Case Study: New Forklift Generation For Poland Appliance Maker

Mora Moravia, part of the Gorenje Group, is an appliance manufacturer located in the beautiful surroundings of Hlubočky and Mariánské Údolí near Olomouce, Czech Republic. Due to changes in production, the company needed to streamline its warehouse processes. Not only was it necessary to expand and modernise the warehouse, but the company also needed to acquire new materials handling equipment.

Mora Moravia has a history that dates back to 1825 and began with the building of an ironworks and iron smelting factory in 1827. The first household product, a sewing machine, was produced in 1873 and in 1902 the patented production of Meteor solid fuel stoves was introduced. Production has been steadily increasing since 1908 with the introduction of larger appliances, such as confectionery ovens and meat smokers. The first household gas appliances to bear the Mora name were manufactured in 1919 and with this the company gradually started producing cookers and other products.

More recently, several important production projects have been moved to the Gorenje Group. “We are going through a change of production and we are introducing a new generation of products. We decided on a comprehensive solution which did not focus solely on engineering technology and production related issues, but also on warehousing and logistics,” says Tomas Dohnal, Head of the Investment Department for Mora Moravia.

New generation of cookers, new logistics solution

In July 2015, it was agreed that the company would produce its sixth generation of cookers. “It was decided that it would be the most extensive product change in the last quarter of a century,” says Tomas.

One of the necessary components of the project was the reconstruction and expansion of the original warehouse. Yale CZ was selected by Mora Moravia to supply the materials handling equipment and racking systems, in cooperation with Dexion. An inductive line was installed and a Yale® MTC13 LWB very narrow aisle (VNA) truck was supplied to the new storage facility.

In addition to the VNA truck, eight Yale ERP16VT electric forklifts were delivered to Mora Moravia for use on their new assembly lines, as well as two Yale MS16 pedestrian stackers for picking additional production components. “These machines are among the best you can find on the market. We are delighted to have received positive feedback not only from the management of the company, but also from the drivers themselves,” says Ivan Musil, managing director of Yale CZ.

Defining exact requirements

Yale CZ was selected by Mora Moravia as a partner for discussions and information gathering. “We had conducted our own product research, but we wanted a solution that would be efficient and affordable. We needed feedback and evaluation in order to choose the best options for us. In consultation with Yale CZ, we specified what we wanted,” recalls Tomas.

Thereafter, the terms of the selection procedure were defined. “The offer from Yale CZ was the most advantageous,” says Tomas.

“In practice, our initial expectations were realised. The warehouse system is hassle-free and fully compliant. The new materials handling equipment and racking system have contributed to the efficiency of our logistics process and the newly modernised warehouse operates as a central hub. Originally, we had several warehouses that were farther away from the production line, which had an impact on logistics operations times. The production belt must be supplied several times per hour, and any time lost, albeit minimal, accumulates in the total. The new storage system has enabled us to eliminate unnecessary waste times,” says Tomas.

Zero emissions, quiet operation

“We dealt with various technical specifications and variants. Supply of the production lines is now by electric trucks, whereas previously they largely utilised forklifts with internal combustion engines. Employees of the company appreciate that the electric trucks have absolutely no direct emissions and are not noisy,” adds Jaromír Dostál, Senior Adviser from Yale CZ.

Operators of the forklifts also appreciate the fact that the trucks are responsive, easy to handle, and have a smaller turning radius, so drivers have more space for moving pallets. “Mora Moravia is a very important reference for us in the Moravian region, so we are delighted that our customer is satisfied with their delivery,” says Jaromír.

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