted partner in Brazil. This contact put the team in touch with a local supplier who was well-equipped to deliver on the rush timing and product specs. The team worked with the new supplier to develop a hyper-detailed schedule—but that was only half the battle. The most important piece of the puzzle was expediting the customs process for the materials to leave Brazil, which typically takes at least three weeks on its own. This meant not only shaving days off a trucking route, but also working some magic with government officials.

Using a special truck, the parts were rushed across mountainous terrain in three full transit days, cutting the typical six-day trek in half. The parts were received at the warehouse on August 15th, and with a team of 15 people working 12 hours a day, were packed and made ready for presentation to Brazilian customs on August 16th. The packing process involved customized heat-treated crates, VCI plastic for water protection, drying agents, and foam protection. Through ICAT’s strong relationships with local partners and agents on the ground, the customs process was completed in only three days, on August 19th. This cleared the way for the parts to begin their airline transport to the U.S.

The automotive parts successfully arrived in Detroit on the evening of August 21st, just in time for delivery to the customer by the initial target deadline of August 22nd.

The Results

Done!

The ICAT team remained diligent throughout the process and were able to pivot quickly to meet the client’s needs. They did this successfully by:

  • Treating each step of the project as a priority;
  • Persevering through extraordinary ground and air congestion resulting from the Olympics being held concurrently in Rio de Janeiro;
  • Putting a detailed plan, subject matter experts in place; and
  • Using an out-of-the-box approach to seek alternative solutions.

Study Details

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