General Motors Co. has announced plans to invest $23 million in its Customer Care and Aftersales (CCA) Charlotte Parts Distribution Center in North Carolina. The investment will be used to continue increasing workplace safety and modernizing operations to prepare for industry growth.
“We are investing in our warehouse operations to proactively address the growing number of vehicles on the road and better support our customers and dealers,” said David Marsh, GM global vice president, Customer Care and Aftersales. “Our goal is to create an environment which minimizes ergonomic stressors on our employees while they continue to deliver the right part, to the right place, at the right time to our customers.”
The Charlotte-based facility has a smaller physical footprint compared to other GM distribution centers; however, it is among the highest in volume with more than 40,000 parts stocked. The investment will modernize operations to aid in maximizing storage space, reducing physically demanding work on employees and improving order fulfillment time. The technology scheduled to be implemented includes:
- Automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) which includes a grid-like storage and retrieval system utilizing machines to pull specific parts from shelving. It is expected to increase storage capacity by 11% and also reduce the need for manual lifting by employees.
- Robotics and conveyance systems to bring sorted materials to an employee, reducing the amount of required walking and repetitive movements for employees.
- Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) to bring orders to employees to complete final shipping processes for dealer orders.
This investment builds on the more than $120.5 million commitment, announced in 2023, into three CCA facilities located in Memphis, Tenn.; Ypsilanti, Mich.; and Burton, Mich. These investments were also to implement technology to enhance workplace safety by easing physically demanding work.
“We’re genuinely excited about GM’s investment in our facility, a significant step towards easing the ergonomic stress on our workers,” said Darrell Turlington, UAW 2404 shop chairman. “This investment highlights our dedication to improving workplace conditions and bolsters our ability to continue growing and serving our customers with unwavering commitment. Together, we’re moving towards a more efficient and supportive future.”
The system is scheduled to begin installation in June 2024 and expected to be operational by August 2025.
The Charlotte Parts Distribution Center opened in 1999 and ships approximately 420,000 customer orders per month. It currently employs approximately 132 people and most team members are represented by UAW Local 2404.
