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Feature Loading bays & doors Dock shelter problem solved


Loading dock seals at the Midland Co-operative Society’s distribution centre have been upgraded to sara LBS equipment after the original inflatable dock seals started to cause concern


sara LBS has upgraded loading dock seals at the Midland Coop’s distribution centre


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he seals on all seven of the origi- nal loading bays had worn extremely quickly and lost vital insulation, resulting in increased energy costs for the distribution centre. The replacements, which were supplied and installed by sara LBS, are said to offer effective insulation and require little maintenance.


Independent from the Co-operative Group, Midlands Co-operative Society


is one of the largest independent retailers in the UK. Its principal busi- ness activities are retail and funeral services, though it also has interests in retail garages, specialist vehicle con- struction, coffin manufacture, florists and farming; as well as managing a sig- nificant investment property portfolio. Its core business is food retail, which generates around 70 per cent of its total turnover. It has a large distribution


Joint effort to enhance loading bay safety C


astell and Traka have joined forces in their respective loading bay systems to create a system said to enhance loading bay safety. Castell, a safety specialist, has installed its loading bay safety system, Salvo, on thousands of loading bays worldwide while Traka is specialist in access control solutions for forklift truck and bay door control within logistics and distribution markets. Together the companies have created a system which restricts access to authorised personnel only, and gives full traceability of who used which door, and when this occurred. This audit trail is vital when both assessing performance and efficiency. The system works through Traka’s immobiliser system controlling the access to both the loading bay and Castell Salvo Susie device (pictured). This means only authorised users can gain access to the loading equipment. This is the initial way that accidents can be prevented by removing the ability for untrained staff to use potentially hazardous equipment. Access is granted through the intelligent Traka iFob allowing the Castell Salvo Susie to be released. The Salvo Susie is then fitted to the emergency airline of the articulated


trailer. The Castell key is subsequently released and is inserted into the Salvo Control Panel, which allows the bay doors to be operated. This sequence ensures the trailer is immobilised while loading or unloading is carried out. David Hughes, global sales director of Castell, comments: “The ability to track and control who is accessing equipment delivers a number of benefits to the end user, increased safety, improved efficiency and providing a complete end-to-end audit trail. I believe this system creates a unique solution in this market.” Robert Smith of Traka believes this is “a truly unique solution that protects the health and safety of all employees involved in the loading bay operation whilst improving business efficiency in a cost effective way.” Traka Castel


T: 1234 712345 T: 020 8200 1200


www.traka.com www.castell.com


Materials Handling & Logistics JULY/AUGUST 2012


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centre in Leicester which supplies its own stores as well as neighbouring branches of the Heart of England, Midcounties and Tamworth Societies’. With seven loading bays and a busy delivery and pick up schedule it is able to keep the wide network of shops stocked with the society’s trademark Fairtrade products. However, with such regular deliveries it is important the insulation capabilities of the load- ing bays are kept to a high standard as the warehouse needs to remain chilled to ensure the longevity of the food. When it was discovered that the origi- nal equipment dock seals, supplied by a different manufacturer, had worn uncharacteristically early; loading bay specialist sara LBS was asked to advise on a solution. Alan Ryder, sara LBS area sales manager for the Midlands, comments: “We were approached to inspect the loading bays at the distribution centre as it had been found that the original dock seals were failing to provide the adequate level of insulation. I visited the site and it was clear the original installers had installed incorrect sequencing instructions which led to premature damage of the seals. We were able to retro-fit replacement seals to the existing loading bays that would help to maintain the warehouse’s chilled temperature and require very little future maintenance.”


sara LBS supplied dock seals that were designed to fit the existing shelter structure, keeping the replacement costs to a minimum. Using insulated side and roof panels and a horizontal head curtain, attached with a special aerolastic wind guy system to maintain curtain position, the new seals help to maintain the cool temperature in the warehouse when the doors are opened for loading and unloading vehicles. Speaking on behalf of the Midland’s Co-operative Society, Brian Till adds: “The service we received from sara LBS was fantastic. After visiting the site Alan was able to identify the prob- lem with the existing sealing solution and offer us an alternative. By design- ing the new seals to fit the architecture of the existing loading bay he also reduced costs and installation time. The new seals offer the perfect level of protection from the outside environment during operation and will require very little maintenance in the future.” sara Loading Bay Specialists T: 01442 245577 www.saralbs.co.uk Enter 354


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