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What is automotive sequencing? Behind every successful car manufacturing process are third-party logistics companies like Buske Logistics that organize and provide light assembly of parts for auto manufacturers prior to production.
This happens off-site at an independent logistics company. The process is straightforward. The general steps are:
While these are high-level steps, there are many parts to becoming an automotive sequencer. For example, Ford’s In Line Vehicle Sequencing program will identify companies like ours to provide sequencing for their parts vendors. You have to be approved. The manufacturer will refer their vendors to us or the supplier will find us to provide a bid for their sequencing business. After that, there’s a bidding process from the parts vendor to the sequencer to win their business shipping to the auto manufacturers.
Automotive manufacturing has always been about precision and timing. Automotive sequencing helps manufacturers like our client, Ford, reduce inventory costs and increase production efficiency by outsourcing work that doesn’t need to happen at manufacturing plants.
There are various components from our experience working with the major OEMs that make a successful automotive sequencing program.
Some of them include:
The key thing to know about automotive sequencing is that it’s optimized for service and cost.
You will primarily see automotive sequencing programs close to car manufacturers so parts can be replenished quickly. Additionally, it will be parts that have light assembly that can be outsourced and do not require heavy tooling.
Below are steps to how Automotive Sequencing works at Buske Logistics.
An additional resource is a visual example of Buske’s Automotive Sequencing program.
Challenges facing the automotive sequencing process include global supply chain events, like the Suez Canal disaster that stopped trade for weeks.
Trade wars with countries like China make it more expensive to produce automotive parts, which shifts production supply to countries like Mexico. This creates new needs to ship the sequencing of parts to other areas of the United States because previous locations were not optimal to ship from.
The future of automotive sequencing lies in leveraging predictive analytics and AI to further optimize the sequencing process. Sequencing software solutions such as Insequence, which is what we use for sequencing at Buske Logistics, can also help with this process. Additionally, the shift towards sustainability and green processes represents a significant area of development, aiming to reduce the environmental impact of automotive manufacturing. An example being removing extra mileage from a supply chain.
Labor is becoming more expensive around the world. Manufacturers have an incentive to expand margins to create the most profitable vehicle.
As we hear it from our clients and the automotive manufacturers we speak to, automotive sequencing programs will continue to expand as more parts are outsourced to be sequenced prior to assembly.
As recent trade wars have impacted China, many companies are relocating automotive supply chains to Mexico.
Thus, this requires programs to shift where parts are sequenced prior to assembly in accordance with Just-In-Time replenishment.
Automotive sequencing is a critical component of automotive supply chains, including the companies that provide the service. Need help with automotive sequencing of your parts? Contacts Buske Logistics. We are more than happy to talk through your options.
