Case Study: Supply Chain Optimization for Harley-Davidson

The Challenge

Unisource, a leading corrugated packaging supplier, faced a complex challenge in supporting one of their high-profile clients, Harley-Davidson. They needed to ensure that 65 different sizes and shapes of corrugated boxes were continuously and reliably delivered to Harley-Davidson’s production facility for motorcycle and parts shipping. The complexity of managing such a diverse inventory of packaging materials required a logistics partner who could handle strategic warehousing and just-in-time delivery to avoid production delays. Without an efficient, dependable system in place, both Unisource and Harley-Davidson faced the risk of production downtime and shipping inefficiencies.

The Solution

Unisource partnered with Translogistix to execute a seamless logistics strategy that would meet Harley-Davidson’s demanding production schedule. Translogistix’s expertise in integrated warehousing and hourly delivery services made them the ideal logistics partner to manage the storage and continuous delivery of the required packaging materials.

Through this partnership, Translogistix provided dedicated warehousing of the corrugated boxes and implemented an hourly shuttle service to ensure Harley-Davidson’s production lines remained fully stocked without overburdening on-site storage. The Translogistix team worked closely with Unisource to maintain real-time visibility of inventory levels and delivery schedules, ensuring that Harley-Davidson’s production team never experienced a shortage or delay in critical packaging materials.

The Results

With Translogistix managing the delivery operation, Unisource was able to consistently meet Harley-Davidson’s needs without interruption. Translogistix successfully handled the delivery of hundreds of skids of boxes to Harley-Davidson’s York, PA facility, maintaining a delivery frequency of every hour, on the hour.

This streamlined logistics process enabled Harley-Davidson to avoid production slowdowns and keep motorcycle shipments moving efficiently. The collaboration between Unisource and Translogistix ensured that packaging materials arrived exactly when needed, contributing to a smooth, uninterrupted manufacturing workflow. By taking the logistical burden off Unisource and Harley-Davidson, Translogistix played a critical role in supporting the operational success of both companies.