Welcome to the May 1st Warehouse & Logistics News. We hope you all had a good Easter break. In this issue you’ll find our latest Warehouse Supplement. As ecommerce mushrooms, the increasing diversity of goods being shipped and our desire for ever faster delivery have established a new “normal” speed of working but the good news is, technology is transforming how warehouses operate.

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On our front cover JCB is launching the electric-powered version of its multi-award winning Teletruk telescopic lift truck, opening up new opportunities for indoor uses. Until now powered by diesel and LPG and used predominantly for outdoor applications, the Teletruk range has revolutionised materials handling operations in builders’ merchants, ports, recycling centres and industrial facilities worldwide since its debut in 1997.

Also in this issue we talk to Brian Quarendon, CEO of explosion protection safety company Pyroban Group. Pyroban have enjoyed sustained growth since 2017 due to increased demand for explosion proof lift trucks here and overseas, investing heavily in their UK manufacturing facility and increasing their workforce.

In our news pages leading door provider Hörmann UK celebrated its fortieth anniversary in style recently with a gala event at the Hilton Metropole, Birmingham, attended by more than 120 employees and distributors, who were entertained by football legend Kevin Keegan.

Staying with doors, one of the hottest topics at UKWA’s National Conference in March was cyber security and the problems facing digitally connected businesses. However, warehouse managers still also face ‘traditional’ security threats from thieves and other intruders. Hence the importance of safe, secure, efficient warehouse doors. As our Doors feature confirms, British-based businesses are continuing to invest in industrial doors and related systems.

It’s often taken for granted but the floor is one of the most important parts of any warehouse, needing care and attention all year round. Because the warehouse’s main activity – receiving, storing, retrieving and despatching goods – takes place on the floor and more warehouses are working 24/7, floors need to be properly looked after to ensure consistent operational efficiency. Slips and trips are a major cause of warehouse injuries, lost working time and compensation claims, but as the HSE advise, warehouse managers can take simple steps to reduce the risk of accidents.

In our Lifting Gear, Cranes & Aerial Platforms feature, it’s 50 years since John L. Grove invented the first boom lift, started the company that became JLG and pioneered the access industry. Warehouse cranes go back even further, with Demag KBK established in 1819. Meanwhile incorrect manual handling is still one of the commonest causes of workplace injuries, but growing numbers of employers are rethinking how to use lifting and handling aids to reduce the risk and keep workers healthy and at work.

Finally, a big hand for UniCarriers UK, who were recently honoured by a visit from Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal in recognition of their long-standing partnership with Transaid. Currently celebrating their fiftieth anniversary, Unicarriers presented Princess Anne, Transaid’s patron with the keys for one of its counterbalance trucks, for use in Transaid’s partner training centre in Lusaka, Zambia.

Congratulations all round.

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