Conveyor Systems Ltd offer a unique combination of engineering skills and a wealth of experience in providing materials handling solutions tailored to suit individual requirements in a wide range of industries.
At CSL, we offer a comprehensive range of equipment to provide complete automated turnkey materials handling systems, including design, installation and commissioning with integrated controls and software. We also incorporate full project management to co-ordinate our mechanical and electrical installation teams in-line with the customers overall project program.
Using state-of-the-art three dimensional visualisation software, CSL can quickly and accurately design a working model for virtually any proposed conveying solution together with the interfacing to other OEM handling and packaging equipment, plus live storage and robotic handling/palletising systems. This new customised design service can be viewed as CAD drawings or real-time video clips, enabling customers to evaluate proposals in terms of throughputs and product sortation.
This can be coupled with state of the art PLC/Computer based systems to integrate the operation whilst providing management data for traceability/logistics etc.
Warehouse & Logistics News – What is your role and has it changed since last year?
As Managing Director of Conveyor Systems, I am responsible for the daily operations of the business and I am fully supported by a very experienced and competent team. Primarily, on a day to day basis, I directly head-up Sales & Marketing and we continue to successfully service the materials handling needs across a broad spectrum of companies and sectors.
WLN – How was ‘2011 for CSL?’
We can report an excellent trading year despite the gloomy economic outlook.
Rising costs affect every company and competition will always be there to keep companies on their toes. So rather than spending all our time looking over our shoulders, we focus on what we do best – and that is giving good service and looking after both our existing and potential customers.
Utilising a wide and comprehensive range of cost effective modular and bespoke systems, this enables CSL to provide customers with maximum flexibility and design tailor made solutions to suit individual requirements and budget. The personal approach of Conveyor Systems Ltd and the flexibility towards business and servicing of customers material handling needs, has contributed to the establishment of an impressive portfolio of clients over 15 years of trading.
WLN – What is your business proposition for customers in the warehouse & logistics sector? Has that changed since last year?
Conveyor Systems Ltd offer automated turnkey materials handling and logistic solutions – including design, installation and commissioning with integrated controls and software – to improve both savings and efficiencies in the customers operations.
WLN – How has the conveyor sector been performing in 2011? What do you see as the most important recent developments in the sector?
Industry across the board has to look to automation to achieve increased productivity and savings. By reducing manual handling and with the introduction of conveyors and dynamic storage systems, this can quickly achieve improvements and demonstrate a return on investment. Therefore, there is no shortage of tenders for various conveying projects. Unfortunately, competition is fierce and some of these projects can take a long time to be sanctioned and orders placed.
Sortation systems have evolved to provide impressive throughputs and unique control systems that support accuracy and traceability of product flow throughout the supply chain.
WLN – Have you moved into any new business areas during 2011?
An increasing percentage of sales enquiries coming into CSL are from E-Commerce businesses that are looking to speed up and improve order picking efficiencies, minimize errors and ensuring product traceability, whilst operating with the minimum number of staff.
WLN – Has your company grown in the last 12 months, invested in new technology or had to consolidate?
CSL has benefitted by investing in 3Dimensional visualisation software. This software package allows us to accurately model and demonstrate any proposed conveyor system to both new and existing customers.
This software allows us to accurately simulate and predict the behaviour of a customers proposed system. It allows us to change weight, material and speed of the products that we are handling, to produce realistically accurate models and to run these in real time. This also allows us to identify any potential problems with the system and to rectify these at the initial design stage.
Realistic images and video clips can be taken from the model and presented to the customer. This has proved to be an invaluable sales tool, not only showing the customer what their system will look like, but for them to actually watch it in action and judge the benefits of various options.
The software enables us to provide significantly more detailed information to the customer about their system and reduces risk in the grey areas of the design process, such as throughputs and product sortation by highlighting problem zones.
WLN – Have you launched any new products or services in 2011? What are they, and how are they performing?
At the PPMA Exhibition in 2011, CSL launched a new space saving spiral conveyor into the UK market that can elevate/lower various packed items of different shapes and sizes in a continuous flow between different floor levels. Incorporating a new compact column design feature, the spiral unit is lighter in weight but maintains the rigid structure and durability to support a high throughput of product, whilst also offering many new functional benefits. Available as single or twin lane reversible spirals, the new design improves visibility with a narrow supporting column whilst adding greater handling flexibility as the gap between column and outer guide rail is widened.
WLN – How are your existing products and services doing?
We never take anything for granted and therefore, have maintained the vast majority of our customer database for many years with over 50% of our sales turnover in 2011 being repeat business from our existing customers.
We not only provide customers with handling solutions but provide many with servicing and maintenance programmes to ensure that equipment is properly maintained and working to maximum efficiency and safety.
WLN – What’s been your company’s single biggest achievement in business this year?
Against all the odds, CSL have experienced a significant increase in sales and doubled the turnover in our last financial year. We are very proud of this achievement, which has been achieved through long hours and dedicated teamwork.
WLN – What was your personal favourite business moment in 2011?
Seeing the positive year end accounts at CSL and knowing that we must be doing something right! This has provided an excellent platform for the company and a very positive outlook for the future!
WLN – If your company had to go through 2011 again, what would you do differently?
Have had more holidays and left it to the team!!
WLN – Do you operate in any other countries besides the UK? How are you getting on there? Have you gone into any new countries in 2011?
No – Rather than stretching resources, we will continue to focus on servicing the needs of the UK materials handling and logistic sectors, which we know best.
WLN – Have you won any awards or been accredited to any new industry standards during this time?
We proudly refer to the prestigious ‘PPMA Award of Excellence’ for Customer Service – ‘which recognises a machinery supplier who has provided exceptional service and technical back-up to a customer for over a long period of continuous supply’.
Also in 2011, we have had our ‘Preferred Supplier Status’ extended by a large number of additional ‘blue-chip’ companies including Diageo.
WLN – Which industry sectors are your customers in? What applications do people use your products/services for?
The list of installations completed across the various industries and sectors is endless. Basically, wherever a company needs to convey product whilst reducing staff or truck movements and improve flow of goods throughout the supply chain, CSL can provide a materials handling and storage solution to suit the individual needs of companies, whatever the size of company or project. Over the years, CSL has supplied conveyors for applications handling anything from individual nasal sprays through to 2 tonne pallets in environments ranging from clean-rooms, explosion risk and -28°C cold stores.
WLN – Has your business strategy changed in the last year?
No, we continue to be a member of the PPMA (Processing & Packaging & Machinery Association) and work closely with other OEM’s to interface and integrate conveyors with their equipment such as packaging and labelling machinery, wrappers, palletisers and other associated equipment found in the warehouse environment.
We also continue to work with End Users to provide automated turnkey materials handling and logistic systems, including design, installation and commissioning with integrated controls and software. We also incorporate full project management to co-ordinate our mechanical and electrical installation teams in-line with the customers overall project program.
WLN – Can you name any of your major projects in the last 12 months, and talk about what you have done for them?
I have personally worked with Diageo for over 25 years, culminating in being awarded a very large contract to supply conveyors as part of a major installation of a state-of-the art bottling plant.
Also, CSL have secured two major contracts from Toolbank, one of the UK’s leading distributor of hand and powered tools, with the second order following on from the success and payback of the first installation.
WLN – How does your forward order book compare with a year ago? What about the waiting list for your (products) compared with a year ago?
Compared to a year ago, the existing contracts and prospect list is extremely encouraging. CSL can report that in the first four months of its financial year (commencing July 2011), we have already received orders valued at over 50% of last years turnover, which puts us in a very healthy position for the next twelve months.
WLN – Which trade shows did you exhibit at in 2011? How were they?
Conveyor Systems Limited exhibited at the PPMA show held at the NEC Birmingham 27- 29th September – and we can confirm that the attendance and quality of the visitor was excellent. As a result of the last years IMHX materials handling exhibition, CSL has now already committed to support the next show in 2013.
WLN – As the Christmas period is traditionally the busiest time of year for the UK warehousing and logistics industry, what challenges has your company been facing?
Many challenges can be reduced if you communicate with customers.
Unfortunately, due to the nature and complexity of decision making in large companies, many organisations often take very long periods before making a final commitment to place a contract, but then fail to extend the corresponding completion and delivery programme!! So manpower and resources could be put under unnecessary pressures to complete a project.
However, at CSL we have learnt over the years never to make a promise that we can’t deliver on! It’s important that you are honest with customers at the outset (no matter how painful!!), explaining what the project entails and envisaged timescales for completion. It is all about planning to avoid problems, as we agree with the customer the project and timescales, so that they are fully on board with the time-frame for completion.
WLN – As a company, what are your new year’s resolutions for 2012?
To continue to be focused in our approach and business ethos – which is to listen to the customers requirements and perform to our best in providing them with the most cost effective solution, which in turn demonstrates our integrity and secures a long term working relationship. We will look to ensure quality and customer service is maintained to the highest standards.
WLN – What are your plans for 2012?
To build on the success of 2011 and extend our customer base even further.
WLN – Where do you see your company in three years’ time?
We are looking to build on the solid foundations of the company and will achieve this through controlled expansion that can be professionally managed and prudently financed.
WLN – And finally, what would you like Father Christmas to bring your company in 2012?!
Prosperity through business success and/or a major win on our sales team National Lottery ticket!!!
Conveyor Systems Ltd
Tel: 01283 552255
Comments are closed.