Hitachi DC moved without a hitch

Hitachi DC moved without a hitch    STI, a trucking and logistics service provider that caters to customers with special handling requirements, said it recently relocated a major distribution center for Hitachi Data Systems from Plainfield, Ind., to Norman, Okla., over the course of two weekends without any service disruption to Hitachi customers.
   The move combines Hitachi's international distribution with its domestic computer-products campus in Norman to improve logistics efficiency.
   STI, together with its California-based agent Valley Relocation & Storage, moved more than 200 truckloads of inventory, including work-in-progress, laboratory testing equipment, fixtures, and spare parts using a mix of flatbed, dry van, and climate controlled trailers with single and two-man delivery teams.
   An STI inventory management system kept track of more than 1 million items involved in the move.
   Hitachi was able to accept customer orders on Friday in Plainfield and fulfill the orders on Monday from the new facility in Norman.
   STI, based in Fort Wayne, Ind., provides white-glove and other specialized trucking services, including less-than-truckload and home delivery, for high-value products. It started out as the high-value products and logistics division of North American Van Lines before being spun off in 2004.