At Mercedes-Benz, it's, "the best or nothing.” That’s why Grupo Antolin partnered with ARD to assemble and deliver their modular headliners.


Provide Grupo Antolin facilities IT infrastructure and staffing required to support headliner assembly and sequencing operations for Mercedes Benz U.S. International

Transit time exceeds delivery window driven by OEM assembly operations.

Product Complexity would significantly increase the warehouse footprint required if headliners were batch built and shipped as assemblies.

Inability to store completed assemblies for extended periods of time without risk of compromising part quality due to size of parts and weight of components.

Transportation cost for completed assemblies.

Components suppliers located in Europe and Mexico dictating the increased requirement for days on hand based on transit. Therefore, significant warehouse space required for component storage.

No previous experience with Mercedes Benz.


The Ways We Solved those Problems

Provide warehouse storage and conduct sequence assembly within 30 miles radius of OEM.

Establish/Provide team of trained production personnel for assembly operations with customer provided assembly equipment.

EDI Communication with Grupo Antolin, Components Suppliers and OEM.

Reduce transportation cost by 60%.


The Ways the Client Benefitted

Gave input to lessons learned during the design equipment phase and conducted buy off on all assembly tooling prior to transfer to plant.

Provided guidance in utilization of Mercedes Benz customer specific systems and implementation of requirements. This included all facets of the organization including: Quality, IT Infrastructure, Inventory Control and Transportation.

Development and implementation of MRP and EDI Systems which allow for full circle communication between Grupo Antolin, Mercedes and Component Suppliers

Deploy web interface for visibility of part usage, test performance and vision system records at Grupo Antolin.

Developed process flows and standardize work instructions which insure part quality and process efficiency are achieved 100%.

Execute problem solving utilizing 5 why methodology.

Process enhancements provided utilizing Six Sigma Lean Manufacturing Methodology.