PACCAR Parts has opened its second parts distribution centre in Brisbane to service current Queensland and northern New South Wales customers and, from the end of this year, the Northern Territory and regional NSW.

The centre precedes new product coming from PACCAR Australia, including two new Kenworth models under development (T410 and T360); and the move to local manufacturing of DAF, starting with the DAF CF mid-year.

PACCAR, which produces under the Kenworth, Peterbilt and DAF brand names, will also add four new retail outlets. This comes on top of five added in 2017, bringing the total to 80 outlets.

It will also add to its TRP-branded parts store network, with two new shops opening this month in Ballarat in Victoria’s west and Pakenham in Melbourne’s east.

The flurry of activity has meant the new 6000 square metre parts warehouse in Berrinba, south-west of Brisbane, was important as the company grew sales and its retail network.

PACCAR said the new centre would reduce delivery times to dealers and reduce freight costs in emergency situations. It will also increase parts availability to customers in its network by allowing next-day delivery to 74 per cent of its dealers. This represents an increase of next-day deliveries by 68 per cent.

PACCAR Parts general manager Chris Scheel said it could now deliver next day compared with three or four days previously.

“For VOR’s (vehicle off road) the dealer drops in an order, we pick the part, and it’s received within hours,” he said.

The Berrinba warehouse is the first PACCAR Parts centre to use 100 per cent voice pick technology. Staff are fitted with headsets that tell them where to go, what to pick and in what order to determine the most efficient pick pattern.

“Voice-pick technology allows our distribution associates to have two hands free and keep their eyes where they are picking. This enhances quality, efficiency and safety,” Mr Scheel said.

Berrinba is also the first PACCAR parts distribution centre globally to feature “wire guidance”, an electromechanical system that controls vehicle steering by tracking a guidewire in the warehouse floor.

Mr Scheel said the system frees operators from steering the vehicle in the narrow aisles of the centre’s small-stock item section.

“Fast-moving parts are stored at the front of the building to really speed up velocity,” he said.

Mr Scheel said that an improvement in retail availability of parts had led to a 45 per cent reduction in emergency orders over the past five years, despite stocks increasing by 35 per cent.

By Neil Dowling