ZF Aftermarket has announced that its TRW-branded friction and chassis products for North America are now distributed from a warehouse facility in the metro Detroit area – a move the company says was driven by the growth and success of the brand across the region. The new state-of-the-art, automated facility is four times larger than the previous location and is strategically positioned near major interstates and transportation networks.

Mark Thorpe, director of sales, U.S. and Canada, ZF Aftermarket, said, “The decision to move the TRW-branded Corner Module product portfolio to a considerably larger, centrally based warehouse facility was driven by major brand growth across North America. This move will enable us to better serve our customer base, improve efficiency and more effectively focus our logistical operation.”

Thorpe continued, “The TRW brand is now firmly established in North America as a market leader with our corner module offering of braking, steering and suspension parts and systems.

The new facility has the scope, scale, mechanization and technological innovation to support future business growth of the brand across the region. The state-of-the-art facility incorporates a customized ERP inventory control system providing real-time reporting of inventory received, shipped and moving throughout the facility. The new warehouse provides multiple value-added services, including cross docking, sorting, kitting, light assembly, fulfillment and reverse logistics.

The process to move the stock began in January 2017. Since then, more than 8,800 SKUs were transported to the new facility. The facility has been operational for nearly six months.   

“It’s been a smooth transition with no major issues. A great many people have invested a good amount of time and effort in the project, and its thanks to their hard work and the strategic planning which went on behind the scenes that we declare this operation a complete success,” said Thorpe.