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Tag: logistics

Nelly achieves storage capacity of 37,000 positions

Posted on by David Priestman

Nelly, a leading online retailer of fashion and beauty products in the Nordic countries, relied on the expertise in industrial storage systems of AR Racking and its distributor and strategic partner Rudells, who have designed and installed a narrow aisle racking solution (VNA racking) adapted to the storage of boxes in a 1,360 sq m area of the new warehouse. With the installation of these racks, a storage capacity of 36,960 positions was achieved. The warehouse is located in Borås (Sweden).

“When Nelly first contacted us, they looked at a solution with high storage with shelves. Given the characteristics of the products and the customer’s needs, we proposed a pallet racking solution, but adapted to the storage of boxes” explains Anders Rudell, Sales Manager of Rudells Lagerinredningar.

After that first phase of technical-logistical analysis and the search for the best solution for the customer, Rudells and AR Racking designed and installed a narrow aisle racking solution with 1200 mm deep sections to pick 600 mm boxes from both sides. In addition, mesh panels were added to the sections to prevent dust on the storage levels and to allow the sprinklers to reach the entire installation.

According to Jimmy Andersson, Regional Area Manager for Scandinavia, EE & South Africa at AR Racking: “The storage system installed is a very versatile solution as it allows adaptation to any type of goods, by weight or volume, by regulating the load levels or adding any of the accessories for special loads.”

Additionally, the narrow aisle racks allow direct and selective access to the stored goods.

CLICK HERE to watch the video.

Battery charging technology aids sustainable logistics

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Battery charging technology and photovoltaics offer the perfect combination for green logistics, according to experts from Fronius.

The UK has set itself a target to bring greenhouse gas emissions down to net zero by 2050. Although this seems like a long way off, it is important that businesses start to think about their role in achieving this target and making a better, greener world for our future generations. With this end goal in mind, energy efficiency experts at Fronius are able to help their customers take the right steps towards CO­2 neutral logistics.

Companies are currently being confronted with sharply increasing electricity prices and ever stricter environmental protection requirements, coupled with changing consumer perceptions on packaging and an increase in green thinking. Seasonal peaks also present a big challenge, increasing energy consumption, and consequently driving costs and CO2­ emissions upward. In addition to efficiency and cost effectiveness, sustainability is also becoming an increasingly important subject across all sectors.

“It is apparent to us that there is a clear trend in companies wanting to reduce their CO2­ emissions and decarbonise but they are looking for feasible and practical solutions. This is what Fronius offers,” explains Beate Ruebig, Managing Director of Fronius UK. “We pride ourselves on being able to support our customers on their way to a greener logistics operation. In order to do this, our energy efficiency experts can look at the potential savings within the current operation by using Fronius solutions to reduce their ecological footprint.”

Specialising in highly efficient and intelligent conversion and control of energy for 75 years, Milton Keynes-based Fronius offer a complete package for the intralogistics industry with their energy efficient battery chargers for material handling equipment and a unique solar lease offering – both guaranteed to make savings on energy costs and reduce CO­2 emissions – making a holistic and intelligent approach to meeting the net zero targets of 2050 from a single source.

Solar powering your business

Energy costs make up a significant portion of an organisation’s overheads. Workstations, printers, machinery, forklift truck charging, lighting, air conditioning, EV charging; the list of energy hungry appliances is exhaustive, but despite the development of more efficient technologies, we continue to encounter constant energy price increases and the emergence of new electricity-reliant innovations.

The use of renewable energy, and a photovoltaic system in particular, plays a big part on the road to the 2050 targets. Distribution centres with their large, flat roofs are ideal sites for a solar PV system. The self-generated energy that they produce can power those energy hungry consumables typically found within a business, such as forklift trucks, ensuring greater independence from the grid, protecting them from energy price rises and lowering CO2­ emissions whilst taking a big step towards greater sustainability.

Many businesses worry about the initial upfront investment required to install a PV system with the ROI taking years. This is where Fronius has a solution.

With their short and unique leasing model, it is possible to achieve huge savings on your energy bill from day one, with zero upfront investment. Unlike Power Purchase Agreements, where you sell your generated electricity to offset grid electricity and the system cost, this model simply allows you to lease the equipment required to generate your own green electricity over a 15 year period, with the option of ownership thereafter.

This simple lease plan means businesses could produce their own green energy with fixed monthly payments being lower than the cost of that same electricity if purchased from the energy supplier. Complete with a production guarantee, total project management, installation and maintenance plan, this lease really is a win-win.

Energy savings inside and out

Fronius’ capabilities reach further than the roof of a warehouse but to the internal operation too. With the most progressive technology available on the market for charging traction batteries for electric forklift trucks, the Selectiva 4.0 charger range offers intelligent functions and an extremely gentle and energy-efficient process for charging lead-acid, lead-crystal, CSM and gel batteries.

The intelligent charging characteristic adapts to the state of each battery depending on its age, temperature and overall health ensuring an ultra-cool and gentle charge that will save on operating costs, electricity and reduce CO2­ at the same time.

“This technology coupled with the energy generated from your roof, can make substantial savings for a business and improve its sustainability,” explains Ruebig.

 

Combilift celebrates 20 years with James Latham

Posted on by David Priestman

With a history stretching over 260 years, James Latham is one of the UK’s largest independent distributors of timber, panels, and decorative surfaces and operates 12 branches throughout the UK and Ireland. When it comes to materials handling and warehousing – a crucial aspect of any business to get right – it is now 20 years since Lathams ordered its first three C4000 multidirectional forklifts from the Irish specialist manufacturer Combilift for its Hemel Hempstead site, starting a partnership that continues to this day.

Around 70 C4000 models are now in operation across all Latham branches, and according to Combilift’s Tommy Cadden, over 165 trucks have been supplied in all, which have a typical lifespan of seven years. “When we first started working with James Latham they were considering two electric -way reach trucks for indoor operation and two counterbalance trucks for outside use only at Hemel,” he said.

Company Director Piers F. Latham: “We had nearly decided to go with this option, but were ideally looking for a new concept that would maximise the footprint in our depots. The combination of Combilifts and racking enabled us to go to an impressive  height of 8m in narrow aisles, and the indoor/outdoor ability meant we needed fewer trucks whilst achieving optimum versatility.”

Continuous growth has led to an expansion of many of the company’s depots and therefore the ongoing need for space-saving materials handling. The Yate branch is one of a number of new facilities designed with 9m high racking to make the most of every inch of space. With a footprint of 53,000 sq ft it has a current storage capacity of 7,000 cu m.

The ten Combilifts work constantly, offloading deliveries, putting products into racking and reloading for despatch. With their 4t base capacity and lifting capability of 2t to 9.4m, they handle loads which can be up to 4.5m long. They work in guided aisles of 2520mm and in some free roaming aisles set aside for the storage of 3m x 2m jumbo boards. For these larger loads, four trucks have been fitted with telescopic forks which measure 2050mm when extended. These can lift 1900 kg at 1035 load centre to 7.8m.

Yate is the first branch to introduce electric Combilifts into its fleet following the initial LPG trucks, and all replacement models will be electric wherever possible. Depot Director Andrew Jones said: “There are numerous advantages to electric power, one of which is the quiet operation. This is appreciated by our neighbours, as we operate a 24/5 shift pattern to maximise delivery capacity.

Customer feedback has always played an important role in Combilift’s product development, and this was the case when the first trucks were planned for Hemel. Piers Latham: “Combilift worked with us to find customised solutions for our exact requirements, and this, together with the level of after sales service, has been key to the long and ongoing partnership.”

Denholm acquires Good Logistics

Posted on by David Priestman

Family-owned diversified business, J. & J. Denholm Limited (the Denholm Group), has acquired freight forwarding and logistics company John Good Logistics Limited. The acquisition completed on 31st August 2021.

Operating from strategic locations around the UK, multi-award winning Good Logistics provides global logistics, warehousing and distribution services. Prior to the acquisition by Denholm, Good Logistics was part of sixth-generation family business, John Good Group.  Similarly, fifth-generation family business, J. & J. Denholm, operates subsidiary companies across the logistics supply chain via the Denholm Logistics division.

The Denholm Logistics businesses utilise a complementary port-centric model around the UK and Ireland.  Looking to the immediate future, Good Logistics will trade alongside Denholm Logistics as a complementary sister business, utilising the combined expertise and experience of their people to provide market leading services for their customers.

Ben MacLehose, CEO of J. & J. Denholm, said: “The acquisition of Good Logistics is an exciting move for our employees and customers in both businesses.  Together, the size and scale of our combined logistics operations are amplified, strengthening our skills, resource network and purchasing power and enhancing the opportunities to efficiently manage the movement of freight on behalf of our customers.

“We have great people within our logistics businesses, now further strengthened by the addition of the Good Logistics team.  We see a bright future and many further opportunities within the logistics sector as we move forward together.”

Alan Platt, of Good Logistics, commented: “The acquisition by J. & J. Denholm now cements the next long-term phase of Good Logistics.  The synergies of the two family businesses, with similar maritime roots, complementary logistics services and strong values, make the formal connection between Good Logistics and J. & J. Denholm a unique and exciting opportunity to grow the combined businesses together, benefitting both our customers and employees.  As we move from one family to another, we are very much looking forward to many exciting times ahead.”

Handheld introduces new wearable ring scanner

Posted on by David Priestman

Handheld Group, a leading manufacturer of rugged mobile computers, has introduced the RS60 Ring Scanner, a comfortable hands-free scanning solution for use in warehouses, retail, distribution and other situations requiring highly mobile scanning. This device is the second in the newly introduced wearable line from Handheld following the SP500X ScanPrinter which was released in August.

“The new RS60 ring scanner is all about efficiency and mobility. It can be worn on either the right or left hand so workers can maximise productivity while keeping their hands free,” says Johan Hed, Handheld director of product management. “Rather than holding a scanning device, a ring scanner is wearable and lets warehouse workers simply point and click, leaving them free to also move products and packages.”

RS60 ring scanner key features:

The efficiency of a traditional scanner and the convenience of a hands-free wearable solution

Super-fast 2D-imager accurately captures barcodes on the move

Tap to pair with any NFC enabled device or scan a barcode to connect

BT class 1 let workers stay connected to devices up to 100m (300ft) away

IP65 dust and water resistance, operating from 0°C to 50°C and can survive multiple drops to concrete

Up to 11 hours runtime

Enterprise-focused accessories, including a four-slot charging station and an eight-slot battery charger

“Enterprises have increasingly seen the value of equipping their workers with tools to maximise efficiency and mobility. Our new wearable line is designed to fit those needs,” says Thomas Löfblad, CEO, Handheld Group. “Handheld has always been about mobile computing, and we’ll be expanding our wearable product line further in the future.”

Kite releases affordable eco-friendly chilled packaging

Posted on by Keith McKinley

When transporting temperature-sensitive items such as food or pharmaceuticals, insulating packaging is essential. Historically, environmentally damaging polystyrene has been the only option, but Kite Packaging has recently released an innovative corrugated box liner.

This thermal lining is 100% recyclable, low-cost and boasts the same temperature controlling qualities as polystyrene. The company conducted a series of externally verified tests to confirm this, revealing that at room temperature (23°C) the corrugated liners can keep the contents of a box below 0°C for 35 hours while being used in conjunction with our gel packs.

The BC flute corrugation also provides superb shock absorption alongside thermal regulation to protect products from both damage and changes in temperature that may affect their integrity. The liners comprise of two pads for the top and bottom box faces and different-sized packs for each side. When fitted to exactly match the interior of the corresponding sized carton, every surface area of the box is thermally lined with a material designed to resist the influence of external conditions.

Kite’s eco-friendly addition to the chilled packaging range works excellently in conjunction with its other products. It also supplies ice sheets, gel packs, thermal pallet covers, temperature-controlled pouches for smaller items and temperature indicators to gauge when a maximum threshold may have been breached.

By balancing environmental considerations with a focus on economic viability, the corrugated box liners identify themselves as a disruptive development with the potential to transform how items within the chilled food industry are packaged.

Mercadona takes charge of automated warehouse

Posted on by David Priestman

Mercadona has ordered automated intralogistics systems from Cimcorp for four of its distribution centers – Zaragoza, San Isidro, Huévarand Sagunto – and now the first one, in Zaragoza, is up and running.

Installation and commissioning at the Zaragoza distribution centre was finalised just before Easter, which is always the busiest time of the year for Mercadona. One might assume that Spain’s leading grocery retailer would want the installation team to stay on site – in case of any issues – but trust in Cimcorp’s automation is so high that the Mercadona team has decided to fly solo.

Javier Blasco (pictured), Warehouse Purchasing Coordinator for Mercadona, says: “Our goal is to serve the orders of our stores with the highest-possible quality, and we must know how to do it on our own. We had the confidence do to it this way, because the robustness and reliability of this solution had been verified during assembly and commissioning, and our staff are trained to use it. The simplicity of the automation makes it easy to use and there is no need for a big team.”

Mercadona has ordered the same automation for four of its distribution centres. All four of the new logistics facilities will have different climate zones for packed meat products and for fruit and vegetables.

Using the same independent automation modules and scaling the amount of modules to meet the capacity needs of each individual logistics centre, Mercadona gets many benefits.

“Having modular solutions has advantages, such as all personnel knowing the installation regardless of which city it is in. Additionally, the solutions can be scaled up and the processes standardized more easily,” says Blasco. “The best part has been the sturdiness of the application; we haven’t had operational surprises with real orders and we’ve been able to provide a guaranteed service to our stores.”

Lifetime learning leads to partnerships

Last year provided many obstacles, but professional project management ensured the installation was ready on schedule and, most of all, respected the safety regulations. Jarkko Hakkarainen, General Manager of Cimcorp Iberia, says: “It is important that we are able to keep things in order even if things are not proceeding as planned. In these situations, quick response time and good adaptability are essential skills.”

Even though Covid-19 created some challenges and limitations, the installation was ready on schedule, and it was completed while respecting everyone’s health and safety. Blasco says: “The installation has really been made in the expected manner.”

Cimcorp supplied automation to Mercadona back in 2013, when it implemented a fully automated order picking system for fresh produce at the retailer’s DC in Guadix, near Granada. However the now finalised installation in the Zaragoza distribution centre is the first time that Cimcorp has acted as system integrator for the leading Spanish company.

Hakkarainen says: “Designing optimal handling and control systems is only the first step in implementing intralogistics automation. Project management is a hugely important element in the successful delivery of robotic solutions, but also in developing long-term partnerships.”

Automation secures employee and food safety

In Cimcorp’s fresh food solution there is no need for shelving, which reduces costs and enhances employee and product safety. “In our solution, overhead gantry robots handle food crates that are stacked on the floor. So when you need to clean the area, there’s no need to climb up ladders and check every shelf,” explains Hakkarainen. “Everything is on the floor, where it is safer and more ergonomic to clean.”

Food safety and a temperature controlled supply chain are always essential when dealing with groceries. “Mercadona always prioritises hygiene and quality in all products, whether in conventional or automated warehouses,” says Blasco.

Mercadona’s approach to the benefits of the automation is very human. The accuracy and quality of picked pallets, as well as shortened lead times are always reflected through the effect on people. “The biggest advantage is the reduction in errors to guarantee a better service for our stores and customers. The main benefit of automation is to secure employee safety and avoid excessive workload,” says Blasco.

Better service level through last-moment fulfillment

Although the total cost of ownership, purchase price and cost of operation affected the decision making while sealing the deal, Blasco wants to highlight that, for Mercadona, it is always about people – both employees and customers. “Even if the economic values are important, they’re not the first priority – we prioritize good customer service, taking care of our personnel and doing things in a sustainable way.”

To satisfy the diversity of delivery orders coming into logistics centres, grocery retailers need a fulfilment strategy capable of prioritising orders as they come in. Any last-moment requests entering the supply chain will demand a shorter shipping and fulfilment cycle.

“These orders have to be dealt with, without negatively affecting the rest of the fulfilment operations,” says Hakkarainen.

So how did Easter go? Smoothly and according to plan. “There were no major problems – as expected. Nothing remarkable happened,” Blasco says.

DENSO: Why RFID is the future

Posted on by David Priestman

DENSO WAVE EUROPE, member of the Toyota group, has developed and deployed various RFID readers and solutions, which are used for inventory management, in-store product movements at the POS, for warehouse management or shipping controls. The experts for mobile data collection and auto-ID solutions know that RFID technology will continue to play a significant role in optimising processes and bringing the benefits of digitisation to physical locations.

One of these experts at DENSO WAVE EUROPE is David Walker, who has specialised in RFID. “Two of the key advantages of RFID are precision and speed,” he says. “However, there are so many more benefits of the RFID technology, especially in retail and logistics with their complex structures and new challenges.”

Walker refers to the increasing demand of digitisation processes in general and during the corona virus pandemic in particular. “New business models are emerging quickly nowadays, hence, supply chains will need to make shifts to accommodate the new demands. RFID is the technology that can help companies, especially retailers and logisticians, meet a new future,” explains Walker.

RFID increases sales and profit

As the old saying goes “time is money”, and RFID saves companies, especially in retail, logistics, warehouse management, at the POS, and inventory management a lot of time. “It can be stressful to scan individual items one at a time, which can also lead to human error”, says Walker. “With RFID however, employees can quickly scan an entire area within seconds, rather than having to point at and scan each item individually. DENSO’s RFID readers impress, among other things, with their outstanding reading speed. As we have developed a range of RFID devices, DENSO offers the right one for every purpose.” More information about DENSO WAVE EUROPE’s RFID readers and solutions and how they can optimise processes in retail, logistics, inventory management, POS systems, warehouse management, and shipping controls can be found at https://www.denso-wave.eu/en/denso-products/rfid.html.

RFID implementation can be flexible as supply chains can implement RFID solutions at any point in their processes. “The key benefit of this concept is that when distributing RFID tagged items to different locations, these items do not need to be tagged over and over again. Instead, accurate interpretation of cases and pallets is possible along the way,” says Walker. “The further upstream in the supply chain a product is tagged, the more benefits it garners. Thus, it provides more accuracy,” he continues. Greater inventory accuracy also leads to more customer satisfaction and ultimately to more turnover and profit.

RFID is the present and the future

In the current omni-channel landscape, it has become even more important to have the products customers want or need in stock. Otherwise, it is almost impossible to face – and service against – the ever-increasing competition on the market. The corona virus pandemic has even accelerated the processes in this development.

For instance, when a customer sees an item online and rushes over to the brick-and-mortar store to buy it, only to find that the desired item is not actually in stock even though the “Inventory Management System” says it is. This customer is not likely to visit either the online shop or the brick-and-mortar location again anytime soon. The solution: better stock accuracy with RFID. It virtually eliminates “Out of Stocks” due to poor inventory accuracy. The inventory-tracking technology can offer up to 99% accuracy, ensuring stock is replenished and thus minimize out-of-stock problems. RFID is not only essential for inventory accuracy, however. It can ultimately improve the employee and customer experience, resulting in more sales and lower costs. “If a product is not there, employees cannot sell it. Case studies tell us that in retail the adoption of RFID have increased sales by over 10%, whilst most see an increase of five of 6%,” adds Walker.

All in all, RFID is extremely multifaceted, which makes it so beneficial for numerous industries – from cashless store concepts to supply chain management, and even tracking lost luggage by airlines.

“As DENSO’s mobile RFID computers are extremely robust, they can be used ideally for work in the warehouse, but also in stores – and practically any location. Cloud-based mobile applications in combination with DENSO’s RFID devices are the perfect end-to-end solution for any company that wants to optimise its processes,” explains Walker.

The theoretical basis for RFID was already born in 1948. Since then, RFID has been further developed and continues to be a vital area of exploration, especially as it relates to business intelligence in our fast-paced century. Thus, it will be essential in order to work more efficiently now and in the future. DENSO provides further information about the benefits of RFID and NFC, and their auto-ID solutions, mobile computers, and innovative models of the QR Code at https://www.denso-wave.eu.

For the European market, DENSO WAVE EUROPE is the contact point for all enquiries on RFID, QR Codes, mobile data collection, handheld terminals, and scanners. The durable and robust terminals and scanners manufactured by DENSO are to be found in storage, logistics, at the POS, in production, and field & sales automation applications.

Short and informative video clips about the terminals, scanners, and solutions from DENSO WAVE EUROPE can now be viewed on YouTube. The clips include the 20th anniversary of the QR Code, a company presentation, and introductions to the various devices for mobile data capture such as the BHT-1500, BHT-1400 and the GT20 scanner. For more information, click on the this link below: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHp4Yboj7IccPlSeRxQ6yBQ.

 

New tools to increase supply chain visibility

Posted on by Keith McKinley

FourKites, a leading real-time supply chain visibility platform, has released powerful new capabilities designed to help shippers, carriers and forwarders more quickly and easily collaborate to increase end customer satisfaction, reduce supply chain costs and increase on-time delivery performance.

With ever-increasing demand, supply chain visibility has become table stakes for modern supply chains, and seamless connection and communication between carriers and shippers has never been more important. FourKites’ combination of swift carrier connections, powerful collaboration tools and the industry’s highest-quality real-time logistics data provides shippers and their forwarder/carrier partners with robust assurances of rapid, frictionless implementation and faster time to value.

Instant Messenger, now with extended capabilities that allow shippers to chat directly with forwarders and carriers, gives supply chain partners the ability to view and share important information and resolve issues together, in real time.

Without leaving the FourKites platform, track-and-trace and dispatch workers, drivers and warehouse personnel can view the critical information that affects shipments and deliveries — all in one single interface. Users can share documents, photographs and notes for any given load, as well as form online workgroups and control access as needed.

CarrierLink, the industry’s most downloaded visibility app for drivers, now includes improved turn-by-turn navigation for better route optimisation; mobile check-in; and new capabilities for updating appointment times, adding notes to loads and uploading paperwork. It also features enhanced capabilities for viewing fuel stops, weigh stations, location ratings and amenities along routes.

“We have hundreds of carriers within our network, from the courier side to the truckload side. When it comes to onboarding, FourKites has been fantastic,” said Josh Dolan, VP of Global Logistics, Cardinal Health. “They’ve done a phenomenal job working with carriers through the process and helping us fill the gap with new technologies that simplify and speed up onboarding, and enhance communication between Cardinal Health and our partners.”

The German multinational Bayer saves time while increasing customer satisfaction thanks to FourKites’ supply chain visibility platform.  The impact has already been so strong that the company has made visibility an essential part of its long-term strategy.

“Every day, our carriers automatically share location data with our FourKites platform on hundreds of loads throughout Europe,” says Edmund Jager, Head of Distribution EMEA at Bayer. “We are able to track our products minute by minute and, in real time, pass on detailed arrival times to our customers. This means the distributors we supply always know their stock situation and end customers can depend on us to get them the seeds and crop protection they need, when they need them. We look forward to onboarding more carriers and so strengthen our customer-centric approach.”

In addition, FourKites recently announced its industry-first Tracking Quality Guarantee, which establishes the highest standards in supply chain data, guaranteeing real-time visibility and predictive intelligence into a minimum of 90% of customers’ shipments — end-to-end and across every mode and geography. This differentiated approach gives supply chain partners the collaborative opportunities and network effects they need to improve customer satisfaction and optimise their supply chain performance.

“As the first mover and leading innovator in real-time visibility and supply chain management solutions, FourKites is committed to helping shippers, forwarders and carriers achieve end-to-end supply chain visibility faster, and with assurances of the highest-quality tracking in the industry,” said FourKites founder and CEO Mathew Elenjickal. “We are excited to make these powerful new capabilities available to the community to enable greater collaboration and communication, and ultimately, value.”

Combilift delivers largest-ever C-Series forklift

Posted on by David Priestman

Combilift has delivered the largest multidirectional forklift to come off its production lines so far to modular data centre manufacturer BladeRoom.

The giant 30t capacity C30,000 truck is now in operation at BladeRoom’s factory in Gloucestershire, where it is ensuring the efficient handling of components for its server rooms, as well as the finished products, which are comparable in size to shipping containers and can weigh up to 19 tonnes @ 1200mm load centres.

This is a “second first” for BladeRoom, as it ordered a 25t C25,000 model in 2010, which was at the time the largest C-Series that Combilift had built. This is still in operation at the Mitcheldean factory, along with a number of other Combilifts of varying load capacities, which handle raw materials such as RSJs and roof structures.

BladeRoom’s data centres incorporate computer fluid dynamics to extract the maximum amount of heat with the minimum use of mechanical cooling for a highly efficient cooling system. These pre-engineered, factory built, energy efficient data centres are fully fitted out for immediate use and supplied within a much shorter time frame than that for traditional structures. This minimises customers’ capital outlay and offers the lowest possible operational costs.

“The initial challenge for BladeRoom was how to easily, quickly and safely manoeuvre these extremely large loads in and around the site,” said Rob Perry of HFT Forklifts Ltd (Hereford), BladeRoom’s MHE consultants and Combilift’s dealership in the area.

“Fixed cranes would have been too inflexible, and the sheer physical size of a counterbalance forklift capable of moving these structures would have taken up far too much space in the manufacturing area. Following the successful operation of the C25,000 over the years and the growing size and weight of the data centres, BladeRoom decided to scale up its newest Combilift.”

The C30,000 measures around 5m x 5m, has a wheel base of 3725mm and is fitted with a John Deere Diesel 127 kW (170hp) engine, and also incorporates customised features which enable the safe and stable lifting and transportation of BladeRoom’s very oversized loads. These include four cameras (one of which is a reversing camera), with two camera monitors in the cab, red danger zone lights and a tilt indicator in the cab display.

“It’s a very impressive piece of machinery,” said Perry, “and in spite of its size, its four-way ability enables it to move easily around the manufacturing facility. We are very proud of the fact that HFT was instrumental in supplying the largest Combilift C-Series model, not just in the UK, but worldwide.”

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