Whilst we may be best known as a remanufacturer, getting the right parts, to the right place at the right time is an equally important part of our business. And a complex one too, given the wide-ranging industries, customers and products that Carwood supports.
Take our customer base as an example – we serve more than 650 customers in 40 countries – from the world’s top vehicle, engine and original equipment manufacturers, the Ministry of Defence and international buying groups, to factory-owned and independent race teams, vintage car owners, fleets, factors, workshops and more. Each of these vary in size, sophistication and demands.
Carwood also has a hugely diverse product portfolio. Our inventory includes over 290,000 different part numbers. This can be anything from a diesel injector o-ring, a turbocharger, or an uprated starter for a Porsche 911, to a complete bus door system, an overhauled engine for military personnel carriers or a 350kVA generator set, up to 20ft long. We also supply a wide range of consumables such as bottles of water, camping stoves, watches, light bulbs and specialist lifting gear to the MOD – whatever they need, we’ll source on their behalf and supply. It’s what we do.
The age profile of our parts can vary dramatically too. We cover a wide range of late model applications, including today’s hybrid and electric vehicles. However, some of the parts we have in stock date back to the 1950s. Naturally they’re not frontrunners, but we need to stock them, for when our customers need them. It’s all part of our commitment to support their vehicles, engines, or equipment throughout their entire lifetime. We like to think of it as a complete cradle to grave service.
Old or new, these parts can be requested in their ones or twos, hundreds, tens of thousands, and anything in between, adding to the complexity Carwood’s team handle on a daily basis. At one end of the spectrum, we offer low-volume, bespoke remanufacturing. At the other end, large-volume remanufacturing and distribution. Our ever-popular A2C9626040080 injector is made and sold in the hundreds every month. Few, if any of our competitors, are set up to handle both.
How our customers choose to receive these, is just as wide-ranging. One may expect multiple orders daily. Others larger stock orders on a weekly or monthly basis. Or even scheduled orders over a multi-year contract. Either way, Carwood is geared up to maintain stock availability for our global customer base, and then get it to them, how and whenever they want it.
Of course, remanufacturing relies heavily on core. Which is why the company operates an equally sophisticated process to ensure consistently good availability of core too. Our dedicated core team, handles over 150 metric tonnes of core for fuel injectors, pumps, turbos, rotating electrics, engines, electronics and HVAC. Such is our expertise, that leading vehicle and engine manufacturers have outsourced their core handling to Carwood too.
Despite our diverse customer base, products, range profile and demand patterns, we always strive to deliver the very best service. Whether it’s a part for a 5-year-old tractor mid harvest, or a late-generation passenger car on the ramp awaiting repair, we aim to pick and pack straight from the shelf and ship on a next-day service. The remaining parts are remanufactured or purchased to order, and delivered within the quickest possible time frame.
Getting it there, also differs from customer to customer. Some prefer to make arrangements with their own logistics service providers, while others leave final delivery up Carwood, through third-party freight companies, specialist providers or our own network of delivery vehicles. As you can imagine transporting a set of injectors is very different to that of a 9000kg gen set.
Looking ahead, the growth of the remanufacturing industry, is presenting Carwood with new challenges. To ensure we can meet this demand in a sustainable way, without compromising on our service levels or costs, we are continuing to invest heavily in our facilities. As an example we’ve recently expanded both the production and warehousing capabilities at all our sites. And we’ve launched an online cataloguing, ordering and returns portal, for our aftermarket customers – the first of a number of digital solutions, designed to make Carwood even easier to deal with.
Now or in the future, one thing is clear. Carwood is able to offer a complete distribution package for our customers. So whether you’re looking for a one-off solution for a bespoke piece of machinery, on site in the UK, or a full range of fast-moving remanufactured parts, delivered overseas, Carwood is the right partner for you.
