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M

arch

2009

www.read-tpt.com

104

H

andling &

P

ackaging

T

echnology

The company had been using a variety of

racking in its existing buildings and wanted

to configure the new warehouse with a

combination of cantilever and ‘A’ frame

racking that offered a flexible and efficient

way of storing extrusions, tube, bar and

billets up to 6m in length.

In the previous operation, conventional

counterbalance trucks had undertaken

handling. Doré recognised that this would

not be practical in the new warehouse

because of the racking density and aisle

widths required to achieve the maximum

storage capacity.

The Forte UFS four-way can be driven

forwards, backwards and sideways because

all three wheels can swivel. This makes it

highly manoeuvrable in a confined warehouse

environment, and suitable for handling long

loads and different racking types.

During the selection process, Doré Metal

Services had identified that a side loader

truck would not offer the flexibility or

performance required to support its busy

operations. The company was making a

Atlet Limited, UK, has supplied its Forte

UFS four-way reach truck to Doré Metal

Services, UK, a supplier of a wide range of

non-ferrous and special metal extrusions,

including aluminium, brass and stainless

steel. This delivery followed a period of

consultation with a number of potential lift

truck suppliers, including Atlet.

Doré Metal Services had recently

consolidated its operations into a new

3,000m

2

distribution warehouse. The

new building presented an opportunity to

optimise handling and storage processes.

six-figure investment in the racking alone,

and wanted to ensure it achieved the best

possible performance.

Atlet recognised that a vital issue was the

configuration of the racking and the aisle

widths to ensure the maximum storage

capacity and efficiency from the available

cube space. “

Aisle widths are critical

because we wanted to get more in the

warehouse but with flexibility and potential

for future growth,

” commented Mr Mike

Lane, managing director of Doré Metal

Services.

Doré’s original plan had been to have

a series of aisles running along the

whole length of the building. However,

Atlet suggested the inclusion of a transit

aisle running across the middle of the

warehouse, as this would reduce the

average distance the truck would move to

complete each handling task.

The aisle reduced overall storage

capacity but this was more than offset by

improvements in efficiency and productivity.

The transit aisle also formed a convenient

boundary between the cantilever racking at

one end of the warehouse and the ‘A’ frame

racking at the other.

The business relies on the ability to pick

orders quickly, and the company has also

decided to purchase a second truck.

Atlet Limited

– UK

Fax

: +44 1844 219220

Email

:

sales@atlet.co.uk

Website

:

www.atlet.co.uk

New concept positioner for welding

Rotolift, from Sideros Engineering, is a hydraulic positioner and handler used for

welding and assembly operations. The ergonomic machine has the capability to perform

workpiece lifting and lowering, in addition to inclination and rotation.

The workpiece is securely fixed on the

horizontal rotary table and handled

according to the operator’s needs.

The machine is designed to improve

operator performance and efficiency,

and boost safety conditions. Sideros

Engineering claims that production

costs can be reduced by 60 per cent,

with a consequent production increase.

Two versions of the machine

are available, one with totally

oleodynamic movement, and one with

oleodynamic lifting and inclination and

electromechanical rotation. Models are

available catering to a range of loading

capacity requirements. On request, the machine can be supplied with a bronze 600 or

1,500W rotary mass.

Sideros Engineering Srl

– Italy

Fax

: +39 0523 524951

Email

:

estero@siderosonline.com

Website

:

www.siderosonline.com

Rotolift is available in two base models, and in a

range of capacities

Four-way solution for non-ferrous extrusion supplier

Doré selected Atlet’s Forte UFS four-way reach

truck for its new warehouse

Atlet arranged for all of Doré’s drivers to be

trained in the use of the new trucks