Parts-Distribution Center to Serve GM Nationwide

BURTON, MI – General Motors is counting on a $65 million parts distribution center here to make customer service more efficient, company officials say.

Tim Turvey, GM global vice president-customer care and aftersales, says the new center does not interact directly with GM customers but plays a vital role in supplying parts to more than 4,100 Cadillac, Chevrolet and Buick-GMC dealers across the U.S.

“GM has the highest owner loyalty of any manufacturer, and a big part of that equation is getting high-quality parts into the hands of trained service technicians when and where they need them,” he says this week at the center’s dedication.

“That’s why this particular facility is so vital. Great service keeps our customers coming back year after year,” says Turvey, adding the new distribution center will benefit customers by helping GM fill orders accurately and efficiently.

GM internal studies show service-lane loyalty is directly correlated with purchase loyalty – two areas where GM and its brands excel, he adds.

The parts packaged and distributed from the new center just outside Flint, MI, GM’s birthplace, are used to maintain every Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicle sold in the U.S., as well as competitors’ vehicles.

The scope of the operation is impressive.  

The building itself covers more than 1.1 million sq.-ft. (102,190 sq.-m), or about 26 acres (10.5 ha) under one roof. It is staffed by 800 full-time GM hourly employees and 400 temporary workers and operates on two 11-hour shifts with an hour for maintenance in between each, according to Brett Baker, president of UAW Local 651.

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As part of the plan for the new center, GM phased out operations at another distribution facility near Dayton, OH, and moved those workers to Burton.

The center in Burton serves as the main entry point for GM’s Customer Care and Aftermarket network in North America. Parts packaged inside the facility are forwarded to GM Parts Distribution Centers around the U.S., which in turn provide service to Cadillac, Chevrolet and Buick-GMC dealerships.

An average of 100 inbound deliveries and 55 outbound deliveries are expected each day, Turvey says. Right now, the new center can handle 147,000 different part numbers and 120 million individual pieces annually, ensuring they are packaged accurately and efficiently.

Turvey estimates between 15% and 20% of the parts come from suppliers in Mexico, Indonesia and China.

The center is capable of handling parts for electric vehicles, including lithium-ion batteries that require special care because they are potentially hazardous, he says.

The new center is three times the size of an older GM warehouse facility less than a mile away and has 84 shipping and receiving docks, up from 35 at the previous Burton site. GM also operates a warehouse in nearby Swartz Creek that specializes in metal body parts.

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