Inchcape PHL unveils tech-driven parts hub
By Hazel Nicole Carreon
MOTIVATED BY its goal to provide superior after-sales service to customers across the country, Inchcape Philippines recently inaugurated its new state-of-the-art parts distribution center.
Located at the Inchcape Philippines Distribution Complex on C5 in Pasig, the new facility boasts a spacious warehouse designed to accommodate a wide range of automotive parts for the company’s partner brands which include Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Jaguar, Land Rover, and Changan.
By centralizing its parts distribution operations, Inchcape aims to significantly reduce lead times for parts delivery, ensuring a seamless and timely experience for customers. With the new parts hub, the company vows that 95% of vehicle parts will be readily available upon customer inquiry.
The facility uses a warehouse management system that enhances overall operations by optimizing layout, providing real-time inventory data, and tracking product movement.
“If you look at the warehouse, it is so big; we have more than 20,000 items inside. It is impossible to manually track which is moving fast, which is moving slow. So that’s why the warehouse management system that we rolled out is critical,” Inchcape Philippines Country Head Alex Yap told “Velocity” in an exclusive interview.
The system is one of the Enterprise Resourcing Planning platform solutions that the company developed to deliver intelligent automation and boost efficiency across the business.
Inchcape has always acknowledged the significance of digitalization in the automotive industry. “Today’s vehicle buyers want to engage with brands across various channels. They want increased personalization, digital tools for self-servicing, and vehicles made with sustainability in mind,” the company stated in a release.
The automotive distributor has established so-called digital delivery centers (DDC) in the Philippines and Colombia, employing over 1,400 digital specialists who are in charge of developing the world-class digital solutions that Inchcape uses in its operations. “Our continued investments in digital solutions symbolize our focus on being the best distribution partner for OEM brands. The range of proprietary digital solutions deployed at pace by our DDCs in partnership with our businesses showcase our vision, scale, and ability to drive operational excellence that translates into better experiences for consumers in this rapidly changing mobility landscape,” joined Inchcape Managing Director for South Asia and Pacific Alex Hammett.
Aside from the newly built parts distribution center, the 1.2-hectare Inchcape Philippines Distribution Complex also houses Changan and Mazda showrooms, a service area, a multi-brand body and paint workshop, and a corporate office.
The company also built a training academy inside the complex, providing a venue for its technicians to further hone their skills and familiarize themselves with the technologies used in the facility. “We want to make sure that we contribute to the Philippine automotive industry using technology and, of course, by upskilling our people,” Mr. Yap said. “Our people need to understand how to use the technology to make the process more effective and efficient.”
Inchcape made its entry into the Philippine automotive industry in 2023 through a joint venture with luxury vehicle distributor CATS Group of Companies. This partnership aims to elevate the automotive landscape by combining Inchcape’s global expertise with CATS’ strong local market knowledge.
