Since many machine tools made at its Iga, Nara and Chiba, Japan factories are too big to fit in ISO shipping containers, they are loaded on to flat-rack containers inside a purpose-built steel frame that is usually wrapped with unbranded blue tarpaulin.
The company says, "This means that, currently, the sea cargo carrier cannot tell from the outside what kind of product is inside, so precision machinery receives exactly the same kind of treatment as other cargo."
It adds: "Now we have manufactured our own sheeting through consultation with the sea cargo carriers, out of our desire to convey the precious DMG Mori products ordered by customers with care right to the customer’s location." The packaging also includes handling advice labels. The company claims it is the first time a Japanese manfacturer has managed manufacture of packaging materials for flat-rack containers.
DMG Mori concludes: "Also, making the sea cargo carriers constantly aware that they are handling DMG Mori brand products is anticipated to lead to further quality improvement in the supply chain up to delivery to the customer. We believe that the customer will be more satisfied in terms of both appearance and quality."
The company plans to continue to roll out the packaging concept into other geographical and product areas.
