Interroll is one of the worlds leading innovative designers and manufacturers of key products for unit-load handling, internal logistics and automation in specific target markets such as food processing, airport logistics, postal services, distribution and other sectors.
Interroll work closely with system integrators, OEM’S, distributors and end users to ensure that the engineered solutions we provide, meet the everyday logistical challenges faced by our customers.
Interroll supplies a comprehensive range of materials handling components that include easy-to-integrate drive solutions such as drum motors for belt conveyors, DC-powered and non-powered rollers for conveyor systems, through to user-friendly conveyor modules and state of the art cross belt sorters.
Dynamic energy-efficient flow storage roller and wheel modules are compatible with racking systems worldwide and offer the possibility to store a wide range of pallets sizes and weights, including Euro pallets, CHEP pallets, plastic pallets and metallic containers, etc. with high product throughput.
Chris Middleton, Managing Director of Interroll Ltd spoke to Warehouse & Logistics News.
Warehouse & Logistics News – First of all, what does your role involve day to day? Has your role changed since last year?
As managing director, my primary role is to oversee the continuing growth of the company and to ensure we are at the forefront of new emerging markets.
As an international group, Interroll has manufacturing centres of excellence strategically located throughout the world and therefore, I spend a lot of time in travel, but I also ensure that I am always available to support UK efforts. I am a big believer in proactive selling, whereby we commit a lot of resources to working with our partners and end users in industry, supporting them technically with product selection and system integration, plus we also offer informative seminars for customers to review innovative developments and product features that result in cost saving efficiencies.
WLN – ‘2012: how was it for you?’
It hasn’t been easy, especially with Interroll manufacturing centres of excellence throughout the world and currency weaknesses adding to the difficulties.
However, there is still much to be positive about as companies continue to look for increased efficiencies in the logistic supply chain and therefore, this creates a lot of interest for Interroll’s innovative products. This year not only have we successfully installed three new Interroll cross belt sorters featuring a unique patented mechanical discharge principle, but our order book remains buoyant for component sales and Dynamic Storage products.
WLN – What is your particular proposition for customers in the warehouse & logistics sector? Has that changed since last year?
Interroll offer Dynamic Storage and Picking Solutions, based on the FIFO and LIFO principles; incorporating Pallet Flow & Push Back systems, plus Carton Flow including the highly successful Versi Flow product that is receiving high acclaim in e.commerce and retail distribution centres.
WLN – How has the dynamic storage sector been performing in 2012? What do you see as the most important recent developments?
There continues to be a lot of interest in dynamic storage as companies look to maximize on available storage space and increase efficiencies in order picking and handling. Unfortunately, commitment to major projects and capital expenditure has been cautious.
Interroll dynamic storage often meets the storage criteria for companies handling perishable or date sensitive products, cold store applications, goods requiring intermediate storage for curing or maturing, order picking and fast throughput in warehouses and distribution centers – where lost time or products mean lost profit!
Interroll Carton Versi Flow is a most recent development that is now gaining momentum as the system offers industry a flexible solution. Modular assembled wheel beds can be simply and quickly fitted into pallet rack structures to create dynamic and versatile carton flow storage. Racking can easily be reversed back for use as pallet racking, simply by removing the wheel beds.
WLN – Have you moved into any new areas of activity during 2012? How are they doing?
Interroll has always been involved in all business sectors, with fresh foods, frozen & chilled being one of our core strengths.
Dynamic storage provides decisive advantages in distribution centres that have high throughputs such as the -automobile, electronics, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics distribution, food and drinks distribution.
WLN – Have you launched any new products or services in 2012? What are they, and how are they performing?
Interroll has launched a new “Time Delay” Separator and wearless Speed Controller that will be featured at IMHX 2013 – stand no: 20F102.
Thanks to the new Interroll PF 1000 “Time Delay” Separator, pallets of different sizes and weight can be stored in the same flow channel. When the first pallet has been extracted from the unloading site, the next pallet will be released after a delay of 20 seconds. This way, the fork lift truck driver has enough time to extract the pallets safely before the next pallet will move in. Because of the pedal-free system there are no more limitations for the fork lift truck driver anymore, with regards to the pallet lift – this is especially important if the driver extracts from high beam levels with limited sight.
Because of its unique construction, the new Interroll Speed Controller is ideal for any storage applications with high throughputs: Up to 100 pallets/hour compared to 5-30 pallets/hour with comparable speed controllers.
The travel speed of pallets in the gravity lanes is an important safety factor and therefore, the speed controller limits the speed independently from the weight of the pallets (100kgs to 1500kgs in the same lane) to less than 0.3m/s.
The controlled speed avoids load impacts, which prevents goods on pallets being damaged, maintains pallet load stability and ensures that less stress is transferred to the racking structure. This means absolute safety, reliability and high life system expectancy.
Interroll are always looking to improve handling and safety efficiency and the introduction of these new products has yet to be capitalised upon.
WLN – What’s been your company’s single biggest achievement in business this year?
Apart from the great interest and success of Carton Versi Flow, which literally does what it says on the box, being a fully “versatile” system for picking varied box/tote sizes – Interroll has achieved noteworthy success across its product range.
A UK first for Interroll, with the installation of its new horizontal cross belt sorter that was quickly followed by two more installations!! Designed to be versatile and capable of handling a wide range of unit loads up to 35kg of all different shapes, sizes and materials (mixed goods) these are ideally suited for parcel handling and distribution centres. The design concept enables systems to be easily adaptable to future growth and can provide a quick ROI (Return on Investment) of 2-3 years.
Interroll has added to its products for even more efficient conveying, storage, and distribution of unit loads in the various industrial sectors. These include Interroll’s Synchronous Drum Motor, the new Frequency Inverter IFI-IP55 and the RollerDrive EC310 solution for roller conveyors using zero-pressure accumulation.
WLN – What was your favourite business moment in 2012?
Seeing the strategic changes that we have made within the company pay dividends.
We have made a conscious effort to be more pro-active in our marketing communications and open up our doors to end users, other OEM’s and system integrators to visit our demonstration rooms or attend informative seminars that we have presented through 2012. These seminars can even be arranged to support individual customer’s requirements who may have a specific handling or storage application for consideration.
It has universal benefits to all involved as it enables companies and their engineering management teams to catch up with the latest Interroll product developments in materials handling and dynamic storage components; the energy efficiency and applications of the new hygienic motorised drums sealed for the food industries and control systems.
WLN – If you had to go through 2012 again, what would you do differently?
Employ a clairvoyant as my personal assistant! – as no one could have anticipated some of the things that happened to the world economies and the knock on effect to industry confidence.
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 2012? What’s that been like?
Interroll operates worldwide and has regional ‘Centres of Excellence’ focused on specific product groups and are organised as a global network with special hubs for North America and Asia.
In July 2012, Interroll constructed an 8,600 sq.m. (93,000 sq.ft.) state-of-the-art North American manufacturing and showroom facility in Georgia – USA. With this, Interroll will increase its capacity for accommodating the production of pallet flow storage products. The Paulding facility will be the second Interroll Regional Centre of Excellence in the USA and complement the product and service offering of the plant located in Wilmington, North Carolina.
WLN – Which industry sectors are your customers in? What applications do people use your (products) for? Have you seen a shift in industry sector demand during this time?
We operate in ALL industry sectors offering end-to-end intralogistics solutions. Our products are in daily use by global brands everyone knows, like Amazon, Bosch, Coca-Cola, DHL, Procter & Gamble, Red Bull, Siemens, Walmart, Henniez, Daimler-Chrysler, Varta, Dyson, Vespa, Schwarzkopf, Toys’R’us, Canon, Texas Instruments and Yamaha (Motorcycles), etc.
Our Dynamic Storage products are used to provide for Live Picking and Storage applications and the demand has grown as companies look for increased efficiencies.
WLN – Do you sell your (products) direct or through distributors? Has that strategy changed in the last year?
Interroll sell through the Trade – OEM’s, Distributors and System Integrators. In support, we do promote to End-Users through our Sales and Marketing activities to make industry aware of the features and many benefits of Interroll products and resulting solutions.
WLN – Can you tell us about any of your major projects in the last 12 months, and what they have involved?
As we sell through the Trade only, we would be breaking Client confidentiality if we did discuss their/our major successes.
WLN – Are you making use of social media in your marketing?
We have recently started using social media, including Twitter & Facebook to spread the word about our new innovations in product technology, as well as keeping in touch with customers, old and new, and to spread the Interroll name as far as possible. This side of technology appears to be growing everyday, with more and more people/companies using these kind of mediums to search out suppliers. We have to actively embrace such movements. Please visit our Twitter & Facebook pages for further details.
WLN – How do your forward orders compare with last year?
Compared to a year ago the future looks extremely promising, and our prospect list is increasing well into 2013.
WLN – Which shows are you at in 2013?
IMHX 2013 – Stand No: 20F102 in March 19th – 22nd to be held at the NEC Birmingham.
WLN – Can you tell us about your plans for 2013? Where do you see your company going next year?
We are looking forward to attending the international IMHX exhibition as we will have some new and innovative products to show for the first time and I am sure they will create much interest.
Next year we envisage increased confidence and an increase in growth, both in terms of customers and T/O. We aim to continue our awareness campaign targeting end users to inform them of our complete product range and highlight the many features and benefits.
Also, we intend to be involved even more closely with the System Integrators and racking companies, offering them the opportunity and facilities to demonstrate Interroll equipment in support of their proposals.
AND FINALLY…
WLN – What’s the most exciting thing about your job?
The satisfaction of seeing the company grow from strength to strength in the UK and being part of an international organisation.
WLN – What would you like Father Christmas to bring your company?
A never ending order book!!!
WLN – What are your ambitions for 2013?
To still be alive to enjoy 2014.
WLN – What are you personally most looking forward to next year?
To see our latest product innovations take off in the marketplace.
WLN – If you won the Jackpot in the EuroMillions what would you do?
Purchase my beloved Leicester City FC.
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