15m Lift Beds Down Happily With Major UK Retailer
7th January 2016
Major UK Fashion and Home retailer Next has turned to a 15m forklift to solve a particular problem the efficient handling and storage of pallets of mattresses in high bay racking. A pair of Irelands Aisle-Master articulated forklifts has done the trick for them.
Furniture orders are despatched from a large distribution centre located in Yorkshire. This is a very specific application in one section of the warehouse where we are dealing with unusual sized loads and we needed trucks capable of safely handling these in the space available, said MHE Manager Next Distribution Harry Dooley.
The pallets containing up to five king-sized mattresses measure 2m x 1.8m and weigh around 350 Kg, and in order for maximum storage density to be achieved they need to be lifted to a top bay height of almost 15m. The Aisle-Masters ability to lift to this impressive height was a major factor in the decision-making process, as it is the only articulated truck on the market to do so. We also looked at sideloaders as a possibility, said Harry, but we would not have been able to use the bottom storage location with these, so all in all the Aisle-Masters offered the best in terms of optimum space utilisation and stable handling at height.
The two AM20WHE models are fitted with high lift quad masts and the double mast mounting unique to the Aisle-Master range guarantees utmost stability even when placing or picking in the top bays. The low closed mast height also enables the trucks to travel through doorways for easy access to the collection area to pick up the pallets which have been deposited by power pallet trucks. As well as replenishing the racking they are also used for taking pallets to their forward picking location.
Having initially considered using the one Aisle-Master with a spare battery, Harry and his team went for two trucks. Even though battery changing is a quick and easy procedure, it was decided that having one truck for each shift to cover the 24/7 operation was more convenient. The fifteen drivers who have undergone familiarisation training by Nexts in-house trainer find the Aisle-Masters easy to operate in the generous pre-existing aisle widths of 3m necessary due to the size of the pallets.