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Page 12 November 1st 2010Email: warehouse@flame1.com FORKTRUCK NEWSTel: 01923 272960A revolutionary four-high lift truckbattery charge and change facility hasbeen installed by EnerSys as part of arefurbishment project at the St Helensregional distribution centre operated bythe logistics arm of The Co-operativeGroup. The system makes the best possibleuse of available space on theminimum footprint and eliminatesmanual handling.The 582,000 sq ft (54,000 sq m) StHelens regional distribution centre wasoriginally opened by Somerfield aroundeight years ago to serve local conveniencestores in the North West and Wales.Somerfield was subsequently bought byThe Co-operative Group in 2009. The distributioncentre’s temperature controlledchambers alone measure over three millioncubic feet, equivalent to over 300,800household freezers. Nine miles of undergroundducting and drainage pipeworkand the racking steelwork would stretch for80 miles if laid end-to-end. After the acquisitionthe logistics arm of The Co-operativeGroup decided to upgrade the site, whichcovers 42.8 acres and is by far the largest inits expanded nationwide network, to bringFIRST FOUR-HIGH BATTERY SYSTEM FOR CO-OPit in line with its other warehouses andincorporate the latest equipment and servicesto support efficiency and sustainability.The warehouse is currently buildingup its fully composite operation followingthe investment and will eventually work24/7 to deliver around 1.7 million cases aweek to the existing Co-operative Groupand newly rebranded local conveniencestores. Deliveries will be made by a fleetof over 300 vehicles including almost 250trailer units. Changes in distribution proceduresintroduced by the logistics arm ofThe Co-operative Group are expected toreduce the annual mileage of the fleet by816,000 miles which is equal to 37 roundthe-worldtrips.Materials handling on site will be managedusing a fleet of 230 reach trucks, orderpickers, pallet transporters and counterbalancetrucks. With a fleet of this size it wasimportant to ensure the battery charge andchange area was configured for optimumuse of space and operational efficiency. Oneof the key requirements was to ensure thefacility occupied the smallest possible footprint,to leave more space for productivestorage, without compromising the abilityto maintain warehouse truck operations.As with its other sites the logistics arm ofThe Co-operative Group wanted to introducebest practice procedures and eliminateany need for manual handling of batteriesfor its warehouse staff. The company’srecent new-build distribution centres havemulti-tier charge and change facilities andits first three-tier system was installed at theCoventry operation in 2005. This proved tobe a successful combination of leading edgebattery management and handling systems.The logistics arm of The Co-operativeGroup and EnerSys decided to go further atSt Helens and install a four-tier system.“Multi-tier battery banks have provedthemselves at our other distribution centresand going four-high is a safe and flexible solutionwhich follows best practice,” says ChasShepperson, National MHE Fleet Manager atthe logistics arm of The Co-operative Group.In conventional installations batteriesare typically arranged at ground level withtheir chargers and any other ancillary equipmentalongside or, more usually, overhead.This makes it relatively easy to exchangebatteries without any need for lifting.However in the very largest warehousesit can take up a lot of expensive floorspace.Multi-tier installations have beenaround for some time. Batteries arestored above each other to make better useof floorspace and handled in and out of racksusing specially adapted handling carts. Thesewere generally restricted to two or threelevels in the past because of limitations withthe hydraulic performance of the handlingequipment. EnerSys eliminated these issuesat The Co-operative Group’s Chester-le-Streetwarehouse by creating a battery handlingsystem with a fully-electric battery changingcart without any need for hydraulics. Aversion of this machine, which was basedon the popular Pro Series BBH, was built forhandling batteries on four levels at St Helens.When a lift truck battery change isrequired, the truck approaches the changingarea and the driver disconnects its battery.A trained member of staff dedicated to thebattery area takes over and completes thechange using the Pro-Series BBE which runson concealed rails alongside the chargerbanks. The battery is removed by thepowerful extending electro-magnet on theBBE, placed on its on-board roller bed andpushed into place for charging. A chargedChas Shepperson, National MHE FleetManager at the logistics arm of The CooperativeGroup.battery is then loaded by the BBE onto thetruck. Batteries on all four levels can be handledin this way. Truck uptime is sustainedand potentially injurious manual handling iseliminated in what is a simple one-man job.By adopting afuture-proof strategywith two identical banksof batteries arrangedback-to-back, each withits own BBE, flexibilityof operation is assured STAND: 20F30both at peak periodsand during maintenance. One of the bankscan be taken off-line for short periods and thecentral aisle which runs between the banksenables engineers who are monitoring andmaintaining batteries and chargers to do sosafely without entering truck operating areas.EnerSys Motive PowerKaren SmithTel: 0161 794 4611email: karen.smith@uk.enersys.comwww.enersys-hawker.comwww.enersys.comHANDLED WITH CAREPlunkett Tiling floored byMitsubishi forklift fleet’s reliability.You may not have heard ofPlunkett Tiling, but you’re bound tohave seen some of the Newcastlebasedcontractor’s work... or evenstepped on it. From the Houses ofParliament and the iconic BBC studiosat White City to the limestone floorsof Gateshead’s Metro Centre, for morethan 30 years the firm has been thetiling contractor of choice for the UK’smost prestigious projects.With clients spread the length andbreadth of Britain and over three milliontiles processed every year at thePlunkett Tiling factory, materials handlingplays a vital role in thecompany’s operations. That’s why thetiling contractor has relied onMitsubishi Forklift Trucks dealer A1Industrial Trucks for over twodecades.When the company decided toexpand its fleet earlier this year, managingdirector Paddy Plunkett turnedto A1’s sales team for expert advice.“By working with A1, I knew that wewould receive complete back-up -including the type of product advicewhich enhances our use of the truck.”Sales director Graeme Tennickassisted Paddy throughout theprocess. He explains: “The customerwas looking for an additional truck toassist with the loading and unloadingof tiles in the factory.“Handling heavy loads over longshifts requires an efficient and reliableworkhorse, so I recommended theFG18N, a 1.8 tonne LP gas counterbalance.“Easy handling is essential whentransporting such delicate cargo. Tominimise effort, the FG18N has anautomotive style-pedal layout withself-energising and self-adjustingdrum brakes.“Optional fingertip controls werespecified to further maximise productivity.These are mounted on anergonomically positioned armrest andensure that drivers can manoeuvrewith precision and ease.”The truck, which was purchasedoutright, benefits from a long serviceinterval of 500 hours. Graemeexplains: “This reduces the cost ofownership by keeping downtime to aminimum.”A state-of-the-art LPG engine, featuringan engine management systemand regulated catalytic converter,works to further minimise runningcosts by delivering high performanceand low fuel consumption.Paddy Plunkett is delighted withthe new addition to his Mitsubishiforklift fleet and the after-sales servicefrom A1 Industrial Trucks. Heexplains: “Since we began workingtogether, A1 - much like ourselves -has demonstrated a total commitmentto its product. The service qualityoffered by A1 is first class.”Speaking on behalf of MitsubishiForklift Trucks UK, regional managerMartyn Davies said: “Like all of thedealers in our network, A1 IndustrialTrucks was hand-picked for the commitmentits team consistentlydemonstrates to delivering customersthe best of both worlds: reliable trucksand excellent service.”Excellent back up from A1 Industrial Trucksimpressed Plunkett Tiling’s managing directorPaddy Plunkett.To find out more about P. PlunkettTiling Contractors Limited, call01661 836 960, or emailmark.forster@plunketttiling.co.uk orvisit the company website:www.plunketttiling.co.uk .For further information on A1Industrial Trucks, call 0191 229 0303,visit www.a1-mitsubishi.comFor further information on theaward-winning Mitsubishi ForkliftTrucks range, and the servicesavailable from local dealers,call the Greenline 0845 371 3048,contactinfo@mitsubishi-forklift.co.ukwww.mitsubishi-forklift.co.uk