daifuku.jpgMajor projects completed in 2008 as Daifuku becomes most successful in Europe. Daifuku, one of the world’s largest suppliers of automated materials handling systems, has won three new projects to add to its rapidly growing European Business. Covering the retail, automotive and publishing sectors, Daifuku was awarded the projects due to its world leading expertise in throughput enhancement, fast storage and retrieval and excellent project management.

One key warehouse project has nine aisles, over 20,000 pallet locations (including 2,000 storage sites) with pallets transported at speeds of up to 160m/min by Daifuku’s sorting transfer vehicles (STV). Daifuku’s systems engineers have also been developing effective concepts for the flow of goods within the warehouses of clients such as Federal Mogul and Clays in the UK.

“We have anticipated and responded to an increased demand for the storage of materials of a standardised footprint; providing our clients with enhanced storage density and floor utilisation,” explains Craig Rollason, sales and marketing manager UK & Ireland. “Over the next year a number of key projects will be completed, meaning our systems will be making substantial contributions to efficiency increases and return on investments for many leading customers.”

Already in action in Denmark is a Daifuku system that is enhancing speed and process efficiency for SuperGros, an independent supermarket chain. The country’s number one wholesale grocer has expanded and built an additional consignment stock warehouse in Ringsted, and Daifuku is the general contractor, planning and realising the new facility.

SuperGros’ warehouse has nine aisles with 21,000 pallet locations including 2,000 storage locations in the order picking area. Daifuku’s engineers developed a robust concept for the flow of goods within the warehouse. Incoming goods are registered by the warehouse management system (WMS) and then channelled into a pallet sorter line to a sorting transfer vehicle (STV). This vehicle is conveniently located on a platform between the ground floor and the first upper floor in order to free more space for the order picking zone.

Pallets are transported at speeds of up to 160m/min, albeit with maximum care. The WMS helps customer orders to be retrieved automatically and then assembled by operators using a novel voice-recognition system.

“There were several reasons for SuperGros choosing us as general contractor for this project, one being the excellent cooperation on the 2004 expansion; and then the effective strategic planning cooperation during the early phases,” exclaims Rollason.

Automotive component giant Federal Mogul’s site in Manchester will also see a transformation in materials handling when Daifuku’s Mini-Load system is installed by the end of 2008. The second quarter of 2009 will see a 5,000-pallet system and new warehouse for Suffolk-based publisher Clays. Daifuku’s Traverser pallet crane system will allow cranes to be taken from alternative aisles automatically, therefore requiring fewer cranes over a larger amount of aisles and reducing capital investment.

“Our advanced research and development skills have been honed in Japan and Europe. Daifuku can handle all automated handling projects, from the small challenges up to the largest high bays exceeding 40m in height,” concludes Rollason.

Daifuku Europe Ltd
Craig Rollason
Tel: 01753 581000
Email: sales@daifuku.co.uk
www.daifukueurope.com

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