Feature Lift trucks
Boiler maker upgrades to articulated VNAs
BDR Thermea, manufacturer and distributor of heating and hot water systems and services, has upgraded the materials handling operation within one of its finished goods warehouses with the introduction of articulated forklift truck technology from Flexi Narrow Aisle
T
he BDR Thermeagroup operates in more than 70 countries and employs over 6,300 people. Its strategy involves marketing under multiple trade brands – the best known of which in the UK is perhaps the Baxi range of boiler units. The company, which has produc- tion sites and distribution facilities strategically located worldwide, had been using a combination of counter- balanced trucks and reach trucks to load and unload incoming and outgo- ing trailers and deliver pallet loads of product to the double deep storage locations within one of its French fin- ished goods warehouses.
But, following a review of its han- dling processes, which saw pallet rack- ing relocated into single deep aisles, the company has been able to ratio- nalise its forklift fleet by switching to a fleet of eight Flexi EURO VNA trucks. A four-wheel, electric-powered articulated truck, the Flexi VNA AC was first introduced to the European market during the Autumn of 2010,
and has enjoyed significant sales suc- cess since – thanks to its ability to work in aisles some 200mm narrower than comparative models.
At the heart of the truck is a com- pact front wheel drive axle design which, combined with the four-wheel Flexi VNA’s ability to truly articulate through 220 degrees, allows easy and safe stacking and minimal manoeu- vring in the aisleways. In fact, the Flexi VNA AC requires just one turn of the steering wheel to enter or de-stack a pallet – which results in significant productivity benefits.
Like all articulated forklift trucks in the Flexi range, the EURO VNA AC is capable of working outside unloading and loading and operating within the narrowest aisles.
This ability to load like a counterbal- anced machine and work in very narrow aisles like a reach truck – although, significantly, without the need for any special attention to be given to the surface of the warehouse floor – has allowed BDH to reduce the
Forklift keeps noise below 60dba
argotec’s E-Series, a new range of super-quiet, all-electric forklift trucks from Cargotec has been highly commended in the Noise Abatement Society’s 2012 John Connell Technology Awards sponsored by the Acoustics Society. This national awards scheme recognises signifi- cant developments in the control and reduction of noise in the environment.
C
Designed for the loading and unloading of vehicles at night in built up areas, the E Series Truck Mounted Fork Lifts (TMFLs) use advanced electronic technology to achieve a noise level below 60dba, ensuring near silent operation. This low level means that they meet the PIEK regulations which limit the noise level of such machines when operated at night to no more than 60dba. Keith Quigley, vice-president, TMFLs, at the Dundalk-based company says: “In developing our new forklifts we have looked at every aspect of their operation and found ways to eliminate or reduce noise. And although using battery power rather than a diesel engine as the means of propulsion is the major element, we found numerous other ways to keep the noise level low.” The E Series uses Lithium Ion batteries feeding power to the latest technology AC electric motors, which drive the wheels, hydraulics and steering. ‘Steer by Wire’ technology is used to remove the noise associated with hydraulic steering and helical hydraulic gear pumps ensure near silent hydraulics. A special quiet version of Cargotec’s standard mounting kit further reduces noise. Cargotec
T: 01691 623100
www.cargotec.com Materials Handling & Logistics JANUARY 2013
BDR Thermea has upgraded is materials handling operation to include articulated forklift truck technology from Flexi Narrow Aisle
number of trucks required at the French facility which, in turn, has resulted in considerable operating cost savings. The fleet was supplied through Flexi Narrow Aisle’s local French dis- tributor who will also provide ongoing service and maintenance back-up. John Maguire, sales and marketing director of Flexi Narrow Aisle, says: “The Flexi distributor network is well established in Europe: we have been successfully delivering articulated trucks to European customers for over a decade. Our involvement in the European market over this time enables us to understand exactly what our European customers need from their trucks.
Flexi Narrow Aisle T: 0121 557 6242
www.flexi.co.uk Enter 354
“The last five years have seen tremen- dous growth in demand for Flexi articu- lated truck technology from European logistics service companies, retailers and manufacturing companies.”
Truck suits in or outdoor use T
oyota Material Handling has introduced its BT Reflex O-series multi-function reach truck to work in indoor and outdoor applications, providing flexibility for customers in a wide variety of applications. The new reach truck model
Enter 355
shares many of the advanced features of Toyota’s BT Reflex standard R-series model, including the Transitional Lift Control system for fast but secure working at height, the powerful AC motors, 360° steering and the advanced driver cab with the ‘Totalview’ concept. However the main difference with the BT Reflex O-series can be seen at ground level, where the traditional wheel and gearbox configuration has been changed to allow effective work on outdoor surfaces. The truck can work on uneven or rough ground due to a high ground clearance of 145mm and the treaded super-elastic tyres mean secure grip on wet or loose surfaces or worn asphalt. The heavy-duty gearbox is adapted to suit the revised drive-wheel configuration and three-wheel braking completes the package, to ensure safety and reliability. The O- series has a 1,600kg capacity and lift heights up to 7.5 metres.
www.toyota-forklifts.co.uk
T: 0870 8501409
Enter 356 S13
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56