M.Y：Most of our products are about the width of an automobile, so the size of the returnable containers is very large. Since warehouse space is limited, we stack up the containers as high as possible. People are surprised and say, "Is it safe to stack up so many of them?". We have put a lot of ingenuities into the containers, so they do not move at all even in an earthquake. For example, the height of the containers is made as low as possible for stability.

I.T：All green containers here are the same size. By adjusting the inside, the containers can be diverted to fit any product size. The type of the containers is decreased to one-third, which helped to reduce the cost of container production.

M.Y：The key to adjusting the inside of the containers is how we use cushioning materials. We usually use cushioning materials to protect products from damage. However, excessive use of them increases costs, and when we put different shaped products in the container, there may be more dedicated cushioning materials to be discarded.

We keep a balance by using versatile cushioning materials and choosing environmentally friendly materials. The green containers are also designed in size so that they can be stacked on the back of a truck without gaps, which improves loading efficiency.

I.T：Improving the loading efficiency can lead to reducing the transportation costs. As customers cover the transportation costs, we would like to reduce them as much as possible. In general, the loading efficiency is about 75%, but Starlite's loading efficiency is 90%!

I.T：Don't go in there. It's not safe. Come back here, and I will explain the next item.

M.Y：These are our proud new gray returnable containers.

M.Y：There are different sizes, but we can assemble them together to create the same-sized container. The idea is the same as A3 is equivalent to two A4 papers and A2 is equivalent to four A4 papers. We choose the perfect container for products, which means less cushioning materials and easier customization than green containers. The bottom of the containers is designed to fit tightly like a Lego block, so even when stacked in combination with various sized containers, they are strong.

I.T：The gray containers can be stacked in a variety of ways on the back of a truck, making them even more efficient for loading because they are less likely to make gaps than green containers. As they are stacked alternately, the containers do not collapse. This one does not even need a fall protection belt. They are all made of the same plastic and have no metal fittings, so they can be recycled. Well thought out, right?

M.Y：Well, we have more than just containers. We ship products on our own original cart with shelves we use in our plant, and customers can use the cart on their production line.

M.Y：Yes, it has wheels, but the platform is completely different. We have designed the cart with shelves for smooth loading and unloading of products.

I.T：Customers manufacture their products using our products. If we can eliminate the process of customers rearranging the products once they are delivered and products can be unloaded smoothly, the production efficiency will improve.

M.Y：We originally manufactured the cart with shelves to improve logistics at our plant, but we thought our customers might have similar issues, so we proposed them if we could deliver our products on our original cart.

I.T：First we designed the height of the cart so that customers can easily unload products. A taller cart can carry a lot, but if it is too tall, some people will have trouble using it or will not be able to reach the shelves on top.

M.Y：The next important question is how many carts can be loaded onto a truck. Giving thought to the height needed when working inside the truck, we considered stacking two short carts on top of each other, but decided against it because the wheels and auxiliary parts would have taken up unnecessary height, reducing the number of products that could be carried.

So we designed a cart with shelves that allows containers to be stacked without gaps on top at a height that makes it easy to unload products, and at the very limit of the loading capacity. This became reality after we were able to standardize the green containers and gray containers which you just saw.

I.T：A customer said they would like to use it in their plant, so we just handed them our drawings. It will be exciting to see how they will make use of the cart.

M.Y：The production floor has limited space to store parts, so we would like to store less. Customers would probably be the same. Now we deliver products in the required quantities according to the customer's production plan. Also, for mixed production (where multiple car models are manufactured on a single production line), deliveries are being made according to the order of automobiles to be manufactured. This is called planned sequential production, and we were one of the first companies to start this delivery method for the cowl grille.

• For details about the cowl grille, please read STARLITE CREATORS Vol.12, "What kind of design minimizes damage in an automobile accident? They are the CREATORS who are responsible for development design and achieve even contradictory performance.".

M.Y：Not only we have saved customer's man-hours that would have otherwise been spent on rearranging products, but we have also reduced the customer's storage space by half because we only deliver products they need at that time. The results were mutually beneficial because we were able to reduce the number of containers for shipping. However, with this delivery method, any mistake in the order of placing products to the containers can lead to stopping customer's production lines. That is something we cannot afford to have happen, so we thoroughly manage the packing process to avoid any mistakes by utilizing QR codes.

I.T：Besides the things we have introduced so far, we recommend drivers to use expressways to reduce working hours. In fact, using expressways improves fuel efficiency and reduces the CO2 emissions, because you can travel at a constant speed without stopping. We have also reviewed how trucks were dispatched and their routes to ensure that labor hours remain within the specified working hours.

M.Y：We are now planning to introduce a trailer that can tow a 12-meter cargo. We could double the amount of transportation.

I.T：These activities do not work unless we spend a lot of time discussing among ourselves and with transport service providers with mutual respect. Two of the transport service providers agreed with our activities and have been transporting our products using dedicated trucks for us. The dedicated service is our advantage. We are able to approach things from different angles because we have people who think together and discuss with. The best part of this job is to make strong connections inside and outside the company, and to continue to try new things.

M.Y：I would like to continue to co-create more and more. Now I feel like anything is possible with a group of like-minded people. Are we too greedy?!