ALOM has provided global supply chain management for the SYNC® navigation group of the Ford Motor Company since 2009. When Ford’s CEO announced at the Consumer Electronics Show that Ford would be providing a critical MyFord Touch™ system upgrade to consumers, the navigation group recognized the high visibility of the project.
Faced with a tight deadline, Ford turned to a proven and trusted supplier, ALOM. Through its past performance, ALOM had demonstrated that its state-of-the-art, high-capacity duplication center combines world-class technology expertise and quality management processes. ALOM was the obvious choice to source and test the automotive grade components, handle all duplication of SD media and USB flash drives, provide packaging, and deliver system update materials to over 400,000 owners.
The contract was awarded to ALOM due to a number of different elements including their impressive customer list, its technology and digital media engineering leadership and their turnkey capabilities. Those capabilities that include:
- Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) procurement
- Media testing
- Assembly and kitting
- High-volume duplication
- Printing and packaging
- High-traceability order fulfillment
- Global distribution
Six Sigma Quality
The results were 100% on-time performance due to ALOM high production capacity combined with its ability to ramp up quickly and flawlessly fulfill orders. ALOM achieved Six Sigma quality levels that met Ford requirements with less than 3 DPPM measured using inline testing, final testing and laser verification of critical components.
A Trusted Partner
Accurate updates to the MyFord Touch System are critical for end-users to receive in a timely manner and Ford knew they could count on ALOM to deliver, on time and accurately. Updates to MyFord Touch and the Ford SYNC software that enables it are helping to drive more than half of new Ford owners to purchase Blue Oval vehicles. MyFord Touch offers customers a suite of voice, steering-wheel, and LCD touchscreen controls.
To protect Ford intellectual property, ALOM media engineers embedded secure digital rights management protection onto every media component.
SD Card Recycle Program Supports Charity and Sustainability
In addition to the software upgrades, it was important to Ford that replaced SD cards were responsibly recycled and kept out of landfills. ALOM quickly set up and hosts an innovative Recycling for Charity program at sdreturnforcharity.com to process replaced media returns and donate proceeds from the sale of recycled/reformatted media to any of six Ford approved charities. The site allows consumers or dealers to designate which charity receives their net proceeds.
To manage data security issues, ALOM used its reverse logistics systems to ensure that Ford’s intellectual property, as-well-as any confidential data, are fully erased by refurbishing the card to original factory settings out of its Fremont, California location.
ALOM donates project management and other costs associated with administering the recycle for charity program.
