Ford invited the collision repair media for a tour of its new state of the art parts distribution centre in Mickleham, Victoria.
John Powell the warehouse manager showed us around explaining how the parts were picked and stored, how the workers were kept safe and about processes that have evolved over time. Interestingly the new facility employs more humans than its predecessor. Humans it seems are cheaper and more reliable than robots in this environment. Apparently, the robots needed lots of maintenence and obviously weren't easily replaced if they broke down. Maintenence had to take place at the weekends when the parts weren't being picked which also added cost.
Every aspect of health and safety has been identified and processes tailored accordingly. The forklift drivers are tethered to the trucks and there are complex safety protocols in place to ensure the narrow aisles are safely navigated.
The warehouse itself is almost 50,000m2 and staddles an 88,000m2 site. Why does it need so much warehousing given that it doesn't manufacture here any more? That's because it has committed to keep parts stock for every model for 10 years, plus people are still buying plenty of Ford models made overseas that need parts support.