​An on-site parts consolidation center has begun to deliver auto parts directly to the Marysville Auto Plant of Honda of America Mfg., Inc., an initiative that enhances manufacturing* efficiency and flexibility, including a significant reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions related to parts delivery. Startup of the new Material Management Center will eliminate the use of shuttle trucks for transport of parts by 130 loads per day when fully operational, resulting in a significant reduction in CO2 emissions. The new operation, managed by Midwest Express Inc. also reduces parts handling, streamlines manufacturing operations, and improves quality and utilization of plant space. “This on-site parts consolidation center is a win-win for Honda and the community and an important new step in our history in Ohio,” said Dave King, production control manager at the Marysville plant, who led the project. “Reducing the number of steps in parts logistics strengthens our foundation by improving our efficiency and flexibility at responding to changing market conditions, while also reducing our impact to the environment.” Located in the former motorcycle plant, the first phase of the Material Management Center’s operations includes one parts consolidation line. Two more consolidation lines will begin operations in the coming months, along with other innovations designed to enhance the efficiency and flexibility of parts delivery to the auto plant. In preparation for the new operations, Honda added 11 new loading docks to the Material Management Center to receive deliveries. Honda also constructed an 800-foot connector tunnel between the consolidation center and the Marysville Auto Plant for delivery of parts in sequence for automobile manufacturing. “It took a strong collaborative effort from many teams to achieve a successful startup,” King said during the facility’s opening ceremony Monday afternoon. “I would like to express my sincere thanks to the entire project team and welcome the associates at Midwest Express to the Marysville campus.” The new consolidation center reflects a strategy Honda is adopting throughout its North American auto production network. In the past, the independent companies operating the consolidation centers have maintained off-site facilities. Now these centers are connected to the plants to facilitate the more efficient line-side delivery of parts. An on-site parts consolidation operation was established at Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, LLC in 2007. Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, LLC, Honda’s newest auto plant in America, began production in 2008 with an on-site consolidation center. In Ohio, Midwest Express has provided just-in-time parts logistics and warehousing services to Honda of America Mfg. since 1987, and is relocating its parts consolidation operations to the Material Management Center from its facility off U.S. 33 between Honda’s Marysville and East Liberty auto plants. Experienced Midwest Express associates operate the parts packing line at the new on-site consolidation center. Associates from the auto plant’s Material Service Department pick up the parts, transporting them for production in the assembly department. Taking advantage of its closer proximity to the Marysville Auto Plant, the consolidation center will enhance flexibility by packing parts for one lot (60 vehicles) ahead of production, rather than the previous six-lot lead time. Since starting manufacturing in Ohio more than 30 years ago, Honda has pioneered many advancements in parts logistics, including the sequencing of parts for just-in-time delivery to assembly lines, the use of returnable parts containers and innovative parts movement initiatives to maximize space utilization in trucks and minimize transport distances from suppliers to Honda. Over the past 30 years, Honda plants in Ohio have produced more than 13 million automobiles, 17 million engines, 1 million motorcycles, 2 million all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and nearly 13 million automatic transmissions. Today, the Marysville Auto Plant, Honda’s first automobile plant in North America, manufactures the Honda Accord Sedan and Coupe, along with the Acura TL performance-luxury sedan and Acura RDX crossover vehicle. The East Liberty Auto Plant produces the Honda CR-V, Accord Crosstour and Honda Element. *using domestic and globally sourced parts