The Interroll Group is the leading global provider of material handling solutions. Interroll provides system integrators and OEMs with a wide range of platform-based products and services in these categories: Rollers, drives & Controls, Conveyors & Sorters as well as Pallet Handling Solutions. Interroll solutions are in operation in express and postal services, e-commerce, airports, the food and beverage industry, fashion, automotive sectors, and many other manufacturing industries. Headquartered in Switzerland, Interroll has a global network of 34 companies with turnover of around CHF 559.7 million and 2,400 employees. Hilton Campbell, Managing Director of Interroll Ltd spoke to Warehouse & Logistics News.
Managing Director at Interroll Ltd
What products or services does your company offer?
Conveyor Systems
Interroll prides itself on having created ‘Platforms’ of products, such as modular conveyor platform (MCP). These ‘platforms’ consist of a wide range of conveyor modules offering enormous versatility. With straight lines, curves, merges and transfers, MCP can offer a wide range of modules consisting of roller conveyors, belt conveyors, lifters, High Performance Diverts and spiral lifts to cover all material flow requirements so that all common materials can be reliably transported.
Pallet Handling
With the modular pallet conveyor platform (MPP), versatile solutions for handling pallets consisting of roller and chain line conveyors, transfers and turntables, comprehensive storage and conveying solutions can be set up for all kinds of applications. Pallets weighing up to 1.2 tons can be transported at speeds up to 0.5 metres per second.
With the Pallet Flow system, Interroll provides a versatile storage system that is based on gravity roller lanes with a decline of 4%. There are no drives to move pallets – instead, gravity takes on this task reducing investment costs, energy consumption and complexity within the installation. Pallet Flow conveyors are available for applications according to the First-In – First-Out (FIFO) and Last-In – First-Out (LIFO) principles.
Interroll’s Pallet Handling is completed by the Smart Pallet Mover (SPM). The award-winning innovative solution, enables automation of pallet organization in the areas of production machines and order picking. It significantly increases productivity and safety in production environments; waiting times and downtimes make way for just-in-time delivery and intelligent buffering. It is uniquely suited for manufacturing logistics.
Sortation Systems
Interroll offers proven solutions for reliable and cost-effective sorting of unit loads such as cartons, parcels, packaged food, etc. These are the Horizontal and the Vertical Crossbelt Sorters. That can be used at various points in intralogistics, such as in the order consolidations and the outbound shipping areas. In response to the increased global demand for fast sorting technology and the growing variety of goods, Interroll launched the new high-performance Crossbelt Sorter MX025H in 2020. Higher throughput and able to handle loads up to 50 kg’s. On top of this, the new Split Tray Sorter, a space-saving solution for goods of up to 12kg has been added to Interroll’s sorter platform.
Service & Support
Interroll recently launched a separate service organisation to provide its Interroll Lifetime Service to customers for the entire life cycle of its products. The organisation supports both new and existing customers with a range of replacements-part services. It also offers installation and maintenance services for system integrators and original equipment manufacturers.
Which industries do your customers operate in?
Interroll operates in various industries, e.g. Food and Beverage, where hygiene and cleanness are our focus. Warehousing & Distribution, our largest market sector where almost the full Interroll product portfolio can be implemented. Airport Logistics, the Interroll belt Curves, drum motors for check in and airport security is where we are mostly participating. Courier Express Parcel, today seeing a boom with more and more switching to on-line. For the Manufacturing Logistics, we have great plans with the Smart Pallet Mover and further solutions for the manufacturing logistics, complimenting the lean manufacturing concept are in the pipeline. Finally, Fashion and Retail. These markets are having to adopt if not already to a strong and flexible omni-channel.
Has your company celebrated any milestones this year?
Interroll in 2021 pushed ahead with all their planned investments. This year we saw our largest manufacturing facility in Interroll completed. Today our conveyor products, are all being manufactured in a new facility in Mosbach, Germany for the EMEA region. A facility boasting 15,000 square meters in three separate buildings, effectively doubling our production capacity for conveyors.
In addition, we created a new centre of excellence for Software and Electronics in Linz, Austria. This will become our competence centre as our products journey further and become more digitalised. Finally, in May Mr Ingo Steinkrüger took over as CEO, following Mr Paul Zumbühl who has been elected as Interroll’s Chairman of the Board.
Over a year on from the start of Covid-19, what lessons has the company and the industry learned from the pandemic?
Overall I believe Interroll has managed the effect of the pandemic outbreak very well, today in the recovery phase we are still able to deliver our products, albeit with significant longer lead times. Obviously we have lessons learnt, one standing out for myself is that when we announce and communicate early, customers are then more willing to accept and be more collaborative, rather than “their camp and our camp.” I personally experienced this with our direct customer and ROI partner, AMH Material Handling and their customer. We identified quite early we were not going to be able to make the promised delivery date. We announced well in advance, others might have been tempted to hold onto hope, we decided differently. It was not easy, but all parties worked together to find a new date and construct a plan to still meet the final deadline. We had virtual meetings every second day, when we could not meet, we could call all stakeholders directly. Interroll had the full trust of AMH as we also spoke directly with the end customer when required. We succeeded; we made the final date with major efforts from all stakeholders. It was the best example of collaboration. There are other examples where our customer worked close with us on major sorter projects, at the end most are all very understanding, even when ships get stuck in the Suez Canal for example!
What training do you provide for your staff?
Interroll puts training high on our agenda for our staff. We see to attract, then to retain requires that from the employers perspective they must offer growth, growth in knowledge, roles, responsibility. When an employee is engaged and enabled, the company can then run faster and achieve higher results. For Interroll UK we look to first promote and develop within, then to loom outside for additional skills and resources to bring into Interroll and develop. We have an academy in Germany, dedicated for the education and development of all types of skills. For sure those required to offer our products, but also tailored training for specific material handling trends, leadership development and skills development.
What is the company’s commitment to social responsibility?
Interroll has already been a member of the Global Compact initiative of the United Nations, we published our fourth sustainability report in the previous fiscal year and are committed to do even more in future. Our technology platform contributes to a better energy efficiency, enhanced work safety and better hygiene in the food industry.
Will you be exhibiting at any major trade shows in 2022?
We look very much forward for the full return of the trade shows in 2022, Interroll has signed up and will be at UK leading IntraLogisteX show and IMHX in 2022. In addition, next year we bring to the UK and Ireland “Truckloads of Inspiration” as the Interroll road show moves from a successful tour of the continent, having visited and inspired customers in more than 12 different countries. We will bring Interroll to our customers doorstep. We come with our experts in all areas to discuss the different needs of the different markets. If this is interesting to you, please get in contact!
How future proof is your business?
The demand for materials handling technology, hygienic solutions and energy efficient products will continue to remain bullish. Interroll is well positioned to satisfy the markets needs in all key markets. One of our core values is long term thinking, and to do this Interroll has prepared well. We remain financially strong even in very difficult supply chain markets. We have continued will all planned major investments, we are building for capacity and developing new solutions. Locally in the UK we are growing in numbers, we invest in Global Life Time Services and we prepare to be fast and available around the clock with our new webshop ordering platform.
How would you sum up your company in three words?
Committed – Customer Centric – Passionate
INTERROLL LTD
01536 312770
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