Helping IKEA meet the World Health Organisation (WHO) dust guidance levels and creating a healthier environment for their staff and customers the Zehnder CAS units use the innovative Flimmer® Filtration technology to remove dust particulate from the air. Operating quietly and without the need for frequent filter changes the units offer an effective and efficient solution. With significant improvements to the air quality since in installation staff feedback has been extremely positive.

In addition to the health benefits the units are also helping reduce costs. Less dust means less need to clean which consequently saves money on cleaning bills. What’s more they also ensure merchandise remains clean and visually attractive minimising wastage and product returns.

For further information on Zehnder please contact Zehnder Technical Services on 01252 515151 or visit www.zehnder.co.uk.

The Food distribution facility is at the hub of CICS operations. CICS services its ten Jersey stores from a state of the art food distribution centre in Bellozanne, St Helier.

As CICS has grown, the need to run an effective and efficient distribution operation has become critical. In response to this, CICS implemented a traditional RF scanning solution into the goods receipt department of the CICS distribution centre. The main driver for this was the inefficiency of the existing paper based system and associated cost implications for the society in terms of loss of productivity and errors. CICS in partnership with RCS, selected leading mobile computing providers Belgravium to implement a full solution to automate the RF process.

In the 6 years since the implementation, the Belgravium solution has secured many tangible benefits. CICS have continued to grow, now dispatching in excess of 55,000 cases per week and growing to over 90,000 square feet in capacity. CICS needed to support this growth and realised that the existing solution needed to evolve, with even tighter controls needed to be placed on maintaining and increasing productivity.

With a full Wi-Fi network already in place across the whole of the distribution facility CICS decided that they had to extend the use of RF technology from goods receipt to a fully RF operational warehouse. They required a system that would enable real-time management and control of the whole of their operation.

Looking at the technologies that could be employed to improve the automation and management of their stocks, Voice Recognition was identified as the ideal solution for their operation. With the industry quoting accuracy levels of 99.8%, the hands free technology was particularly suited to the Jersey operation– allowing the pickers to quickly manipulate products, yielding higher pick rates and leading to improved accuracy and reduced cross picks.
The Development of Voice Belgravium’s existing solution was easily configurable – the progression to a voice system essentially required an add-on to the existing warehouse management system. The multimodal Atlanta handheld, currently used for the goods receipt operation was voice enabled which provided CICS with the flexibility to switch between traditional scanning, and with the addition of a voice headset, could be instantly transformed to a voice terminal. With the addition of the thin client software “Voxbrowser”, CICS had all the elements for a full voice system.

How it Works
The new voice solution now extends the use of the RF technology to cover the full spectrum of warehouse activities including the picking and load dispatch operations. CICS now have ability to view which users are currently operating in the warehouse and can allocate pick assignments simply and quickly, automatically directing each picker to their next assignment via their voice recognition headset.

At the start of the picking operation, users will allocate three roll cages to an assignment. Each roll cage is labelled with a barcode and a 4 digit number which is then scanned into a picking assignment. The three roll cages are identified as A (Alpha), B (Beta) and C (Charlie) – an identity which will stay with them throughout the whole of the picking operation. From the voice recognition system, the user will be directed to a bin or pick location via voice commands, the user will pick the specified item and nominates which roll cage the item should be placed in. Finally, the pick is verbally confirmed by speech, for example “Got One, Charlie”.

Once a pick assignment has been completed, the user will verbally confirm this via speech. This will enable a roll cage label to be produced and attached to the completed picked cage. The cages are then moved to the loading area for dispatch to stores.

Part of the “pick to voice” solution - enabled the development of the dispatch function. Utilising traditional scanning for this function, users scan the barcodes on each roll cage with the Atlanta handheld terminal, for the completed order, prior to loading it onto the delivery vehicle.

Since the system went live, the confidence in the system has continued to grow and as a result the average pick rate has continued on an upwards trend. The voice directed picking keeps users focused and less distracted. The improvement in efficiency has resulted in numerous benefits for CICS through increased productivity, accurate consignments and timely deliveries. The increased productivity within the warehouse has reduced the need for overtime, and continues to deliver significant cost savings to CICS.

Benefits

Real-time Visibility
In addition, the system has facilitated greater visibility of the warehouse operation as a management tool. The ability to log in remotely in real time means CICS are able to constantly monitor the pick rates in the operation. Should there be a dip in these, they can quickly identify the reason why and put the corrective action in place – reducing the disruption and maintaining an efficient operation.

A Multi Lingual and User Friendly Solution
CICS employs a mix of nationalities including Polish and Portuguese. The systems ability to cope with any language or dialect makes it ideal for their multi ethnic workforce allowing them to interact with the system using words that they are comfortable with.

In addition, CICS have a partially deaf operative who was required to use the voice recognition system. This didn’t raise barriers to using the system. The user friendliness and consistent and in depth training of the voice profile for the user meant that the employee was not impeded by the solution – and has become one of the best pickers within the warehouse!!!!!

Improved Stock Management
This new solution has allowed the St Helier distribution centre to be a lot more reactive to the stores requirements. The ability to view stock before it arrives in-store, allows the store to identify stock location and availability for empty shelves.  The flexibility of the system allows CICS to then facilitate early dispatch of the cage in order to fill the empty shelf space.

Accuracy Improvement
With respect to accuracy it is as close to 100% as it could be. Company reports show that there are few ‘cross picks’ and shortages, - the new dispatch function now means that CICS can not put a roll cage onto a vehicle that was not going to a specified store. Once the load is dispatched, the products on the roll cages are electronically dispatched, so each store would know what to expect on their delivery before it even arrives. The ability to physically identify what goods have been received in store reduces invoice queries, something that wouldn’t have been achieved utilising the old label system.

Web: http://www.belgravium.com

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While you’re pondering that possibility, in this issue we’ve got features on Tyres, Wheels & Castors, Racking & Shelving and Warehouse I.T. Tyres, Wheels & Castors includes specialised tyres for mobile equipment in the warehouse. Racking & Shelving covers Pallet racking, cantilever racking, shelving and storage solutions. Warehouse I.T looks at RFID, barcodes, readers, scanners, tags, labels and handheld technology.

Crawling through the M25 roadworks and watching the fuel gauge slowly drop was the perfect time to hear Professor Martin Tangney, Director of the Biofuel Research Centre at Edinburgh Napier University, on Radio 4’s Today programme, extolling butanol’s virtues as a vehicle fuel.

Scotland’s distilleries generate a wealth of energy-rich biomass, as a result of whisky production. The latest research suggests that butanol, a substance made from this biomass in a secondary distillation, has the potential to be used as a green fuel without modifications to vehicle engines. Ethanol, the commonest biofuel, only has 70 per cent of the energy of petrol, whereas according to the Prof, butanol has almost the same energy.

Adopting butanol will help make us less dependent on oil, and it’s green. The transport industry will certainly welcome it. The question is, has the government got the guts to back its development?

For some time now forward thinking fleet operators and 3PLs have been trying out biodiesel engines and using vehicles that switch from fuel to electric power to cut emissions in city centres. Alongside this, alternative fuels have taken a high profile in recent years. Before becoming PM, the PR-minded David Cameron was maximizing the ‘green-cred’ value of his hybrid car. So, now’s the time for Mr Cameron to embrace his Scottish lineage, raise his green warrior’s standard once again and back the transport business, all in one move by encouraging a move to butanol. But has he got the bottle?!

To quote the MD of a leading pallet network, no UK government in the last 25 years has paid any attention to the needs of road transport. So, could this be the start of a new era of co-operation? We’ll drink to that!

Warehouse & Logistics News

What’s the most exciting thing about your job?

Seeing my team deliver successful projects or winning new business.

Who inspired you most in your career?

Dave Bradshaw MD at TIS with his firm but fair style of management and visionary ability to achieve business success.

If you were an item in a warehouse, what would you be?

I’d be the CCTV system as I love to watch the pallet trucks and forklifts move around a busy operation.

What brought you to this industry?

An aspiration to use IT to make logistics more efficient.

If you had to do it all over again, what would you do different?

Take more time to build a strategy before jumping in feet first.

What’s your favourite pastime?

Listening to my 31/2 and 1/2 year old daughters sing nursery rhymes.

What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to you?

After an important meeting finding that my newborn daughter had been sick down the back of my jacket without me knowing.

Do you have any hidden talents?

I recently built an 85 sq m raised decking structure in my back garden with just the aid of my father in law and a large pile of wood.

Who would be your favourite party guest?

Ewan McGregor so we could talk about his motorcycle experiences.

What is the greatest luxury in your life?

Time with my family.

If you won the Lottery, what would you do?

Spend more time playing with fast cars (on a track of course.)

Who or what makes you laugh?

Being with my friends.

Do you have any secret ambitions?

To see gorillas in the wild (and I don’t mean the pop group.)

What’s your favourite holiday destination?

St Anton Austria in February with Austrian beer and piles of snow to snowboard on.

What’s your favourite music album?

Gorillaz, Demon Days.

What’s your favourite movie?

Avatar.

What’s your favourite book?

Dune by Frank Herbert.

Who or what do you detest the most?

Arrogant people.

What would be your advice to someone thinking about coming into the industry (apart from “don’t do it”)?

Be unique.

If you would like to take part in this feature call 01923 272960 we have spaces available, to get involved call today!

Troax Lee partitioning is ideal for constructing internal spaces such as storage areas, offices, workshops, production areas and similar types of facility in a wide range of commercial and industrial environments.

Comprehensive yet easy to follow, the new priced catalogue contains all the information required to specify and price up partitioning, including the full range of panel configurations and dimensions, fixings and fittings.

Ranges featured in the catalogue include Excalibur double skin, steel partitioning which is ideal for creating work spaces in industrial environments where sound insulation or fire rating is important and Sabre single skin partitioning, a cost-effective solution for factories and warehouses.

Broadsword, an economical angle frame partitioning system with exceptional strength and durability and Toledo, a high quality double skin system for cleanroom applications are included. Also featured is Scudo, a fully moveable mobile partitioning unit for separating and shielding welding areas in a factory environment.

In addition, the brochure contains items such as Tro-Grid Ceilings and Tro-Span Ceilings.

For a copy of Troax Lee’s new priced catalogue please Telephone 01384 277441 or email  Click here to email this company

Any enquiries can be directed by telephone or online to a friendly and experienced sales team, happy to answer questions and discuss non-standard options. Orders are processed with the emphasis on accuracy and prompt service.

According to Managing Director Sarah Stanley, “We offer standard and premium versions of most products, as opposed to endless almost identical variants and whilst we are now seeing a lot of business placed through our online catalogue at www.stanleycatalogue.co.uk the printed catalogue is an essential fixture in many offices and works.”

For further information or to request a catalogue contact:

Stanley Handling Limited

Sarah Stanley

Tel: 01582 767711

E: Click here to email this company

Seventeen Logopak 515T print & apply machines have been installed this autumn, one on each of the goods-in legs of the warehouse, to label every case received with unique information that includes its allocated location within the warehouse and the manufacturer of the goods.

Each leg handles the contents of a complete vehicle at a time, labelling up to ten different products in batches of 100 to 1000 cases. The labels are then scanned throughout the warehouse handling system, allowing goods to be directed automatically to the correct aisle, bay and shelf.

“Labelling bulk quantities such as this manually using a desk top label printer often leads to errors as a result of the repetitive nature of the task,” points out Logopak UK sales manager Howard Jagger. “In this instance incorrect labelling led to cases being given the wrong location and also items of stock left unaccounted for.”

Instead, the new print & apply machines, built to an industrial specification for 24/7 operation, automatically attach labels that contain product identification in an ITF bar code and the allocated warehouse location within a secondary Code 128 bar code. In-built scanners check each label’s legibility as it is applied.

Data for the labels is downloaded to each print & apply machine via a network from the main warehouse computer on demand from the operator, who enters basic product details and quantities at a dedicated terminal.

“As industrial machines, Logopak labellers are equipped as standard with the hardware and software necessary to link readily with computer-based warehousing systems,” points out Howard Jagger. “This avoids the cost and time involved in writing one-off software.”

Logopak International Limited

Tel: 01904 692333

Email: Click here to email this company

Using their knowledge and expertise Cooks recommended Hörmann loading bays, dock levellers and doors to meet the exacting requirements of this new chilled facility. Loading bays, sectional doors, rolling shutters,fast action internal doors, fireshutters and steel hinged doors were all installed by Cooks.

Due to the varied fleet of vehicles operated, Cooks installed dock levellers on two of the seven loading bays with draw bridges selected for the others. Insulated sectional doors help to maintain the ambient indoor temperature with four fast action doors providing the necessary access and thermal insulation to maintain the correct temperatures throughout the building.

For the customer collection point Hörmann APU sectional doors were chosen, one fully glazed with Hörmann, thermally efficient, scratch resistant Duratec. This area is treated as an “air lock” with the external and internal doors not opening at the same time to help maintain the correct ambient temperature.

Kevin Notley Director of Cooks  is a firm believer in the quality of  Hörmann products, that give his customers the longevity and reliability they need, as he explains. “As specialists in this area our reputation is based on the job we do and the service we provide. We ensure that we give the best service there is and  know that by using Hörmann we are giving the customer the best value for money and trouble free operation. The precision engineering across their huge range ensures seamless integration and helps us to complete our work on time and to the highest standards that we set for ourselves.”

Established in 1965, Cooks Blinds & Shutters Ltd are still a family enterprise, having expanded into four separate companies, all working together to offer a large range of products and services throughout East Anglia and beyond.

The company established its name and reputation offering free expert advice, free site surveys and quotations, manufacturing, supply, installation and maintenance, service contracts, backed up by a 24hr Emergency call out service. To speak to Cooks call 01603 410304.

The Hörmann Group

Tel: 01530 513000

www.hormann.co.uk

Stertil Stokvis installed a RapidRoll 3000L, a high-speed hybrid of the popular 3000 security shutter door incorporating alternate transparent laths to allow natural light through. The fast-action door moves at speeds up to 2.5 metres per second, allowing high volume use. In fact, during  the first two weeks after installation, the new door had over 2000 operations.

Stertil’s RapidRoll 3000L is designed for high-traffic areas where fast operating speed and frequency of use are major considerations. A lightweight curtain of alternating aluminium and clear PVC sections provides the door with a large through-vision area. Stertil’s unique DiscDrive mechanism prevents the door profiles touching during operation, limiting both noise and wear and promoting a long life.

“The new door has transformed the working area around it,” enthuses Nigel Leat of Tyco Electronics. “It’s faster and more reliable than the old door and the transparent PVC laths have been particularly effective, letting in much more natural light than before.”

“Both our sales and installation departments have a very good working relationship with Tyco,” says Andrew Georgiou of Stertil Stokvis. “This means we’ve also been contracted to carry out routine maintenance at the site, as well as reactive breakdown cover.”

Stertil UK Limited

Andrew Georgiou

Tel: 0870 770 0471

Email: Click here to email this company

www.stertiluk.com

“Dexion was appointed on its designs and competitive pricing, they worked with us during negotiations for our new warehouse so that they were able to start work a week after we signed contracts”, said Sabir Tayub, Managing Director of SERT-MST PLC. “Dexion took over the whole project from beginning to end, which allowed me to concentrate on running the business”.

To start the project, Dexion’s design team developed ways of maximising the 21,300 square metre facility. This involved installing a six-metre high mezzanine floor along one side of the warehouse, which is sufficiently elevated to enable forklift trucks to safely operate beneath. On the mezzanine Dexion also erected shelving to create a hand picking area for small and valuable items, with security fencing and gating around each stairwell, two offices were also built within the warehouse to control the movement of goods in and out.

Safety in the warehouse was a prerequisite to the design, a total of 12 forklift trucks, purchased from Linde and have been supplied with preset height indicators and cameras to assist the drivers with picking, while a high drive through tunnel, running through the middle of the warehouse helps minimise forklift truck damage from their raised masts.

To house the diverse range of products, which includes toiletries, pre-bottled water and other non-perishable items, Dexion specified its P90 Silverline galvanised pallet racking along with its metal end run protection. The design of the P90 Silverline galvanised beams ensures that pallets are correctly stacked away from the upright frames and ensures that the warehouse always looks bright and clean.

Comprising of 55 runs and 6 pallet locations high, the system provides just over 23,700 pallet locations. All the pallet locations have been designed so that two pallets can be accommodated in each bay, including bottled water where each pallet weighs 1150kg.

“I am pleased I did not choose a painted beam as the P90 Silverline beam is easily discernible against the pallets, aesthetically pleasing, and provides a clean and modern environment,” says Sabir Tayub. “Dexion provided excellent project management and each phase of the construction was handed over smoothly and on time”, he concluded.

Dexion Camino Ltd

Tel: 0870 224 0220

Email: Click here to email this company

www.dexion.co.uk