Gallery: Boeing’s Central Distribution Center in Dallas

BGS operates a 550,000 ft.² distribution center (shown here) in the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) area, as well as a 16,000 ft.² parts repair shop and 166,000 ft.² chemical storage facility.

About a year ago, BGS decided to bring together the front-end parts business with distribution and supply chain businesses to scale and leverage the entities. This is the receiving area for small parts at BGS’ central distribution center at DFW. 

Boeing’s distribution warehouse targets 21 hr. from “dock to stock” for standard parts. “Hot stock” moves much faster. The company uses SAP to strategically place material—so the faster moving material is easily accessible. This area of the warehouse stocks bigger parts such as components and engine parts.

A wire-guided system helps lift operators glide along the racks.

Packaging that can’t be reused is regularly recycled.

During the pandemic, Boeing started cross training more employees to keep up with staffing needs and found having people trained across functions such as receiving and picking was very beneficial. Now about 50% of its workforce here can move between spots.

Boeing stocks about 5,000 tires—from baggage cart to C-17 aircraft—at this warehouse.

Boeing stocks a variety of airframe and engine OEM used serviceable material (USM). It does tear down aircraft to harvest parts, if needed. USM is stored in a different area than new material. The segregation is for quality control. 

These Kardex Remstar vertical shortage machines house 20,000 parts. Two of the four of this grouping are shown here. With the market growing at a 6-8% compound annual growth rate, BGS aspires to grow its parts business at that rate or slightly higher, says William Ampofo, senior vice president of parts and distribution services and supply chain.

BGS offers repair management services for customer owned property. Its MRO network works to Boeing quality standards. This radome is covered under that service.

Work done for government clients is also segregated. 

The electrical static discharge parts area includes things like circuit boards. These are some of the more than 2 million parts available in BGS’ online catalogue.

Boeing plans to install a new conveyor belt in this distribution center, starting in late 2022. The new one will be much quieter. The electrical static discharge area, shown here, will get the first new belt and the system will roll out in sections during 2023 to avoid disruptions.

This facility has had more than 1,000 days without a safety incident causing a missed work day.

Sheena Mitchell, director of distributor programs, talking with William Ampofo at the DFW distribution center. BGS is seeing growth “broadly across our parts business” but narrowbody engine parts have definitely seen an uptick this year as flight hours have increased, according to Ampofo.