The Challenge
A major Tier-1 automotive suspension manufacturer based in Chakan, Pune, was at risk of losing a critical supply contract with a global OEM in Chennai. The OEM operated on a strict Just-In-Time (JIT) assembly model, under which any supply delay that halted the production line triggered contractual penalties of ₹7 million per hour.
Using standard road transporters, the supplier's shipments suffered from high transit variability — vehicles were taking 48 to 72 hours on the Pune–Chennai corridor due to frequent sorting stops at regional transshipment hubs.
Booking a dedicated Full Truck Load (FTL) for daily, mid-sized shipments of 2.5 tonnes was financially unsustainable and strained their working capital. The supplier needed a solution that combined the cost efficiency of PTL with the reliability of direct FTL movement.
The Intervention
DNS deployed its premium, scheduled Express PTL (Part Truck Load) service. To bypass the delays of standard consolidators, DNS established a direct "hub-skipping" milk-run protocol.
- check_circleCargo loaded into dedicated, sealed 32-foot containerized vehicles that bypassed regional sorting centers and moved directly along the NH-48 corridor.
- check_circleDual-driver operations to ensure continuous movement, eliminating the need for extended highway rest stops.
- check_circleDNS tracking systems integrated directly with the manufacturer's ERP via APIs, providing automated, real-time gate-in and gate-out milestones.
- check_circleScheduled daily departure windows synchronized with the OEM's production planning calendar.
The Quantified Results
"By eliminating hub stops and running direct on NH-48 with dual drivers, DNS transformed a 3-day transit uncertainty into an 18-hour certainty — that's what JIT actually demands."