Hitachi Rail Europe has recently worked with Gloucestershire-based component supplier and logistics expert Optimas (www.optimas.com) to simplify component and supply-chain requirements at its Newton Aycliffe train-manufacturing facility.

Optimas application engineer Peter Mould said: “We secured the contract by offering fasteners at competitive prices. We then worked closely with Hitachi Rail to rationalise the number of duplicated parts, simplify the numbering system and select preferred vendors.”

A push towards standardisation also resulted in a reduced bill of materials.

Mr Mould added: “By standardising component choice for Hitachi Rail, we were able to offer simplified supplier management, but that was not the only benefit of local knowledge.

“Working with Hitachi design engineers, we were able to enact EU component standards across the facility instead of Japanese equivalents, which simplified logistical demands and ensured that the fasteners were suitable for applications in the UK.”

With a clear component policy in place, Optimas turned its attention to increasing the efficiency of transporting fasteners from storage to the ‘state of the art’ production line.

It helped the Hitachi Rail team to develop a kanban system, which ensures that the optimum number of parts are available on the line at any one time.

“Our dedicated team continues to work closely with Hitachi Rail to constantly review parts and the supply chain. We update the policy at the start of every new project and reviewing the bill of materials, so we can maximise overall cost-effectiveness and efficiency.”