Siemens Postal, Parcel & Airport Logistics (SPPAL) ensures the quick and easy repair and replacement of components. Spare parts services cover the whole of the company’s range plus the large installed base of baggage and cargo handling systems and mail and parcel sorting equipment.
"We take our customers and their investment protection concerns very seriously, and we do our best to ensure not just that they are able to repair machinery and replace components but, that the process for this is also as straightforward as possible. And, equally importantly, we work to make sure that machines and systems can be modernised as necessary," explains Christian-Marius Wegner, head of customer services.
SPPAL has had a certified, centrally located spare parts department in place for many years. Its employees work very closely with customers worldwide. High system availability is a priority for the customers, of course, but there is also a strong imperative to keep spare part stocks as small as possible. Being able to access required parts quickly and efficiently means knowing exactly which systems are in use with which customers.
The company’s worldwide spare parts business, which is certified under ISO 9001, is managed from the headquarter site in Constance. The web store option provided enables customers to place orders around the clock.
SPPAL’s central storage facility in the vicinity of Frankfurt Airport, which holds more than 15,000 different components in stock ready to meet customer requirements, ships more than 50,000 parts to destinations all over the world every year. It keeps a core stock of spare parts that are always available for immediate dispatch.
The storage facility’s proximity to Frankfurt Airport minimises transport distances and maximises the time available to express delivery service providers: in most cases, parts requested before 3 pm on a working day will reach the customer on the next working day. This enables customers to reduce their own spare parts stocks.
Frankfurt on the Main is also home to the replacement store, where repaired parts are offered at a reduced price, while the Constance site includes a repair centre specialising in computers and inkjet printers.
Long-term protection of the customer’s investment is a key element of life-cycle management at SPPAL. As Wegner explains, "We aim to keep systems operational even after 20 years or more and to provide the right modernisation solutions to extend their life even further where appropriate. Our customers certainly understand and appreciate the benefits this approach brings."
SPPAL’s spare parts experts are also available to assist customers with inventory reviews, which analyse the customer’s circumstances with an eye to adapting and optimising the spare parts store in line with the customer’s current requirements.
These reviews can take place many years after a particular product or system is first introduced.
"We make a priority of speaking with our customers on a regular basis. Discussing issues surrounding deliveries, substitutions and our technology helps both sides to pick up on and resolve potential problems quickly," Wegner reports. This approach begins with the initial spare parts package supplied when a system is first purchased and ends with a master agreement. The result is a reliable supply of spare parts even many years on from the initial delivery.
"Whenever questions arise around the issue of replacement parts, we are only too happy to provide support and assist with tailored replacement parts solutions," Wegner concludes.