Securing better handling

Fab&Fix, ERA and EWS are part of Grouphomesafe, a leading manufacturer and distributor of household and commercial security products such as window and door hardware, locks and fenestration reinforcements. The volume of materials handled at the companies’ respective sites requires streamlined handling and optimum storage capacity and five Aisle-Master articulated forklifts have recently been deployed to guarantee this.   

The trucks have replaced older articulated forklifts at ERA and EWS, with Fab&Fix using the Aisle-Master instead of a counterbalance forklift. “The individual requirements at each site differed slightly,” said Group Warehousing Manager Peter Taylor, “but common to all were the need for reliable trucks with long battery life, better driver visibility, indoor and outdoor capability even in bad weather, and the ability in some cases to cope comfortably with pre-existing narrow aisles.”

Due to height constraints at ERA’s 14,000ft² warehouse, racking is just 4.4m high so aisles are particularly tight to enable maximum storage capacity. The new narrow head 1.5t capacity Aisle-Master 15E models on this site can manoeuvre pallets easily in the 1700mm rack to rack space. The 4-wheeled configuration with front two-wheel drive makes for very stable operation compared to the three wheeled design found on other articulated brands. This ensures better traction underneath the load and is of great benefit for combined indoor/outdoor operation.

With more room to manoeuvre at EWS the company uses a standard 20SE Aisle-Master in its 20,000ft² facilities, and speed of operation is a key factor here as Peter points out: “In a fast moving environment where we are constantly lifting loads of up to 1.5t to the top beam of 9m, the machine’s quick and smooth mast elevation is an advantage, as is the speed of cornering.”

Peter Taylor sums up: “We now have versatile, universal trucks in operation which work long shifts without the need to recharge batteries so they keep up with demand across the three sites and contribute to a safer working environment.”