Month: July 2019

Ottakringer is the oldest brewery in Vienna – and its beer is famous far beyond the city limits. As well as maintaining the highest standards in quality, the brand caters for almost every taste with over 20 types of beer. Its beer is brewed right in the heart of the Austrian capital city. To ensure that all processes run smoothly, one of the things Ottakringer relies on is its electric forklift trucks, as well as Fronius charging technology and expertise. When it came to equipping the new charging station for forklift trucks, two requirements were paramount: the station needed to comply with current safety standards and be more energy efficient than the existing infrastructure. Fronius has supplied twelve Selectiva battery charging systems.

Over 540,000 hectolitres of beer leave the tanks of the Ottakringer brewery in Vienna every year. These include classic types such as Helles, Dunkles, Bock beer and lager. But the more unusual flavours, such as mango splash, lemon & mint or the Ottarocker festival beer are also popular with customers. Particularly during the warmer months of the year, employees often work a three-shift pattern to meet the high demand. The beer is mainly sold in cans – these account for 80% of turnover. Ottakringer was founded in Vienna in 1837. The medium-sized family business is the last major Viennese brewery and, with a market share of 6%, it also one of the few remaining large independent breweries in Austria. Today, Ottakringer employs around 150 people and generates an annual turnover of 81 million euros. Although the traditional brewer produces more than 20 different beers, it is more than just the variety in the range that its customers value: they also love the events held at the brewery’s premises. With over 200,000 visitors and more than 5,000 events each year, this concept has developed into a core feature of Viennese city life.

New charging station: standards-compliant and featuring powerful technology
During peak periods, up to 60 lorries a day are loaded up with beer in Vienna. The covered storage area spreads over 10,000 square metres, meaning that seamless logistics processes are required to make sure that deliveries arrive with customers on time. To transport the pallets of beer cans as efficiently as possible from A to B, Ottakringer relies on twelve electric forklift trucks manufactured by Still. When it came to selecting the charging technology, Ottakringer managers quickly decided on solutions from Fronius. Ottakringer has already had good experiences with the Austrian battery charging specialists in the past. Back in the summer of 2015, Ottakringer kitted out its subsidiary Trinkservice GmbH (which specialises in warehousing and transport services) with Fronius battery charging systems. Once again, the decision to opt for battery charging technology from Fronius had not been difficult. Ottakringer has been operating twelve Selectiva battery charging systems since the autumn of 2017. However, the primary objective was to make sure that strict standards were met when equipping the charging station. “For us it was important that the new charging station met all the applicable standards right from the start,” explains Lukas Gröbl, technical project manager at Ottakringer. “That’s why we were looking for a battery charging technology supplier to do more than just win us over with its technology, but to also offer comprehensive advice and support on all aspects concerning safety rules and regulations. Fronius scores highly here across the board.”

A dry, frost-free and cool environment is required for example, as well as sufficient ventilation and measures to prevent fires and explosions. Furthermore, the minimum distances between the individual charging stations and battery charging systems must be observed, and a safe distance must be kept from flammable or explosive storage areas. Notices and safety symbols must also be used, such as information, warning and prohibition signs. Fronius designed the Ottakringer charging station so that it would meet all the criteria for TÜV certification right from the start. Along with an insulated, conductive and robust flooring, markings and adherence to minimum distances, the specialist also placed the charging station in a location that’s easily accessible and enjoys optimum ventilation.

Start/Stop function minimises the risk of explosion
An important function for the safety of the entire station is the external start-stop mechanism on the battery charging systems. With the help of these features, Ottakringer employees can easily connect up and disconnect the forklifts without having to change any settings on the device. The start/stop function also includes a pilot contact in the charging plug to prevent sparking in case an employee interrupts the charging process by prematurely pulling out the plug. This means that the risk of an explosion caused by the oxyhydrogen produced during charging is as good as eliminated. Gröbl continues: “Previously, our battery charging systems had been spread across the entire site. Now we have just one central charging station where our staff can charge the forklift trucks overnight. This saves a lot of space, which we can put to better use as storage areas.”

Furthermore, the new Selectiva battery charging systems are equipped with the Ri charging process. While conventional charging processes follow a fixed characteristic, the Fronius solution is dependent on the age, temperature and condition of the battery. Users can flexibly charge batteries with different voltages and capacities – always with an individual characteristic. The battery charging systems measure the effective inner resistance (Ri) of the connected battery and adapt the charging curve accordingly. This means that almost no overcharging takes place and the batteries are charged significantly more gently and also more economically. Furthermore, this new technology extends the service life of the traction batteries, lowering the energy consumption as well as CO2 emissions and optimising the availability of the forklift truck fleet.

Expansion of the station with Fronius charging technology has already been planned
Lucas Gröbl is also particularly pleased with the commissioning of the new station. “It only took a day to complete the installation – and that was without any interruptions to our ongoing business operations. The chargers are also incredibly easy to use. Our employees only needed a short introduction and then they were easily able to navigate their way around the new technology.” And if anything goes wrong, Fronius can be on site in no time. Furthermore, the station meets all applicable standards and safety requirements and is TÜV-certified. Ottakringer is already planning its next expansion: “In order to improve the availability of our fleet, we also plan to use back-up batteries in the future,” explains Gröbl. “When we do that, we will of course turn to Fronius once again.”

The Blackline RDG101 product has the typical features that encapture the RINGTREAD Blackline range such as its innovative tread design, a wider footprint and a high-performance compound that gives a very high mileage. This Marangoni product is a modern non-directional pattern that is used for drive axles on medium and long-distances. The 3PMSF marked pattern features a high number of blocks and sipes characterised by an “interlock” tread system ensuring good wear resistance.

It is Marangoni’s recommendation that the RDG101 is utilised on vehicles typically used for regional distribution, like those of Bach & Pedersen, a Danish company with a fleet of 52 trucks and 90 trailers that have been making use of the product in the sizes of 315/60R22,5 and 315/70R22,5.

Bach & Pedersen was established in 2010 on the foundations of two old local freight companies with their headquarters located in Randers, Bach & Søn Freight A/S and Ove Pedersen A/S. This company is dedicated to supplying transport and logistics solutions throughout Denmark by means of a comprehensive system — from pickup right through to final delivery. Since 2013, Bach & Pedersen has been growing, with it now carrying out around 1,000,000 shipments a year. With a total of 125 employees, the company also provides bulk, crane and courier services across the country.

Vulkan Randers, who have worked with Marangoni since 1975, is the chosen Marangoni RINGTREAD supplier of the Blackline RDG101 for the Bach & Pedersen fleet due to its outstanding service and high quality, which has been the base for deep cooperation and trust between the two companies. This is further illustrated by the two companies having the same philosophy: delivering the highest possible service and quality to their customers/partners.

Vulkan Randers has been working for Bach & Pedersen since the fleet’s inception in 2010. Since this time, Bach & Pedersen have gradually seen improved performances in their retread policy which has led to today’s result of around 200,000-225,000km mileage on the Blackline RDG101, allowing for their vehicles to spend more time on the road, eliminating downtime.

Jörgen Spanggaard Bach, Fleet & Vehicle Manager at Bach & Pedersen declared: “The optimal performance and excellent traction of this model is remarkable. The Blackline RDG101 delivered superior results, which were more than what we were expecting some years ago. Since we started to use Marangoni Blackline RDG101, we have found the perfect tyre for our company. Its high mileage also provides a lower cost per kilometre and unbeatable traction, which is very convenient during the winter season in a country like Denmark. This deep trust in our retread policy has enabled us to focus more on our core business.”

Marangoni recommends the Blackline RDG101, an all season regional pattern with excellent traction, since it offers the ideal combination of grip and mileage, which is key when it comes to delivery services.

Victa Railfreight has delivered its acclaimed Rail Safety Awareness (RSA) training course to the 1000th delegate since starting the courses in November 2013 for staff who duties take them near railway infrastructure in depots, yards, terminals and sidings across the UK.

The 1000th candidate was Martyn Kilner, enrolled on the Rail Safety Awareness Course at Drax Power Station on the 17th July 2019 along with seven of his colleagues.

This achievement was captured by Rob McKittrick, Victa Railfreight’s Operations Support Manager, at Drax Power Station who said, “We have achieved a huge milestone today by delivering our RSA course to our 1000th delegate. Victa Railfreight is a long-established award-winning provider of rail-based training courses. All candidates that attend our courses go through a classroom session to ensure that they gain a good understanding of how to keep themselves and others when on or near the line.

“Candidates also visit a protected siding for a practical assessment. This allows our trainers to see that the candidates have expanded their knowledge and that they have a clear understanding of safety on or near the railway track.”

“These courses include identifying key risks within the industry around rail operations within freight terminal, depot, railhead, port and quarry sites including personal safety, site specific risks and the loading and unloading of trains and wagons. We are continuing to provide our Rail Safety Awareness courses to a wide range of existing clients and an increasing number of new customers.”

Alongside the RSA course, Victa provides a range of other training and development courses that aim to enhance safety and operational expertise relating to rail freight activities.

In addition, the company’s new ‘Railfreight Development Course’ demonstrates to existing and potential users of the rail mode the basic principles of rail operations and explains some of the jargon in layman’s terms to provide informed choices amongst logisticians and other potential users of rail freight.

Please contact: development.course@victa-railfreight.com

RTITB, a UK regulatory body for workplace transport training, is warning employers of the potential risks and penalties of failing to understand and correctly issue authorisation to operate for lift truck operators.

“Worryingly, some of employers that we speak to don’t even know what authorisation to operate is, let alone why it is needed for lift truck operators,” says Laura Nelson, Managing Director for RTITB. “However, it is their responsibility to issue this important authorisation, not the job of a lift truck training Instructor.”

“Under no circumstances should an employer allow anyone to operate a lift truck on their premises without an authorisation to operate, as this can pose a huge risk to safety and jeopardise legal compliance,” Laura continues.

An authorisation to operate is granted by an employer when it is satisfied that its employee has competently completed the three stages of lift truck operator training (Basic, Specific and Familiarisation).

Before an authorisation to operate is issued, employers should ensure they have a clear record of all the training that was completed, when and on what type of machine. If new tasks or machinery are introduced to the operator, the relevant training should be conducted and a new authorisation to operate issued. All authorisations should also be time-limited, logged and recorded.

“An authorisation should relate to the tasks the operator will complete, including the specific truck type and capacity and the load types,” explains Laura. “It’s also worth noting that an authorisation to operate is not transferable between different employers. For compliance, employers should review even experienced operators and train them accordingly before issuing a new authorisation.”

The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) requires that equipment provided for use at work is used only by people who have received adequate information, instruction and training. Therefore, to help ensure legal compliance in the event of an incident, an authorisation to operate must be issued by the employer to any employee who ever operates a lift truck, whether as part of a full-time role, or only occasionally. This also includes temporary and agency staff.

“Failure to ensure an operator has an authorisation to operate puts employers at risk of prosecution in the event of an incident being caused by an unauthorised operator,” says Laura. “More importantly, with no authorisation and incomplete training, the risk of an incident sadly increases significantly.”

“That said, employers must remember that an authorisation is not a guarantee of safe operation, the process leading to the authorisation to operate is key” she continues. “There are also other factors such as safe systems of work, and supervision required.”