By Lane Alexander

Looking towards its 125th anniversary in 2011, Daimler AG is one of the most impressive business success stories in history. Ever since Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz made history by inventing the automobile in 1886, Mercedes-Benz has become one of the world’s most recognizable brands, synonymous with excellence and quality. As such, it’s no surprise that Daimler would hold their vendors and suppliers to the same level of quality — including the printing of owner manuals and other materials.

Up until 2005, manuals and guides for the North American market were printed in Germany and shipped to the Mercedes facility in New Jersey. From there the product was sent to the SUV production plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and to their Vehicle Preparation Centers (VPC’s) in Baltimore, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, and Nova Scotia.

The costs in time and expense were exorbitant, inventory stock levels rose dramatically, and the possibility of a distribution error slowing down production could be a mistake costing Mercedes tens of thousands of dollars. One error in the printing, warehousing, or distribution of manuals could disrupt the entire production flow at the Tuscaloosa plant.

ElandersUSA takes strategic initiative to exchange data and artwork:

• ElandersUSA quickly networked its prepress department to Daimler’s graphics group in Germany.
• A strategic procurement program was established to ensure that an adequate supply of paper was available for the volume of print required.
• A just-in-time print solution was incorporated within ElandersUSA’s normal workflow to guarantee no loss in production time at the manufacturing facility or VPC’s.
• A Mercedes-specific, quality control program was incorporated to meet the standards set by Daimler.

The first Mercedes-Benz manual was produced by ElandersUSA in the Fall of 2005 and was shipped to New Jersey where manuals were kitted with other materials and distributed.

Solution 2: Streamline Fulfillment

As the relationship grew, ElandersUSA was able to streamline the ordering process and to eventually take over the kitting process, saving the customer even more time and money. Today, ElandersUSA is responsible for the print and kit packing of printed articles for all Mercedes-Benz sedans sold in the United States and all SUV’s sold around the world!