Feature Loading bays & doors Record-breaking loading bay order
Easilift Loading Systems has completed what it claims is the largest single order placed in the UK for loading bay equipment. The bespoke solution for Tesco’s state-of-the-art Grocery Distribution Centre in Daventry saw Easilift successfully deliver a project worth in excess of £6.5M
Right: The high specification of the build together with the complex design issues and tight programme
required attention to detail that Easilift prides itself on
T
he 800,000 sq ft facility is a major investment designed to meet Tesco’s long-term distribution requirements. Easilift, already an existing supply partner to Tesco, was recruited to take care of the Grocery Distribution Centre’s widespread and complex loading dock requirements. Working closely with Tesco and the main contractor Volker Fitzpatrick, Easilift project managed the installa- tion of 40 double deck lifting plat- forms and 100 dock leveller bays, all housed in external loading pods. The high specification of the build together with the complex design issues and tight programme required the atten- tion to detail Easilift is renowned for. “Easilift has proven its abilities in the past, and we knew by involving
the company in the process from the start, we could maximise resources to deliver a robust loading bay environ- ment on a scale never attempted before in UK distribution,” explains Duncan Robertson, Tesco project manager The design interface was critical to the success of the project and Easilift worked closely with the project team to overcome a number of technical challenges. Notably, spatial restric- tions at yard level meant that the double deck bays had to be con- structed in pairs. This innovative arrangement created a tandem pod around a single walkway to ensure safe and easy operator access/egress. Each of the 40 double deck bays incorporates a heavy duty, surface mounted 16,000kg lifting platform,
Left: Easilift Loading Systems’ bespoke loading bay solution for Tesco’s 800,000 sqft facility in Daventry saw
Easilift successfully deliver a project worth in excess of £6.5m
capable of carrying 30 roll cages. The lifts are located within external modu- lar pods, manufactured and partially preassembled at Easilift’s Huddersfield factory prior to delivery and final on- site erection using a 60-tonne crane. This approach equated to a 60 per cent reduction in installation time for this particular element, when compared with previous lift installations. The dock leveller bays comprised 96 type 232 PoweRamp hinged lip units and four type PoweRamp telescopic lip units with each bay comprising a modular loading pod, a type 403 PowerShelter and a 601 Powerdoor. Ancillary equipment supplied throughout all bays included environ- mentally friendly LED traffic and load- ing dock lighting, pod lights, fully integrated control panels and heavy duty ‘slider’ bumpers.
Inflatable dock seals keep the draught at bay T
he installation of Thortight Inflatable Dock Seals, supplied by leading loading and unloading specialist Thorworld Industries, has provided ventilation systems manufacturer Fläkt Woods UK with a means of restricting unwanted loading bay draughts. As a supplier of ventilation solutions and air climate systems, Fläkt Woods’ portfolio
includes products from 315mm to 3.2 metres, requiring a large and flexible work space. The company’s open plan warehouse in Colchester is the size of four football pitches. The downside is, with no internal walls, any draught entering the building via the loading bays would impact on all of the company’s employees and lead to increased energy costs. Roger Smith, site maintenance manager at Fläkt Woods UK, says: “As experts in ventilation, we understand the implications of an unwanted draught for our employees and for our operational cost-efficiency in terms extra heating required to offset the chill factor.” Fläkt Woods turned to Thorworld which recommended its Thortight Inflatable Dock Seals to provide a virtually airtight sealed insulation around docked vehicles between internal and external environments. Said to be effective and easy to install, operate and maintain, Thortight Inflatable Dock Seals are fitted around the sides and top of each loading bay. The vehicle simply reverses up to the dock as normal and, once in position, the Thortight seals are then inflated - which takes around 30 seconds - to create a tight seal before the doors are then opened and loading/unloading can proceed. Curved sides guarantee that an effective seal is maintained even in high winds. By maintaining a consistent internal temperature, Fläkt Woods stands to benefit from reduced heating bills as it can avoid the additional energy required by climate control systems to stabilise the temperature. It also helps to prevent ingress of dirt, dust or insects to minimise potential for contamination of the company’s predominantly galvanised parts. Thorworld Industries
T: 01246 260981 S16
www.thorworld.co.uk Enter 361
Furthermore, in line with Tesco’s commitment to improving site safety all ‘goods in’ bays were fitted with the dock management system. This innov- ative hi-tech management reporting and safety system is designed to pre- vent the premature departure of vehi- cles from the loading bay. The system combines Easilift’s dock door and associated control equip- ment with Traka’s electronic key con- trol system and was tailored to complement Tesco’s existing safety processes, creating a high-tech solu- tion to vehicle drive-off accidents. The success of the project, which went live in May 2011, underlines Easilift’s ability to achieve large-scale and technically demanding projects. The bulk of the installation was com- pleted during the winter months of 2010/2011, where Easilift was able to fit equipment on time and within budget despite the extreme bad weather which plagued the UK. “In terms of size and scope, the development of the Grocery Distribution Centre has been a huge undertaking, and Easilift has met our requirements every step of the way,” confirms Robertson.
Easilift Loading Systems T: 08451 301920
www.loading-systems.co.uk Enter 360
JULY/AUGUST 2011 Materials Handling & Logistics
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