New Parts Distribution Center for Muller Martini

ALLENTOWN, PA—About 30 years ago, the Piano Man himself, Billy Joel—a Long Island resident—sang of the plight of living and working in Allentown, PA. Fast forward to 2014, and you'll find finishing and variable-size web offset press equipment manufacturer Muller Martini, saying goodbye to the Long Island town of Hauppauge, NY, in favor of Allentown...at least from a parts distribution standpoint.

It stands to reason that a piano player isn't the best person to consult for business decisions. But Werner Naegeli, president and CEO of Muller Martini North America, is excited about the possibilities offered by the state-of-the-art parts distribution center, a 200,000-square-foot facility, which joins the company's newspaper mailroom and SAM software engineering center.

Naegeli told Printing Impressions magazine that the project began in late December, and now the center plays host to more than $40 million in authentic OEM replacement parts. The facility boasts new cabinetry, making storage and manufacturing more efficient. It also incorporates a state-of-the-art storage and retrieval system that uses 100 percent barcode technology.

Most of the changes are manufacturer-facing, which in turn will enable Muller Martini to serve its clients more effectively and efficiently. Trucking in and out of JFK and the harbors was problematic and taxing on schedules. However, Allentown offers unfettered accessibility to major highways.

"We have a nice setup with FedEx here as well," Naegeli points out. "We have their trucks here in back, and then all the parts go out at a certain time, on the same night. We can ship here later than we did out of Long Island." This helps to ensure a 97.5 percent next-day shipping guarantee.

The facility also houses a comprehensive feeder and inserter rebuild center, inserting equipment manufacturing for newspaper mailrooms and a demonstration center. Muller Martini said it will be announcing a new product that will be manufactured here as well.

Naegeli said that with the added space, the center will have ample room for expansion, which he envisions in the not-too-distant future.