The 136,500-square-foot facility—which has been in operation for 30-plus years—is the logistics and
shipping hub for PHINIA, helping import and export starters, alternators and other components that support the commercial, off-highway and passenger vehicle market throughout North America, Central America and Europe.
With millions of units being shipped annually, nothing is left to chance.
“We’ve been doing this and perfecting it for a long time,” says Alejandro Guerrero, facility manager. “We understand the products and how best to package, load and process them.”
Guerrero says there are stringent systems and processes in place to ensure quality control. Additionally, every member of the 60-plus employee team is cross-trained to guarantee that whoever touches a package is knowledgeable and equipped to handle it.
It helps, he says, that the experience on the team runs deep. Guerrero has been at the distribution center for 25 years, and many on his leadership team have 10-15 years as well. Plus, he says, the facility has low turnover, so many of the people performing the day-to-day tasks have developed expertise thanks to their longevity at the facility.
But he’s quick to point out that they aren’t complacent, though—far from it. Because most shipments come with specific customer requirements, everyone must be flexible and adaptable to address customer requests for how they want to receive product.
“Our customers purchase a premium product, and we work hard to ensure our packaging reflects that investment,” says Guerrero, who holds an international master’s degree and Six Sigma certification.
Safe Delivery: Inside the Rigorous Packing Process
The process for packing units is very detailed, says Miguel Canales, operations manager, who has been at the facility for 15 years.
“We’re very deliberate in how we pack so we can preserve the product and provide unique protection,” he explains. “Once everything is assembled, the product is wrapped and packed according to specifications, and then all orders are checked—for quantity, part number, label and customer requirements.”
For all Delco Remy heavy duty customers, this entire process is videotaped from the start until it’s loaded on the truck.
“If there’s any question, we want them to see we used the right packaging to make it tight and unmovable,” he says. “We do our due diligence to ensure it gets to the final destination safely and intact.”
When customers receive damaged products, it’s usually because something occurred after the shipment left the local terminal, particularly when packages hit three or four different places before reaching their final destination.
In these cases, the Laredo team works closely with transportation carriers to address problems. They’ve hosted carriers at the facility to make them aware of the care taken to package and protect products.
It’s a commitment that Guerrero and his team take very seriously: “We have extensive quality assurance protocols to verify all packages and make sure they meet our standards and our commitment to customers.”
