Mystery Broken Window

[J.R.]

Which further illustrates the great advantage of JIT to the biggest fish in the pond, the car manufacturers, when the pandemic came they simply shut down their lines and laid off the workers, the suppliers were left with the problem of inventory coming out of their ears.

 

In normal times the suppliers have the lead time of the build as notice of what will be required several weeks ahead and much closer to the time the exact date, time and workstation to deliver the components to.

 

When a massive hailstorm happens like the one in Sidney April 1999 where the plane I landed on was written off, the glass manufacturers are faced with the problem of ramping up production for a short period but that cannot have any impact on the JIT deliveries to the carmakers which is their bread and butter.

[EnterName]

On 15/09/2022 at 22:31, J.R. said:

No but just in time inventory is!!!!!!!

 

A car window is indeed a JIT stock item, when its fitted new in the vehicle manufacturing plant, it and all the other components are delivered by the suppliers to the assembly line just in time, the supplier will know in advance the expected volumes for the year updated regularly as new car sales happen, they produce in volume production runs and hold any buffer stock, deliveries are made daily to the plant with the exact number of the correct individual screens for that days production timed to be there just in time to be placed on the vehicle, they are delivered directly to the workstation, the car manufacturer holds no stock, has no capital tied up in stock nor needs space to store it and move it around to the assembly stations.

 

It could not be further from a random event like a windscreen breaking on a vehicle, one of thousands of different types of screen that could break that day, or a weather event like a hailstorm smashing every front & rear windscreen of vehicles within the area.

 

No replacement windscreen company could ever run a JIT system, you picked the wrong phrase.

I disagree.

If Autoglass weren't reliant on JIT, they would have had the required part in stock.

 

[J.R.]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

 

Why not blame Brexit while you are at it!

[EnterName]

11 minutes ago, J.R. said:

🤣🤣🤣🤣

 

Why not blame Brexit while you are at it!

What's your explanation for the month wait?

[J.R.]

How would I know?

 

Out of stock, on back order, waiting for a new batch to be made, they had too much other work, they did not like your face........................

 

It could be anything for all I know, what I do know is that it will be absolutely nothing to do with JIT stock management which they could never use unless they knew when, where and what exact screens would be breaking in the future.

 

I also know that I have failed in my efforts to explain to you what JIT inventory control is which is fine by me.

[ords]

1 hour ago, EnterName said:

I disagree.

If Autoglass weren't reliant on JIT, they would have had the required part in stock.

 

So you expect them to have every varient of glass for all models? 

[EnterName]

On 18/09/2022 at 14:26, ords said:

So you expect them to have every varient of glass for all models? 

Within reason, yes. That's their job.

While I wouldn't expect them to have a full stock of glass for, ooh say a Ferrari 812 Competizione which is a relatively exclusive car, or an considerably older vehicle like a 1960 VW Transporter split-screen. But for a recent car like the MK3 Octavia, of which about 2,500,000 have been made and are common as muck in the UK, absolutely yes.

[KenONeill]

On 18/09/2022 at 12:49, EnterName said:

If Autoglass weren't reliant on JIT

If they actually used JIT, they'd more or less always be out of stock of more or less everything. If they use a re-order level, they can still run out if they get a peak in demand for $part.

[J.R.]

Spot on!

 

And even with the re-order levels there is often a wait for the manufacturer to make a new batch and when there are hailstorms everyones buffer stock gets used up quickly and lead times extend.

 

I bet if you looked on 7zap you would find 20+ different variants of windscreen for the MK3 Octavia.

 

In that respect there is more likely to be stock of a windscreen for a Classic car with only one screen variant, a screen that may even be used on other vehicles, the Elan and Consul Capri spring to mind.

 

A Split Screen Camper is as bad an example as believing windscreen repair companies use JIT, the glass is flat and can easily be cut from a sheet of laminated glass as a one off, even toughened can be doneas a one off  on a quick turnaround, there is no forming required.

Edited 20 September, 2022 by J.R.

[EnterName]

3 hours ago, KenONeill said:

If they actually used JIT, they'd more or less always be out of stock of more or less everything. If they use a re-order level, they can still run out if they get a peak in demand for $part.

As it happens, they turned up to replace the glass today.

They arrived with the wrong window (nearside instead of offside), because they ordered the wrong glass.

Naturally they don't have the offside window in stock, because why would they?

I'm happy to accept that Autoglass don't use JIT. I don't care.

I couldn't GAF what you want to call whatever system Autoglass uses for ordering replacement glass.

It's slow and it sucks.

[J.R.]

You are the only person has wanted to name the stock control system of Autoglass.

 

Now I realise that its a side window and not a windscreen I am even less surprised at the delay.

[KenONeill]

2 hours ago, EnterName said:

I'm happy to accept that Autoglass don't use JIT. I don't care.

And yet, you're the only person who asserted which stock control system they use.

[cheezemonkhai]

On 16/09/2022 at 10:04, PetrolDave said:

The thing about JIT is that it relies on the future being able to be accurately predicted based on the past as it uses past data to try to predict future demand, so when major changes come along (like a pandemic) JIT is about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

 

A pandemic

A war

A loss of manufacturing

Critical changes in oil/energy prices

Lack of shipping resources

....

 

JIT is great when everything is perfect and predictable.

The sticking loads in a warehouse costs too much.

Sadly what is needed is ARTBIRN (Just made up) - A reasonable time before it's really needed, where goods are shipped in half warehouse quantities, such that the warehouse holds enough to deal with a reasonable period of time of work continuation should an oops happen. 

 

Essentially when you've used half your stock, fill up again rather than waiting until it's nearly empty.

 

As for the side window... I doubt it's a common parts, so they might have one of each type in a central warehouse if you're lucky, but probably not as it would cost much £££ to do so for all the popular cars. Front screens yes, possibly some others for very common cars, but not all of them.

Edited 21 September, 2022 by cheezemonkhai

[ords]

Unless the side window is broken by someone breaking into the car they don't often break. Even less reason for glass replacement companies to hold stock.

[PetrolDave]

15 hours ago, ords said:

Unless the side window is broken by someone breaking into the car they don't often break. Even less reason for glass replacement companies to hold stock.

When some lowlife smashed the front passenger window of an Audi A4 I used to own it took two weeks to get a replacement fitted.

Edited 22 September, 2022 by PetrolDave

[ords]

3 hours ago, PetrolDave said:

When some lowlife smashed the front passenger window of an Audi A4 I used to own it took two weeks to get a replacement fitted.

Obviously not an ideal situation having to wait, but did you rant and rave about the company for not having it in stock?  I'm guessing no.

[PetrolDave]

3 hours ago, ords said:

Obviously not an ideal situation having to wait, but did you rant and rave about the company for not having it in stock?  I'm guessing no.

What's the point? If they don't have stock then they don't have stock...and no amount of ranting & raving by me will make their supplier deliver it any quicker.

[EnterName]

23 hours ago, PetrolDave said:

When some lowlife smashed the front passenger window of an Audi A4 I used to own it took two weeks to get a replacement fitted.

I don't think two weeks is particularly unreasonable.

 

19 hours ago, ords said:

Obviously not an ideal situation having to wait, but did you rant and rave about the company for not having it in stock?  I'm guessing no.

Grumbling about things they're not happy with is what grumpy middle-aged men like me do.

The BBC even made a series about it.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0071jtx/episodes/guide

If you think moaning about slow service on a car forum is ranting and raving, you clearly haven't seen someone rant and rave.
Perhaps you're not married? 😋

[ords]

55 minutes ago, EnterName said:

I don't think two weeks is particularly unreasonable.

 

Grumbling about things they're not happy with is what grumpy middle-aged men like me do.

The BBC even made a series about it.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0071jtx/episodes/guide

If you think moaning about slow service on a car forum is ranting and raving, you clearly haven't seen someone rant and rave.
Perhaps you're not married? 😋

But going by your posts, you would have expected the glass to be in stock, so waiting for two weeks would be unreasonable.

[EnterName]

5 hours ago, ords said:

But going by your posts, you would have expected the glass to be in stock, so waiting for two weeks would be unreasonable.

Not sure if you're trolling or not, but I'll assume good intent for now.

 

I would expect the glass to be quickly available. Wouldn't you? How long would YOU expect to wait for a replacement window, @ords?

Autoglass have warned me to only drive the car short distances at low speeds because the temporary glazing is unsafe at speed.

Ask a single mum with a couple of kids whether being without her car for a couple of weeks is "unreasonable".

FS! 🙄

[KenONeill]

38 minutes ago, EnterName said:

Ask a single mum with a couple of kids

Well, unless you are one, I don't know any.

[Ootohere]

Is it different for a married woman with kids or a single parent father? 

Or even a member of Extinction Rebellion that has a protest to get to and no bike. 

[ords]

2 hours ago, EnterName said:

Not sure if you're trolling or not, but I'll assume good intent for now.

 

I would expect the glass to be quickly available. Wouldn't you? How long would YOU expect to wait for a replacement window, @ords?

Autoglass have warned me to only drive the car short distances at low speeds because the temporary glazing is unsafe at speed.

Ask a single mum with a couple of kids whether being without her car for a couple of weeks is "unreasonable".

FS! 🙄

I'm not trolling. If Autoglass haven't got the stock, then they haven't got it. As long as I'm assured it will come then I have to accept that. In the meantime, I could check with other companies to see if they have it in stock and see if Autoglass could buy it from them.

 

Your example of a mother of two is strange. She's probably only doing the school run and shopping, so if she had the temporary  glazing as you now say you have then she won't be affected.                                                   

 

 

[EnterName]

On 23/09/2022 at 15:22, KenONeill said:

Well, unless you are one, I don't know any.

Oh I'm sorry @KenONeill, should I be using gender-neutral language for you? 😄

What are your pronouns? 😋

[EnterName]

On 23/09/2022 at 17:21, ords said:

She's probably only doing the school run and shopping

Yes @ordsthe life of a single mum is all school runs and shopping. 🙄