Overview
Shanghai SIIC Transportation Electric (STEC) began in the 1980s with China's first locally developed Santana electric horn and grew into a core supplier of automotive motors and electrical and electronic systems, exporting to more than 30 countries and regions. In early 2021, under SAIC Group's strategy, STEC deepened integration with Yanfeng and began a new round of logistics digitalisation in its manufacturing centre, piloting in the window-regulator division. Working with Deep Insights, STEC built an innovative 'supermarket-style' material-pull solution on cloud-native WMS.
Challenges
High Product and Packaging Diversity
More than 300 products with different packaging and production modes, across many assembly lines, were hard to cover fully.
Retrofitting a Running Factory
The transformation had to fit the existing plant hardware without affecting normal production.
Calculating Pull Quantities
With 800+ part types in different pack sizes and limited line-side space, the system had to calculate pull plans and quantities that kept lines running for varying production volumes.
"The supermarket-style pull algorithm achieves an optimal dynamic balance between parts delivery and actual line consumption."
Project material summary
Based on the published case article; not a direct customer quotation
Solution
Supermarket-style Material Pull
Building on Yanfeng's proven pull approach, a production-pull collaboration model was designed around window-regulator materials and production modes on cloud-native WMS.
- Algorithmic pull quantities
- Small-batch, high-frequency delivery
- Line-side buffer turnover
SAP, MES, EDI and AGV Collaboration
WMS connects production/purchase receiving through to production and finished-goods shipping, with optimised picking strategies and pre-allocated forward picking.
- SAP, MES, EDI and AGV integration
- Picking strategy optimisation
- Forward pick pre-allocation
Centralised Cloud WMS
WMS is deployed centrally on the cloud to manage all warehouse operations with standard processes while supporting multiple operating models for fast replication.
- Centralised deployment
- Standardised processes
- Rapid replication to new warehouses
Results
30% Higher Production Efficiency
Reported after implementation, with 24 production lines consolidated.
23 Roles Saved
Reported labour saving from the optimised pull and picking flow.
About RMB 9 Million Saved Annually
Reported annual saving in storage-capacity costs.
Key Takeaways
- Cloud-native WMS powers a supermarket-style material-pull model
- Reported results: +30% efficiency, 24 lines consolidated, 23 roles saved, ≈ RMB 9M/year storage cost saving
- Pilot covered the window-regulator division
- Rollout to 9 domestic bases and the Detroit plant is planned, not delivered
- Cover: licensed illustrative stock photograph, not a customer-site image
