More reliable trucks for expanding company

Alliance, one of the leading suppliers of non-food catering equipment and catering disposables in the UK, has upgraded the materials handling equipment at its Marlow and Glasgow warehouse facilities with the addition of counterbalanced trucks, reach trucks and order pickers from Jungheinrich UK Ltd.

Alliance operates a number of regional storage facilities strategically located around the UK as well as a national hub in Crewe. The arrival of the new trucks coincides with the company’s decision to move its High Wycombe facility to a bigger site in nearby Marlow and to expand its Glasgow operation to a larger unit in the same city.

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Geodis Wilson’s record-breaking air freight accomplishment

Performed by the crew of a giant Antonov AN-225, the biggest aircraft in the world, Geodis Wilson managed the transportation of two brand new wind turbine blades of its customer LM Wind Power. With a length of 42.1 metres the blades are the longest cargo pieces that were ever flown by an aircraft.  

Geodis Wilson is one of the logistics providers of LM Wind Power, a market leader in the international wind power industry, supplying rotor solutions to numerous wind turbine manufacturers in all main markets worldwide. The two transported prototype blades were produced for a new type of wind turbine that extends the possibility of efficient generation of clean energy.

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Laser optics for accurate measurement

Leuze electronic’s AMS200 Absolute Measuring System uses laser optics to measure distances of up to 200m within a tolerance of 3mm. Typically used on high bay warehouse applications, transfer stations, gantry crane positioning systems, or galvanic and other dipping lines, the AMS200 uses a laser and “time-of-flight” technology to provide a distance measurement, ‘straight out of the box’.

An additional benefit that differentiates the unit is the built in speed monitoring calculation and output. On a high-bay warehouse system, Leuze's customers say this extra functionality saves up to 30% of their build cost.  

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Strong concept from Narrow Aisle

2010 marks the 20th anniversary of the introduction of the Flexi truck from Narrow Aisle. Over two decades, the multi-award winning Flexi range has been developed to cover a wide range of requirements, and the latest addition – the Flexi VNA – is no exception.

Formed in 1976, Narrow Aisle quickly developed a reputation as an innovator in the market for Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) truck solutions – designing and producing many types of guided lateral stacking and man-up order picking trucks for a wide customer base both in the UK and international markets.

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Back for good

Back pain or Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD) is the single biggest cause of sickness absence from work. It costs UK employers £600 million a year, with sufferers of persistent back problems being absent from work on average 17 days per year (Source: The Independent; 2008). The Fit for Work Europe report estimated that 1 million people in the UK alone are forced to take time off work, with 9.5 million working days lost each year.

The pain and discomfort caused in places of work not only affects the individual’s productivity and well-being, but there is also huge financial cost to employers resulting in lost working days, increased sick pay and reduced output.

Health & safety concerns

It is not only the drop in productivity that concerns employers; managers are also under pressure with regards to health and safety. Regular workplace assessments that take stock of equipment, the working environment, the work achieved and the demands of the worker, could potentially reduce injury and improve output considerably. 

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Show stoppers at IMHX

With more than 70% of stand space sold at IMHX 2010, preparations are already under way for many exhibitors. We look at what special features visitors can expect at the show in November.

Taking place at the NEC, Birmingham, from 16-19 November, the International Materials Handling Exhibition (IMHX) is the undisputed leader in UK logistics events, ably demonstrated by the fact that exhibitor space at the show is over 70% sold already. With the event co-owned by BITA (British Industrial Truck Association), IMHX has always had a large core of support from the materials handling equipment (MHE) sector but the show has also attracted increasing numbers of automated handling exhibitors, as well as software providers and consultancy firms.

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