Tesco’s nationwide network of stores is served by a number of distribution depots strategically located around the country. One such depot is in Lichfield, Staffordshire.
354 forklift trucks – a mixture of reach trucks, pallet trucks and low level order pickers – are in operation at the Lichfield site. The trucks are supplied and maintained by Jungheinrich.
Incoming orders at the site are a combination of palletised loads and part picked orders from other depots which arrive in roll cages.
Palletised loads are unloaded from the goods in bays using electric-powered ride-on pallet trucks from Jungheinrich’s ERE range. Jungheinrich’s ERE range has been designed for harsh use in and around loading docks and has been developed for fast and efficient lorry loading and unloading and for transporting loads over longer distances.
The ERE range boasts a number of advanced features designed to increase productivity and improve the performance of the operator throughout even the most demanding shift.
For example, the ERE models used by Tesco feature ‘ShockProtect’ – a patented system that protects the platform against impact. ‘ShockProtect’ reduces the strain on the operator’s spine and lessens the impact on the truck’s technical components – and, of course, the load that is being carried – during operation.
Once unloaded the pallets are dropped at a marshalling area where they are scanned and allocated a pallet location within the racking.
Pallets are then taken by one of 63 Jungheinrich ETV 3-Series reach trucks which are in operation and put away in the bulk store.
The Jungheinrich ETV-3 Series trucks lift to just over 12 metres and the trucks feature Jungheinrich’s patented reach truck mast damping system. The damping system was developed because, when working at high lift, truck masts sway back and forth and, for obvious safety reasons, truck operators have to wait for the swaying to stop before attempting to deliver the pallet into the racking. Jungheinrich’s damping system means that the ETVs used by Tesco take up to 10 seconds fewer for an elevated load to stop swaying than most competitive models. Over the course of a long shift this has considerable productivity – as well as safety – benefits.
The reach trucks also feature AC technology for drive, lifting and steering functions – which means that they offer class leading performance and the lowest running costs.
Jungheinrich manufactured its first generation of AC motors in the early 1990s, but the technology has moved on considerably since then and the latest generation AC motors offer exceptionally high acceleration and top speed performance. There are fewer wearing parts which makes the trucks exceptionally service-friendly with less downtime and lower running costs as a result.
All outgoing orders are picked in to roll cages which are moved around the depot using a fleet of Jungheinrich’s ERE 225 low level order pickers. The ERE 225s are capable of transporting four roll cages at a time.
Picking lists are generated by Tesco’s warehouse management system and sent directly to the order picking staff who each wear rugged electronic data terminals on their arms which they use to scan picked orders and receive picking instructions.
Part and fully picked loads are stored in lanes before they are taken to the goods out loading bays and loaded on to a lorry.
It is essential that forklift truck downtime is kept to a minimum, so Tesco’s fleet has been supplied on a full service contract and Jungheinrich has five full time engineers permanently based at the site. The engineers work out of a self contained fully equipped workshop to ensure that the entire fleet operates at optimum efficiency.
The quality of service support offered by Jungheinrich is one of the key’s to the company’s successful relationship with Tesco as Simon Nash, Tesco’s regional engineering manager with responsibility for the Litchfield depot explains: “No one comes close to Jungheinrich in terms of the ongoing maintenance service they offer. The Jungheinrich engineers on site are a great team and there is a real feeling of partnership between our companies.”
“We have benchmarked the Jungheinrich trucks against other brands operating at some of our other depots and the reliability of the Jungheinrich fleets is unrivalled.”
Jungheinrich UK Ltd
Craig Johnson
Tel: 01908 363100
Email: craigj@jungheinrich.co.uk
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