Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI)

• Customer E-Portal – For those who prefer a self-managed solution.
• Total VMI – We deliver direct to your Factory Floor, Line, Cell, or Point of Use.
• Site Manager Solution – On-Site Fast-Rite VMI Team member(s) dedicated and focused on your individual program.
• Fast-Rite Virtual Inventory System – Electronically monitor and replenish stock
• Fast-Vend Solution – Puts your MRO supplies where your employees are, eliminating walking wages. Typical and may reduce your consumption by 20% or more!
• E-Kanban– Easily maintain inventory based on the amount you use.
• Bill of Material– Simplify ordering and reduce waste by letting Fast-Rite determine the number of components you require.
• Just in Time– Get your parts delivered exactly when you need them.

The customer has a secure login to our system where they can see their items, reorder as needed, track shipments, and see billing info.

Example: A major supplier of power equipment uses the customer-managed E-Portal to scan consigned inventory usage. They scan the boxes or containers which issues consigned stock to the customer inventory. Upon a drop to the reorder quantity, the order is automatically created and upon reaching the min level, the item is filled and shipped again.

Upon the new stock’s arrival, the receipt is logged into the system and tracking details are captured.

Fast-Rite’s TOTAL VMI Vendor Managed Inventory System ensures you have the right materials, exactly when you need them. You’ll receive bins filled to a pre-determined level. Once each bin falls to a certain point, we’ll refill your bin. Fast-Rite uses a sophisticated bar code system to ensure accuracy and timeliness. By overseeing and restocking your bins, we’ll save your staff the time and cost of monitoring your inventory. Bin Stock reduces the storage space needed by eliminating excess product stock, reduces your inventory dollars and material handling costs.

A virtual multitude of options or combinations of said options is customized to optimize the specific customer business case and environment.

• Consignment programs work well to eliminate inventory dollars and simplify transactions.
• VMI programs can minimize inventory floor space and dollars. Well-designed delivery direct to the cell or line can eliminate transaction overhead, stock movements, and logistics labor costs.

Safety stock can be minimized.

• High Service needs. Delivery to Supermarket or cell locations

Example: A major lighting manufacture is supplied solely by a VMI program where order data is captured by Fast-Rite employees who electronically transmit the captured orders back to our plant where restock material is packed, loaded into trucks, and readied for the next shift delivery. This lean system allows for greatly reduced safety stock – only 4 hours of material. The Inventory Footprint is virtually eliminated and material is strategically placed at or near the POU.

For high volume programs that have a high service need. Fast-Rite will establish an in-plant presence with specially trained and dedicated personnel to serve customer data collection, organization, delivery, put-away, and MRP processing to minimize the customer transactional and labor load.

• Example: A major hard good manufacturer contracted with Fast-Rite to do a complex VMI program in a very dynamic environment involving multiple points of use, hundreds of SKU’s and varied packing sizes and methods. Our personnel is stationed in the customer facility to perform both VMI functions and also do MRP analysis and order functions for the customer, thus relieving them of that manpower demand. In addition, they serve as a front-line interface with the line and cell personnel in order to streamline and simplify the supply chain and provide an instant response to any challenges that arise. They provide data collection scanning services, replenish tote locations, and direct material handlers for powered functions. Deliveries are made daily or multiple times a day.

Fast-Rite’s innovative Virtual Inventory System uses the latest technologies to electronically monitor and automatically trigger replenishment for their inventory. Using the latest in digital bin systems, we can know exactly when your parts reach their replenishment trigger and can prepare the next refill, without walking in to scan the rack. Did the third shift consume everything in bin C5? We will know it, and can react to this immediately. This program can eliminate the need for purchase orders and saves time, freeing up your valuable resources to do other work. Powered by SAP, this flexible program can be tailored to your company’s specific needs.

• Auto-Managed devices including bin scales, automatic data feed bins.
  • Our calibrated Weight activated bins can calculate bin quantities either by exact count or trigger point. The first is an exacting count of item quantities, allowing an understanding of usage per day. Usage by the user can be tracked also. Reorders are activated upon bin quantity reaching pre-set minimum levels.
  • Our Actylus ^TM brand bins work by a minimum level trigger point. Upon reaching the minimum the individual bin signals Fast-Rite for replenishment and also lights up for visual confirmation.

Easily maintain and replenish inventory levels based on the amount you use

Kanban is a pull-based inventory system that continuously supplies components and parts – so you have what you need, where you need it, when you need it. A key component of Lean Manufacturing principles, Kanban reduces inventory, eliminates stock-outs, and slashes overhead. Kanban uses a card-based system to track inventory supplies, while E-Kanban uses technology to oversee the process. As products are being used, a card signals the need to produce and deliver a new shipment. Once inventory is pulled the systems are sent immediately, avoiding any delays in communication, reducing the replenishment cycle time and inventory levels.

Just-In-Time

Get your parts delivered exactly when you need them.

Keeping extra stock sitting in your warehouse to avoid a shutdown is not only impractical but costly as well. With Fast-Rite’s Just-in-Time inventory solution, you can specify when you need the parts and we’ll deliver them when you want them – whether it’s days or merely hours before they’ll be used. We ensure you have the parts available when you need them, eliminating the costs of excess inventory. Just-in-Time frees up warehouse space, maximizes cash flow, and keeps your line moving for maximum efficiency.

• We’re not limited!
• We customize our programs to fit the customer’s needs, not our cookie cutter!

We can use a variety of tools including hand-held wireless terminals, tablets, laptop devices, android or Iphones to interface via the portal, data upload, EDI, spreadsheet upload through Winshuttle™, flat file, and probably more. Solutions can be customized to the customer environment. Our current programs are varied, some use EDI, Some of our specially developed programs on Windows CE devices, Some of our SAP Direct Customer Portal, and some Winshuttle ™ solutions. What do you need? We can supply it!

Conveyance Options

• Big bins. We use multiple options including Powell Systems Flowmation ™ Gravity fed bins for large containers holding up to 2500 lbs of material. And we also use Large Poly Bins that can hold up to 1200 lbs of material yet can be picked up and moved by hand without power equipment.
• Fastener Totes. Multiple options are available including our specially designed standard AIAG fastener tote with its ergonomically friendly design. Oversize options include Various AIAG standardized straight wall containers and other options.

Example: A leading security equipment provider uses the State of the Art Vending machines to control expensive MRO supplies. Extensive documentation is provided of user transactions including item, quantity, date and time used, and applicable user number. Fast-Rite monitors real-time transaction data and reships upon the minimum trigger point.

Data capture can be via swipe card, RFID, Keycode, or other methods. Data lockers can be added for larger items. Customers can access current inventory status usage.