02/16/2005 – AUBURN HILLS, Michigan, USA

TDS/US, a premium minority-certified provider of automotive logistics services, recently launched metering and sequencing operations at a new facility in the Detroit area servicing Chrysler’s Jefferson North Assembly Plant - JNAP, supporting the production of the all-new 2005 Jeep® Grand Cherokee.

From a custom-built 360,000 ft2 facility across the road from Jefferson, on Freud Street, TDS/US is providing bulk metering and complex sequencing services delivering parts to ‘point-of-fit’ on the assembly line. The sequenced commodities handled include shifters, coil springs, prop shafts, grilles, front and rear exhausts, wire harnesses, and door handles.

TDS/US has provided similar services to Chrysler since 1998 from its facility on Lappin Street, which will continue operating in tandem with Freud Street until June of this year. Lappin currently handles axles and Y-pipes together with small and large part bulk shipments supporting Chrysler’s Warren Truck and Jefferson assembly plants

“TDS/US is continuing to apply Lean principles throughout its organization.” Stated Paul McQuirter, TDS/US President & CEO. “It is through the application of this Lean methodology, lessons learned from previous facility launches, and a total emphasis on delivering quality to our customer, that we have managed to achieve such a successful launch here at Freud Street.” He added, “In fact, this launch has now raised the bar and set a new corporate standard for us, and I am extremely proud of the plant’s team for the effort they put forth.”

With an employee count which will reach 1100 this year, TDS/US has five operations in Michigan, together with one in Norfolk, VA, one in Kansas, MO, and a recently announced new operation in Belvidere, Ill. In addition to inbound logistics services, delivering auto parts directly to local assembly plants on a just-in-time basis, TDS/US also provides outbound logistics services for aftermarket and service parts; and consolidation and packaging of parts required to build complete vehicles, into CKD kits, and exporting these to overseas assembly facilities.