HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1986-11-05, Page 14113D
GSS/Wednesday, Nov. 5, 1986
ution growth
his been phenomenal
Davi Gower says
hen Dave Gower talks about
the phenomenal growth of
a.ts .distribution business_
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he can barely conceal his
enthusiasm.
And in consideration of the fact
that Champion has produced more
graders in the last seven years than
in the previous 15, Gower has reason
to smile.
The general manager of the
company's parts distribution centre
says the volume of business is 20
times greater today than when he
sold his private business and went to
work for Champion in 1972.
"The magnitude of the business is
obvious today and the volume
expected is just tremendous," he
explained. "Parts is big business."
Assistant parts manager in 1972
under Vince Young, Gower was
appointed general manager of the
division when Young moved to
pricing in 1975. The parts
department was located in the
Maitland Road manufacturing
facility at the time, but two years
later the new Industrial Park facility
was opened.
Designed and planned totally by
Gower, more than 12,000 items are
stored in the 24,000 square foot
warehouse. Everything from
packaging to exporting is handled by
the 20 employees.
"It's exciting," Gower said. "We
deal with everything here from
exporting, to inventory, packaging,
costing, administration and time
„pressures. We have an agreement
that, an emergency part is shipped
the same day, a rush order goes
within 48 hours and a stock order
takes five to nine days."
About 50 per cent of the 12,000
1'
parts are used on a regular basis
and up to 93 per cent of the, parts are
available off the shelf, with the
exception of the three frames that
have been sold to customers.
Whether it's a frame or one of
thousands of parts on a Champion
road grader, it's up to Dave Gower
to ensure the customer gets what he
needs.
"Our performance is great," he
offers. "We have stopped the line to
get a part. You have to service the
customer because if you don't have
the parts today, you won't have the
business tomorrow. My role is to
ensure that the customer is serviced
as quickly as possible."
Sometimes that has meant driving
a part to lVfichigan by car, sending
parts by taxi or flying parts to a
customer for same-day service.
"Timing is critical," Gower said.
"The business is gone if I can't
service the customer. We have to be
aggressive because parts is big
business."
The introduction of manufacturing
resource planning has impacted on
all divisions within the company and
Gower is pleased with the results of
the program.
"It's a bonus for us," he
explained. "We can be assured an
order gets to us. Before wedidn't
know at times. If we forecast
correctly, it will mean more timely
parts distribution and we're
developing a new system for
distribution to work in concert with
MRP."
That new system is still in the
developmental stage and the
department is running on two
systems. Invoicing is now done
. through the department and credit
Parti Distribute n
Dave Gower, general manager of Champion's distribution centre says
volume of business if 20 times greater today than when he went to
work at Champion in 1972. He designed and planned the company's
distribution building in the town's Industrial Park.
and part sales are monitored.
A standard, joke at Champion
suggests the company only
manufactures graders to be in the
parts business and Gower will boldy
reaffirm that position.
"The growth pattern is
astronomical for this segment of
the industry," he said. "This division
runs well and we have a good staff
and a good team here. There is an
opportunity to grow here."
It was opporunity that attracted
Gower to the company in the first
place and 14 years later he's still
excited by the prospects for growth.
"And besides," he offers flashing a
grin. "Even if they stopped making
graders, I'd have a job for 15 or 20
years."
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