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• An efficient replacement parts operation needs10 million pairs of hands.
Page 104
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Replacement Service. TheTask Force Answer:
A sick vehicle is money wasted: and the longer it's sick the more money you lose.
We've recently invested 4,50o,000 to build the biggest and most efficient parts warehouse in Europe.
It's at Toddington, Bedfordshire.
To reduce order handling time, we installed an IBM 360 model 40 computer, fitted with 256,000 positions of processing memory and capable of storing 250,000,000 data characters. Which adds up to a faster handling time.
We handle special priority orders day and night through our large Telex installation and our bank of telephone answering machines.
We've also got a system by which our computer can display on 'television' screens answers to stock control questions. It can also accept orders for instant processing directly through our typewriter keyboards.
The result? We handle 26,000 line items every day; 500 tons of parts in and out. In all we stock 64,000 different parts.
The whole emphasis at the Toddington Warehouse is speed, efficiency. And the things which were once left for men are now done by machine. For example, small parts are now looked after by an automatic counting machine; we've installed push-button storage and recovery of heavy items like gear-boxes or complete engines; and we run 68 fork lift trucks, and 12 Robotugs which work, unmanned, on programmed instructions.
And working alongside computers and machines are Bedford's experts—over a thousand of them.
Trained and re-trained.
But as long as one Bedford owner in 10,000 has to wait any longer than is strictly necessary we'll find ways to be even faster.