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Latest News Public Relations Swisslog

I versus Robot?

Machines are increasingly taking over tasks that humans have performed for decades. From Luddites in the 1800s to modern day “digital refuseniks”, some have always resisted change, and yet today’s robots are more capable than ever. So will workers rejoice at being unshackled from repetitive and dangerous tasks, or should we brace ourselves for high-performing smart warehouses becoming deserted dark logistics facilities?

It’s a common story, told throughout our modern history, where innovation is challenged by tales of fear and dread. Perhaps the outcome is never quite so stark. In many areas, robots make life easier; they are guiding vehicles autonomously, they function as underwater researchers or assist in surgeries that require precise hand movements. Industry and logistics also offer many possible applications for robots, a development driven primarily by the tremendous progress achieved in digital networking, control and sensor technologies, and generally lower integration costs.

Despite the fact that advances in technology are also accountable for healthier, happier and longer lives, and that often they are primarily there to help humans, rather than replace them, for many, their excitement is tempered by the potential impact on future employment. However, findings from recent studies in Switzerland and the US indicate a more promising outlook.

Swisslog is a world leading automation specialist for robotic and data-driven intralogistics solutions and is at the forefront of the new frontier, dubbed Industry 4.0.

It believes logistics managers should consider the advantages of automation and the opportunities it brings to the table. “Robotics and automation clearly offer more opportunities than risks, but only if we embrace them as drivers of future growth,” states Dr. Christian Baur, COO of the Swisslog Group.

Robots collaborating with human operators

While the wider belief is that warehouse automation means removing human interaction, Swisslog’s Automated Item Pick solution is based on a shared picking principle: The robot picks the items that it is able to pick – which can be up to 95% of the customer’s product range – and a worker finishes the order.

According to Kirt Laeske, Product Manager for Robotics at Swisslog, there are definitely signs that the work environment of logistics centers are changing. “Today, robots no longer need to work in isolated safety areas. They perform their tasks side by side with humans, and are already able to take over the simple and repetitive tasks of unskilled workers during order peaks and personnel bottlenecks.”

Laeske believes that there is no reason to fear that robots will replace the work of humans in logistics centers. “Machines are better than people at performing repetitive and uniform tasks, but they lack the elementary cognitive skills required for many logistics activities.”

In its pursuit of optimization along the value creation chain, Swisslog sees little benefit in deploying robots as stand-alone solutions, but rather to carefully combine the skills of human beings and machines.

Employment growth through robotics and automation

It is important to openly discuss the opportunities that come with advancement in automation, says the company, while equally assessing the wider impact on staffing, corporate responsibilities and the wider public perception.

“Industry 4.0, robotics and automation pave the way for greater process efficiency in logistics,” stresses Dr. Christian Baur. “Machines are ready to work 24/7 and support considerable volume increases and improved utilization in spite of the persistent trend toward smaller order sizes. These effects ultimately lead to increased delivery speed, improved delivery reliability, greater flexibility and higher customer satisfaction,” states Baur. “All these things bring about greater efficiency in logistics, driving the creation of new roles and alternative jobs such as in systems programming and support.”

Harvard economist James Bessen has recently shown in a working paper that merely one of the 270 detailed occupations listed in the 1950 US Census has since been abolished at the hands of automation. The only occupation listed that has taken a hit from the rise in automation in the past sixty years is elevator operator – hardly an indication of a technological uprising.

A recent study of the Swiss employment market performed by the Deloitte auditing and consultancy firm came to a similar conclusion. Although automation did replace certain jobs over the last 25 years, overall it boosted demand for labour. “Work will not disappear,” stated the study. “On the contrary, technological progress in Switzerland is estimated to generate approximately 270,000 new net jobs by 2025.”

The human touch

So, will there only be two types of human roles in the future, as some believe, either telling a robot what to do, or doing what one tells you to do?

“The truth is that progress always aims to reduce the cost, simplify, speed up and improve the efficiency of complex or repetitive operations,” concludes Dr Baur. “Yet, so many of society’s roles require the human touch. Aircraft can land themselves, algorithms can diagnose disease, and software can provide legal advice, but we still see the value in pilots, doctors and lawyers. We are not ready to give up humanity just yet, but we are able to release them from some of the more onerous tasks.”

The experts at Deloitte agree, citing the complementary effects of automation versus what it calls ‘pure substitution effects’. Rather than simply put people out of work, these (human) experts believe that the current technological upheaval will shift jobs within and between sectors, simultaneously generating risks and opportunities for employees.

“This distinction is important because it implies very different economic outcomes,” James Bessen wrote in a Vox column last year. “If a job is completely automated, then automation necessarily reduces employment. But if a job is only partially automated, employment might actually increase.”

Regardless of what the expert economists think, future-proof professions, for today at least, include all those in which creativity, adaptability and interaction with people or machines play a critical role.

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Latest News Public Relations Uncategorized Windsor

Heavy Metal: UK’s Largest Scaffolder Builds With Windsor

With a company timeline stretching back to 1978, Generation UK has seen substantial growth and now operates as the largest scaffolding supplier in the UK. With over 75,000 tonnes of scaffolding, they have the UK’s largest inventory of scaffolding for hire and sale.  Every day Generation faces a logistical challenge to supply their 7,000 customers with the scaffolding and non-mechanical plant equipment that they require.

Generations’ customers represent a full mix of the construction industry; including civil engineers, house builders, energy, utilities and scaffolding sub-contractors.  Whilst their customers are varied, what unites them is their need for quality scaffolding delivered when and where they need it. In order to match their customer’s expectations, they handle tonnes of scaffolding, access, fencing and hoardings every day across the UK.  To achieve this, Generation needed a reliable fleet of forklifts to serve their nationwide network of branches, and the experts at Windsor Materials Handling lent a hand.

Boasting a 15-year relationship with Generation, Trevor De’Ath of Windsor stepped in to provide approximately 50 forklift trucks for the company – a mix of Doosan, Clarke and Komatsu models. Trevor, who has a strong working relationship with the commercial manager at Generation, Chris Baker, said the trucks had been well received by staff at the firm.

Trevor said: “Although the lengthy working relationship did provide an opportunity to work with Generation, it also meant that there were free and frank discussions when it came to feedback. The trucks themselves have had a good response, but the backup service has had particularly positive comments.”

Windsor is one of the few independent MHE providers in the UK with nationwide coverage and over 100 fully trained and highly skilled engineers. Thanks to a local one-stop approach for finance, hire, sales and maintenance, Windsor is able to add value via a quick, reliable and personal service. As part of the agreement with Generation, Trevor occasionally provides hourly and weekly key performance indicators to check efficiency is at its optimum for the fast-growing business.

Chris Baker explains how busy peaks are unpredictable for the business. “There is constant volume. It is at its busiest first thing in the morning and sometimes vehicles are queuing to access our depots. We use barriers during peak times to ensure traffic on the site does not compromise the operation.

“I joined Generation in 2003 when it was a £26 million company,” said Chris. “Since then we have experienced considerable growth and today turnover is at £80 million.”

Throughout the years, the Windsor business has evolved to support customers from a variety of backgrounds. Generation UK supplies scaffolding to a wide range of industries including one off projects.  Chris explains: “Generation secured a contract to supply 5,500 tonnes of scaffolding equipment to Britain’s new aircraft carrier, the HMS Queen Elizabeth. This was our biggest single contract to date. Over 4,000 deliveries were made and from end to end, and the scaffolding we supplied reached 2,718 miles – the equivalent to travelling from Land’s End to John O’Groats three times!”

Generation holds the highest volume of product and has the biggest turnover in the scaffolding industry. Chris concluded: “This kind of success can only be supported by the quality machinery and outstanding service we have had from Trevor and Windsor Materials Handling.”

With 40 years’ experience in materials handling and access systems, Windsor can offer its customers freedom of choice for every application – an important factor for the largest UK supplier of scaffolding products. Windsor operates from twelve branches across the UK, offering materials handling and access equipment, for sale, hire and maintenance. Established in 1977, the business is now the UK’s leading independent supplier of Komatsu, Kalmar and Doosan forklifts, Baumann sideloaders, Atlet warehousing and JLG access equipment.

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Invicta Latest News Public Relations

Board24 All Aboard With Invicta

Board24 manufacture corrugated sheetboard for a host of customers in a variety of specifications.

The emphasis on quality presents a number of logistics challenges for the large palletised loads.

With over 20 years’ manufacturing experience, the company makes the raw materials for its packaging and box company customers, from  100% recyclable, 100% biodegradable and 90% recycled or recovered paper.

Fifteen years ago, when corrugated services manager, Lee Bullen, was beginning his career at Board24 in Preston, he felt the attention to detail was a little extreme…

“Since the day I started here the forklift truck drivers have always been under pressure to make sure the board is in perfect condition,” says Lee.

“As a forklift truck operator I thought this was an impossible goal, lifting board with a forklift surely there are always going to be marks. However the management team were persistently setting very high standards for the business. Now, many years later, I’m running the department and we really do get the importance of striving for perfection.”

“We set high standards in terms of our product quality and environmentally friendly approach,” adds production manager, Andy Bridges. “We pride ourselves on an efficient, flexible service, helping our customers to meet deadlines and get the best specification possible.”

Towards the end of 2015, Board24 invested in excess of £7.5m in a new corrugator. The development of the site was in response to ever-increasing customer demand for Board24’s corrugated sheetboard, and a desire to improve productivity and use resources more efficiently. The following year the company received a commendation at the UK Packaging Awards 2016 for its Plant Investment.

Yet, when large sheetboards are stacked on overhanging pallets, and combined with the pressures of the 24/5 site, moving 2,500 packs in a typical day – enough for up to 60 wagon loads- that investment could be undermined were the stock to be damaged and customer feedback turn negative.

It’s more than just good practice – there is a reputation to maintain. “Our quality is known,” says Lee, “and damage to the product is unacceptable. That naturally meant that we were always trying to reduce wastage. The levels may be low, but we see it as vitally important that we deliver in a pristine condition.”

This, despite the fact that large cardboard loads inevitably come into contact with the forklift’s load guard. “We are discerning, with our own high standards, and this solution is very effective. If you took delivery of a new car and it was dirty, you wouldn’t like it! There’s nothing wrong with the car, but it’s just not right.”

For the past few years, Lee’s team wrestled with the problem. One fix was pipe insulation taped to the forklift load guard, but it wasn’t ideal. Not only would it wear quickly, but as team leader, John, comments “it’s time consuming and not a long-term solution.” One operator searched for a better option and came across Invicta’s load protection range. Invicta then carried out a site survey to determine the most appropriate product from the range.

The magnetically attached IDSA shock absorbers with pliable bristles are designed to cushion the impact of a load coming into contact with the fork uprights. The soft, fibrous co-polymer bristles spread the load impact and gently prevent damage to all manner of goods. A trial run soon demonstrated that the IDSA could be the perfect solution.

“The board was getting damaged – now it isn’t. It’s improved, full stop. Our previous efforts just didn’t work anywhere near as good in protecting the packs.” The pallets are also double handled, once to load or unload and once to store in the warehouse, so there is a lot of opportunity for damage. There are also 18 operators, but the solution is so simple and the results so good that not a single complaint has been raised about using them. Quite the opposite, they see the benefit. “It makes them look like better drivers,” says a smiling John.

For Invicta, the return on investment was never in doubt. Preventing damage to a single pallet every month is more than enough for many to justify their investment. Once Lee reached the point where he knew the kit had more than paid for itself, he stopped counting.

“In the first two months we’ve seen a tenfold improvement. We have massively reduced our damage costs. It’s a very low cost in any case, a small investment, for a big return. A marked improvement and a no-brainer… an unmarked improvement,” quips Lee. But the true measure is beyond mere cost-saving.

“We think the product looks better. The presentation of what we do is everything. The biggest gain is not the reduction in cost but the 99.9% improvement in presentation. It just looks better and customers tell us their operators love our board. Its general flatness and neatness – it makes their jobs easier.”

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Latest News Public Relations Swisslog

Kudos for Swisslog blog

Huge congrats go to our friends at Swisslog for winning a Gold Award for Best Vendor Blog in the Warehouse Technology Writers’ Awards 2017!

The automated intralogistics provider and long term TB Marketing customer took the award home for recognition of the superb work on their website.

Swisslog’s writers were praised for the blog’s well-researched opinion pieces and ability to present complex topics in an easy-to-follow manner. The easily navigable page structure was also applauded.

The Warehouse Technology Writers’ Awards recognise top writing talent across the warehouse and supply chain industries from all types of publication, with categories for both vendor and independent blogs, and for individual writers.

The final results were decided by a combination of recommendations from the two awards judges and a public vote. Awards judge and Explore WMS editor Kathryn Beeson said: “We had a lot of top quality entries to the awards, making the judging process an enjoyably difficult one. Nevertheless, I felt that the insights Swisslog’s blog provides and its clear presentation of complex subjects really stood out.

“As we were judging the blog as a whole as well as the articles on there, I was also drawn to Swisslog’s breadth of content and the clear layout.”

As a thought leader in the automated intralogistics community, high quality content is a necessity for Swisslog. Last year, over 60 news releases, 26 new movies, 20 case studies, 19 blog posts, and nine whitepapers were uploaded to the website, bringing in more than 450 marketing leads via Swisslog.com.

A.K Schultz, Swisslog’s Vice President of E-Commerce/Retail WDS Americas and regular blog contributor, also received a Bronze Award in the Best Article category, for his article ‘Interoperability: what is it and why should you care’.

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Latest News Public Relations Windsor

Windsor helps InBond make short work of high racking

As a market leader in premium logistics services, InBond has a reputation for providing high quality warehousing and document management services to some of the biggest names in the UK.

Serving the likes of Tetley’s, NHS, Next, KP Snacks and Fujifilm, the company has a high level of customer service and efficiency to maintain.

So, when InBond were in the market for a new fleet of forklifts and access machinery, Windsor Materials Handling began a quest to find the best equipment to serve the narrow aisles and high racking at their Stockton-on-Tees facility.

Kevin Hazeldine, operation and facilities manager at InBond, said he had a clear idea in mind of what they needed, and Windsor was able to deliver.

“In the past, we have had suppliers that promised the world when selling the services, but fell short when it came to delivery,” Kevin explains. “With a warehouse as versatile as ours, we needed the equipment to match, and Kraig at Windsor pulled out all the stops to provide us with exactly what we needed.”

Over the past 40 years, Windsor Materials Handling has grown from representing and being the exclusive supplier of the Komatsu forklift truck product range into an independent materials handling company that is able to provide an unbiased consultative approach for any application.

The racking at InBond’s facility towers at 12.2 metres high in some places, while in other areas it stands at 8.6 metres. Coupled with extremely narrow aisles, it took vigorous planning to source machinery fit for purpose. After careful consideration, Windsor supplied the firm with a mix of access equipment, including scissor lifts from JLG, QuickStock lifts from Genie, and forklifts from Flexi and Komatsu.

Kevin adds: “Stock comes in and out all of the time, and at times it is very unpredictable. If one of our trucks is down for longer than a day we need a replacement quickly. Compared to the engineers we have worked with previously, Windsor has a super-fast service when it comes to repairs and maintenance. We were also pleasantly surprised by the speedy equipment turnaround.”

InBond purchased four forklifts – two Komatsu and two Flexi – while the rest of the fleet were rented from Windsor along with a service contract.

Kraig Gray, Branch Manager at the Washington location of Windsor Materials Handling, who has a six year-long working relationship with InBond, was pleased to see the equipment was well-received.

“For many of our customers, finding the machine for the job is simple because the stock and racking height is consistent, but for InBond there’s a variety of stock and a range of racking heights in different parts of the warehouse.” said Kraig. “Due to this we had to shop around various manufacturers for specific machinery to serve each area. I’m really pleased that our determination has paid off, and I’m looking forward to continuing our work with InBond in the future.”

Windsor operates from twelve branches across the UK, offering materials handling and access equipment, for sale, hire and maintenance. Established in 1977, the business is now the UK’s leading independent supplier of Komatsu, Kalmar and Doosan forklifts, Baumann sideloaders, Atlet warehousing and JLG access equipment.

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Endeavour Forklifts Latest News Public Relations

International award for emerging South Yorkshire forklift firm

Endeavour Forklifts awarded with international accolade for excellence

After just a year of being an official Mitsubishi forklift dealer, South Yorkshire’s Endeavour Forklifts has been recognised by the manufacturer for its commitment to forklift sales and providing outstanding customer service.

During the annual Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks Dealer Awards presentation, which took place in Amsterdam this year, Endeavour managing director, Jason Reynolds and sales manager, Ken Jackson were presented with a prestigious Gold Award.

Presented to businesses demonstrating excellence in customer commitment, the Mitsubishi Gold Award honours those dealers who achieve their annual volume truck and parts target as well as excelling in supporting their customers from initial contact to long term after-care.

Mike Jones of Red Diamond Distribution, UK importer for Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks said: “The Gold Award is one of our most esteemed honours. It recognises dealers that embody excellent customer service, professionalism and all-round performance — the exemplary attributes which ensure that clients get the very best from forklifts and staff alike — not just during the purchasing process, but far beyond.

“Endeavour Forklifts has worked hard over the past year to ensure the highest possible standards for its customers throughout the South and West Yorkshire regions. For such a young business, receiving this award is a huge achievement, but deserved nonetheless.”

Endeavour Forklifts is a provider of service, parts, sales and hire for the region’s forklift users. From its new 12,500 square foot new premises in Aldwarke, Rotherham, the team works tirelessly to deliver the benefits of Mitsubishi products to local businesses and has its own fleet of around 50 forklift trucks ready for immediate hire. Founded by Rotherham-born, Jason Reynolds, the business was created specifically for exclusive distribution rights to Mitsubishi forklifts in South and West Yorkshire.

Jason was proud to accept the award at the lavish dinner ceremony in the Netherlands capital. “We’re delighted that our hard work has been recognised by a global organisation like Mitsubishi just a year after our establishment,” he said. “The award already has pride of place, mounted on the wall in our reception!”

Continues Jason: “While we are still a relatively new business, we know what works, and what doesn’t. Between us, we have over 100 years’ experience in the industry, working for some of the largest forklift companies in the business. This award is testament to our team’s passion, expertise, and commitment to delivering the highest standards of customer care.”

To find out more about hiring or buying new and used materials handling equipment from Endeavour Forklifts, visit www.endeavour-forklifts.co.uk.

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Baumann UK Latest News Public Relations

Baumann Honours Hessle with Dealer of the Year Award

Baumann has announced its first UK winner of a ‘dealer of the year’ award, since the establishment of the UK subsidiary in August 2015.

Achieving top sales throughout Baumann’s UK dealer network, Hessle Fork Trucks was presented with the accolade to honour efforts made in sideloader sales in 2016.

Hessle was the first dealer to be appointed since the founding of the Italian manufacturer’s UK division. Baumann UK managing director, Jason Reynolds, said a strong presence in heavy industries marked out Castleford-based Hessle as an excellent partner.

“They’re off to a flying start,” said Jason. “Although Hessle have only been an official distributor for 18 months, Baumann has had an informal relationship with Hessle for some time. They understand our products and mechanics well, which we believe is what makes customers come back to us time and again. Hessle offers our customers with professional, reliable and high quality support, worthy only of this level of recognition.”

Hessle, formed in 1968 in Yorkshire, has been the largest Manitou forklift truck dealer in the country for several years with a short-term hire fleet of over 500 machines. Further depots in Durham and Northants have helped extend Hessle’s geographical reach, whilst the acquisition in 2011 by investors, Corpacq, made them an integral part of a group with an annual turnover approaching £240m.

Gary Hawkhead, director at Hessle Fork Trucks, was proud to be presented with the dealer of the year award. “I’m delighted that our partnership with Baumann is paying off,” he said. “As Hessle has grown, our customers handling timber, scaffolding or metalwork have recognised Baumann as a market leader and interest in what was once seen as a niche product has increased.”

Based in Cavaion on the shores of Lake Garda, Baumann is a family-owned company that has led the sector for over 40 years, and now sells its products worldwide through 106 dealers in 76 countries. The 2016 FLTA Innovation award winner produces equipment up to 50 tonnes capacity, and has a reputation for consistent invention and the highest level of design and productivity.

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Certex Latest News Public Relations

Certex invests in Hull as robust growth continues in renewable energy industry

Supplier to the international wind energy market, Certex UK, is to expand its renewables and lifting operations in the Humber region with the opening of a new office and workshop in Hull, and plans for long-term investment in the local community.

The new facility is fundamental to the company’s support plans for the burgeoning offshore wind energy market, to which they supply equipment and inspection services. Certex’s specialist inspectors travel across the country and Europe, working offshore and on-shore. The Hull office and workshop location will co-ordinate work undertaken to ensure all turbine installations and safety precautions adhere to UK legislation. It will be Certex’s eighth UK location, with other offices based in Aberdeen, Montrose, Harworth (Doncaster), Gloucester, Basingstoke, Huddersfield and Great Yarmouth; whilst sister-company, Peter Harbo, also serves the renewable sector in and around Denmark.

“We are really pleased to be expanding the business into Hull, especially during this significant year for the city,” says Jim Donelan, Business Development Manager at Certex UK.

“Providing jobs and training to the local workforce is important to us as a business, and we are confident the Hull community can support us in our service to the wind industry and other businesses in the area.”

Certex is amongst the first support businesses to commit to new investment since the Humber region saw a significant boost of £310 million into the wind turbine industry, creating up to 1,000 jobs directly, with additional jobs during construction and indirectly in the supply chain. The investment will provide a huge boost to the UK’s offshore wind industry as well as the Humber region.

Certex plans to employ and train local labour for the new branch, which will see a recruitment drive for on-shore vacancies as well as off-shore roles. In addition to providing support to Hull’s recently bolstered wind energy market, Certex will also provide same day service on stocked specialist lifting products to its local customers.

“Our growth and acquisition program has begun to reap rewards and we are delighted to be able to offer our current and new customers an increasing level of service from the geographic benefits of this new strategic location,” says Kevin Smith, Managing Director at Certex UK.

Certex has an extensive presence in Scandinavia, The Netherlands, the Baltics, Russia, Germany, as well as the UK. In addition to specialist lifting products, inspections and maintenance, its team is highly skilled in providing bespoke, high specification lifting services for the processing of steel wire rope assemblies to customers in the manufacturing, construction, renewable energy, offshore, oil, gas and shipping industries.

Certex UK is part of Axel Johnson International’s business group AxLoad. The parent company, Axel Johnson, is a $13bn turnover family business employing more than 22,000 people worldwide.

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Baumann UK Latest News Public Relations

Baumann Welcomes New UK Dealer Manager

As part of a bid to expand its UK presence, Italian sideloader manufacturer Cavaion Baumann is pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Rodger as its first UK dealer manager. Chris will take on this role with immediate effect.

In addition to supporting in the promotion of sideloader sales in the UK and Ireland, Chris will be responsible for identifying vacant territories for Baumann, while attracting and working with new dealers.

Working in materials handling for over 20 years, Chris brings a wealth of knowledge and significant sideloader industry experience to the role. After stepping out of the sector to establish his own successful family business, Baumann persuaded Chris to return to the prosperous market.

Baumann UK managing director, Jason Reynolds is pleased to have coaxed Chris back into the industry. “I’m delighted to have Chris join our expanding team to help us manage increasing volumes and the demands of a growing dealer network,” said Jason.

“With his extensive experience in materials handling and a proven track record for working with sideloaders, we couldn’t have found a better fit for the job.”

The UK subsidiary of Baumann was established in August 2015 and has gone from strength to strength ever since. In 2016, Baumann was awarded the FLTA Award for Innovation for its patented Archimedes outreach system, the most important innovation in sideloader design in 40 years. The firm was also shortlisted in the same category in this year’s awards for its new high performance electric model, the ELX50.

Concludes Jason: “I am looking forward to working closely with Chris to expand our UK presence and spread the word about Baumann’s innovations in the sideloader market.”

Based in Cavaion on the shores of Lake Garda, Baumann is a family-owned company that has led the sector for over 40 years, and now sells its products worldwide through 106 dealers in 76 countries.

Visit www.baumann-sideloaders.co.uk to find out more.

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Baumann UK Latest News TB Marketing

Congrats FLTA Awards Winners!

The TB Marketing team got fancy last weekend, and got out the glad rags for a formal black tie awards gala for the FLTA awards, to honour the fork lift industry’s best in Environment, Ergonomics, Safety, Innovation and Safe Site.

Invited by media partner for the event, Handling & Storage Solutions magazine, we were joined by Baumann’s Klaus Pirpamer (managing director), Fabio Bernieri (sales director) and Jason Reynolds (UK managing director) alongside a mix of other people from the industry.

The ceremony was a circus-themed black tie gala dinner hosted by ringmaster Gyles Brandreth. Although only 50% of TB Marketing had heard of him, the ex-conservative MP now BBC radio 4 presenter entertained an audience of 400 industry professionals, and even got involved with some of the circus acts.

Baumann, Innovation Award winners for the 2016 FLTA Awards, were finalists in the Innovation category again this year, but this time for their brand new compact electric sideloader, the ELX50. Although we all had our fingers crossed that the new judgement panel would hand a second Archie award over to Jason and Klaus, the award was deservedly taken home by LPG supplier Flogas for their semi-translucent LPG bottles.

Congratulations go to all the winners and finalists who are listed below along with the category and sponsor for each award.

After the awards were presented, an auction and a game of ‘Heads or Tails’ raised a huge £6650 for Transaid, a charity that transforms lives across the world, by providing safe, sustainable transport. Thank you to everyone who helped to raise the donations. Thank you also to H&SS for inviting the TB Marketing team and our partners along for a great night.

Award CategoryWinnerSponsor
Apprentice of the YearRobin Klein

Klein Handling Systems

Crown Lift Trucks
Services to the Fork Lift Truck IndustryMike BartonMentor FLT Training Ltd
Supplier of the YearIBCSYale Europe Materials Handling
Safe SiteUnileverDoosan Industrial Vehicle UK Ltd
EnvironmentToyota Material HandlingB&B Attachments Ltd
ErgonomicsYale ForkliftsECOBAT
SafetyMentor TrainingTrelleborg Wheel Systems
InnovationFlogasInvestec
Lifetime AchievementDavid RowellToyota Materials Handling
Dealer Member of the YearAcclaim HandlingCombilift

 

 

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Latest News Public Relations TB Marketing

A voice on every platform?

The pros and cons of materials handling providers using social media

Are you asking yourself if social media is worth the time and effort for your materials handling business?

In our experience, many professionals in the materials handling industry just don’t have a strong opinion of social media, and few see the value it can add to a business to business approach. Here are five reasons to make you think twice next time Facebook catches you snooping and asks you to sign up.

Pros

  1. Everyone’s heard of it

These days, most people have heard of social media. For some, it is part of daily life, but even for those that have decided to stay away, it regularly gets mentioned in newspapers, on TV and anywhere else on the internet. It’s hard to not have some knowledge on tweets, likes and pokes. If a potential customer has seen your website, but wants to read how you operate day to day, it is possible your business name will appear in Twitter’s search bar.

  1. It’s free

What most people don’t realise is that social media is essentially a free marketing tool. You might be using up all your marketing budget trying to optimise your website so potential customers find it easier on search engines, without realising that active social media channels can also boost your organic search ranking.

  1. If your competitors are signed up…

Just like brochures and websites – if your competitors are doing it, you might want to jump on the bandwagon too. Not that a Facebook profile instantly changes the mind of your potential customers, but if they spot a post on something they can relate to, your chances might slip.

  1. Content is king

If you are telling people you never formed an opinion on a business based on something you read online or in a newspaper, you are probably lying. Good content is one of the best ways to boost your reputation and make future potential customers remember your business name. Even if none of your followers are currently in the market for your product or service, something you share on Twitter could stick in their minds and help them form a decision further down the line.

  1. Your website becomes more accessible

Even if none of the above points have swayed you, remember that whether it is defined as social media or not, they are very popular websites. Regularly posting with good imagery, insightful videos, offers and relevant links could see your website traffic increase, boosting your chance at winning new customers.

  1. Teens of today are tomorrow’s managers

Some of you might be mature enough to remember the days before email existed (calm down, I said some). Even though it has only been a handful of decades since the first email was sent, we now live in a world where life without it is unimaginable. Think of social media in exactly the same way – it is just a new form of communication, and eventually it is going to become the norm.

Cons

Now, after reading the pros, you might not think it possible that there are downsides to this wondrous creation.  As it turns out, there are just as many cons as there are pros to having using social media account for your materials handling business.

  1. Is it worth the effort?

There’s no denying that social media platforms have a common goal with any other website: to be popular. Channels like Facebook use algorithms to guess what information people would like to see based on information about the user. It’s a technique to keep people coming back, because they are likely to be delivered content they agree with. So, what does that mean for businesses trying to reach out to new customers? It could mean your messages are only being seen by people who are already aware of your product or service offering, or even already working with you.

  1. Content is king, but also a royal pain

Once you have a social media account set up, the challenge is figuring out what to post. Ensuring your communications are on message and relevant to your potential customers is a gruelling task, which is why many channels are abandoned a short time after being set up. This opens your business up to the risk of potential customers finding your profile gathering dust, and making decisions based on the lack of social media activity.

  1. Do people trust social media content or consider it spam?

Even when you do have a good idea of the message you want to get across and a regular stream of content is ticking along, do people consider it to be annoying advertising spam? There’s a fine line between healthy regular posting and the outright spamming of your followers’ news feeds, so if you are completely new to social media it might be tricky to find the right balance.

  1. Maybe your audience isn’t on social media…

Truth be told, social media isn’t for every business. As a fairly new form of media, a large proportion of its users are teens or young adults that aren’t likely to be decision makers for potential customers! As with every new form of media, as time goes by it is likely to become more popular as people come to accept it as the norm, but if your audience isn’t there yet, maybe you shouldn’t be.

  1. Does it distract from more worthwhile activity?

Especially for MHE providers, it can be difficult to measure return on investment in social media. Did those ten tweets contribute to the trucks you sold last month? Who knows. Depending on who has ownership of the profiles, a lot of time, money or both can be spent on the various social media channels. If it’s unlikely to make a positive difference to your business’s reputation or sales, maybe spend that time and/or money on something more worthwhile.

  1. Celebs, pets, trolls, Donald Trump.

Need we say any more?

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Latest News Public Relations Windsor

Immingham Training Facility Opens to Reduce Forklift Accidents

With the number of distribution centres rising thanks to the growing popularity of internet shopping, the use of forklifts is becoming more common, meaning added risk for forklift-related accidents. As demand rises, businesses take on more temporary workers, making warehouses busier and increasing the risk of accidents further.

To help reduce the risk involved with driving forklifts, Immingham is now home to a new training centre designed specifically for courses on a wide range of materials handling equipment. The local branch of a leading materials handling supplier is offering courses to businesses and individuals from the new facility.

The new training facility, opened by Windsor Materials Handling, is dual accredited with both the Road Transport Industry Training Board (RTITB) and the Independent Training Standards Scheme and Register (ITSSAR), which are widely recognised in the industry.

Available in either the Immingham-based centre or on the customer’s own premises, accredited training will be delivered on all types of materials handling equipment including counterbalance, reach trucks, powered pallet trucks (PPT), rough terrain, scissor lifts and boom trucks. Windsor is also offering health and safety courses, including safety passport, as well as first aid training.

John Smith, the award-winning training manager who is fronting the scheme alongside senior instructor, Ian Kaminski, explains the importance of training. “There is a legal imperative here. Training is the only way for organisations to demonstrate that they have taken the necessary measures to ensure equipment is operated not only safely but correctly and in accordance with approved operating procedures. Businesses that conduct proper forklift safety training not only benefit from improved efficiency, but reduce the risk of injuries to operators and damage to equipment too.”

John and Ian’s combined history makes up over forty years of instructional experience across a wide range of industries including the engineering, food and construction sectors, as well as the petrochemical industry. “We offer training at all levels, so whether you are a business looking to offer your employees a refresher course, or an individual who is hoping to kick-start a career in materials handling with a beginners’ course, we will have a solution to fit your needs.”

The opening of the training centre is part of Windsor’s wider initiative to deliver operator training across the UK in an attempt to help control forklift accident rates. “Forklift driver safety is at the top of the agenda at Windsor,” says Stephen Burton, managing director at Windsor. “Forklifts are powerful tools, and if not used correctly, can result in damage to products, and even loss of life. Accidents are all too common and we have made it our aim to help customers to minimise their risks by providing sympathetic and professional training to operators; ultimately improving safety and efficiency in facilities across the UK.”

The name Windsor has been synonymous with materials handling and access systems since 1976, providing a first-class range of used and new forklifts for hire and sale. With 12 local branches throughout the UK, Windsor also offers servicing and parts for existing fleets.

For more details or to find out how to enrol on a course, visit www.windsor-mh.co.uk/training or contact the Immingham branch on 01469 577 777.

 

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Certex Latest News Public Relations

Pritchard Tyrite and TRS Motorsport Equipment become part of Certex

Wire ropes and lifting gear distributor, Certex UK, has acquired cargo control business Pritchard Tyrite and its sister-company TRS Motorsport Equipment in a deal that is expected to open up important market opportunities. 

Best known for its range of lashings, curtainsider straps and tarpaulins, Pritchard Tyrite is one of the UK’s leading importers, manufacturers and distributors of cargo control equipment. Pritchard Tyrite’s focus on the transport sector neatly aligns with Certex’s wider focus on wire ropes and lifting gear in the offshore, ports, crane and other major markets.

Pritchard Tyrite’s sister company TRS Motorsport Equipment, in turn, is a manufacturer and distributor of FIA approved motorsport safety harnesses, road harnesses, vehicle accessories and carbon fibre products. TRS is a pioneer in motorsport safety with a distinguished history and a solid distribution network.

The acquired companies have an annual turnover of £3m and 17 employees at the head office in Basingstoke and manufacturing site in Huddersfield. They will be managed by Certex but also establish the first UK base for Certex’s sister-company, cargo securing products and services supplier, Forankra.

“This is an exciting time for the business,” says Kevin Smith, Managing Director at Certex. “We have a strong and active acquisition programme and were delighted with the opportunity to help take Pritchard Tyrite and TRS forward. These businesses are already successful and bringing them aboard gives us the opportunity to look at new markets closely aligned to our existing business and develop our expertise in related sectors. It immediately opens up for an even more attractive offering, providing existing customers access to an extended range of products and services from Pritchard Tyrite, TRS, ourselves and from our sister-company Forankra,” adds Kevin Smith.

Managing director of Forankra, Erik Eklöv, reinforces the significance of the deal. “We are extremely pleased to be entering the UK market after building our presence in several other European countries over the past thirty years. The addition of Pritchard Tyrite to our European businesses will see us strengthening our cargo securing product offering, while bringing fresh opportunities to new and existing customers. TRS is well positioned for continued growth within their niche and also brings with them an important network of resellers. The teams at Pritchard Tyrite and TRS will benefit from the added support and investment that belonging to our Group will bring.”

Both Certex and Forankra are part of Axel Johnson International’s business group AxLoad. The parent company, Axel Johnson, is a $13bn turnover family business employing more than 22,000 people worldwide.

Certex has an extensive presence in Scandinavia, The Netherlands, the Baltics, Russia, Germany, as well as the UK. In addition to specialist lifting products, inspections and maintenance, its team is highly skilled in providing bespoke, high specification lifting services for the processing of steel wire rope assemblies to customers in the manufacturing, construction, renewable energy, offshore, oil, gas and shipping industries.

With its own manufacturing, operations in seven countries and an extensive reseller network, Forankra is today a leading European supplier of products, services and solutions for the lashing and securing of cargo within manufacturing, logistics, transports and for OEM-builders of trucks, ships, aircrafts and helicopters.

Concludes Kevin Smith: “Certex and Forankra are growing organically, but we also have a strong parent company behind us that encourages us to expand further. Together we place huge significance on sustainability and being an excellent corporate citizen. As is the case with both these deals, where there is an opportunity to take on and improve successful organisations in related industries, we will seize it and make the most of our commitment, experience and expertise.”

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Baumann UK Latest News Public Relations

Timber Specialist GE Robinson Strengthens Its Sideways Force

For one of the UK’s leading timber importers, choosing the right long-term materials handling partner was a big decision. Fortunately, GE Robinson & Co Ltd, who rely on the most efficient machinery to run their busy operation, made a good choice a number of years ago.

Established over 100 years ago, GE Robinson has boosted efficiency once again with the addition of five more Baumann sideloaders.

A long-term advocate of Baumann equipment, Robinson’s relationship began in 2012 after an initial order of seven Baumann GX50 5-tonne sideloaders.

The sideloaders were recommended by Industrial Truck Services (ITS), who have supplied and expertly maintained materials handling equipment for GE Robinson for over 15 years.

“The decision to choose Baumann was carefully considered by Robinson, but also by ITS,” said Ged Conaghan, manging director at ITS. “We support the equipment with service and maintenance, so it was a big decision for us too, and just by looking around the Salford site it’s easy to tell it was a worthwhile investment.”

The lively six-acre Salford distribution yard is bustling with activity, and the fact that at least five sideloaders are passing at any one time is testament to the success the timber supplier is experiencing this year.

“We have experienced seasonal peaks, but output has remained strong this year,” said Paul Kavanagh, operations director at GE Robinson. “We’re currently 15% up compared to last year in terms of tonnage, so it’s important for us to keep running at maximum productivity.”

The company operates 25 trucks in total from their Salford site and Walsall distribution division. In Salford, 12 of the 15 trucks in operation were supplied by Baumann, and the benefits are immediately noticeable.

“By choosing Baumann, we feel we are benefitting from the equipment’s fuel efficiency, reliability and robust design,” continued Mr Kavanagh. “Indeed, over the past four years, the machines have proved effective and reliable, but what we didn’t expect is how much quieter they are compared to our older machines. With 15 side loaders working at full capacity the site can get very noisy, so a reduction in noise is definitely a bonus to our operators and neighbours – particularly during the night shift.”

Baumann equipment offers the most effective way to handle a multitude of long or bulky products, typically timber, plastics or metals. The Italian manufacturer established a new UK business in August 2015, led by managing director, Jason Reynolds.

Jason said: “We value our long-term partnerships and it’s great to hear GE Robinson are pleased with the sideloaders we supplied. We can’t quite compete with their 100-year history, but we do have 40 years in development, design and production under our belt, and it is proving to be an important selling point with many of our customers.”

Based in Cavaion on the shores of Lake Garda, Baumann is a family-owned company that has led the sector for over 40 years, and now sells its products worldwide through 106 dealers in 76 countries. The 2016 FLTA Innovation award winner produces equipment up to 50 tonnes capacity, and has a reputation for consistent invention and the highest level of design and productivity.

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Invicta Latest News Public Relations

Invicta minimises risk and boosts efficiency with new Tipping Skip

Invicta Forks & Attachments has recently revealed a new fork-mounted tipping skip in an effort to reduce the risk of accidents on site while improving productivity.

With the introduction of the Auto-Lok Tipping Skip, Invicta, the largest manufacturer of mechanical fork attachments in the UK, offers its construction customers a safer and more convenient tipping process.

Fully automatic engagement allows operators to stay in the comfort and safety of their cab for the whole duration of the tipping skip’s use. Just driving into the fork pockets and picking up the skip will see it ready to tip, while the automatic locking mechanism ensures the attachment stays in place during operation.

The high-quality water tight body and reinforced loading edge means the skip is suitable for the safe and simple tipping of all types of materials. The chassis provides four-way entry pockets to allow the skip to be positioned from all four sides, and two easily replaceable tensions springs means maintenance costs are kept to a minimum.

“Our new Auto-Lok tipping skip brings safety and simplicity to a whole new level,” says Peter Sharpe, managing director at Invicta. “We’ve designed the automatic locking mechanism to eliminate the need to get out of the cab. Our customers have immediately noticed the difference in the speed and safety of operation, allowing operators to get on with their work and not exit the cab, which is the safest place for them.”

The introduction of the Auto-Lok Tipping Skip comes after Invicta revealed their Auto Tipping Skip for the industrial market last year, in recognition of a safety hazard on standard tipping skips, which often saw operators standing on mud guards or climbing the side of the yard skip to reach the release mechanism.

“At its inception over a decade ago, the auto-tipping mechanism was a specific model, and welded in place,” Peter adds. “Today, as manufacturing procedures have developed and customers have seen the value of the feature, we are able to bolt it on to our standard skip range. It means our industrial customers can still add it at a later date, even if they currently don’t have the need for the high-level tipping function.”

Peter concludes: “Here at Invicta, we have a proven track record for providing solutions for both the construction and industrial markets, and I’m pleased we are able to achieve the same outcome of keeping operators safe without compromising efficiency for both trades.”

For further information on the Auto-Lok Tipping Skip, head to the product page or contact Invicta today to find out about the huge range of bespoke materials handling solutions your business could benefit from.

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Baumann UK Beno Latest News Public Relations

PaxLift Prepares For Take Off

PaxLift, a new PRM transporter from Italian manufacturer, Baumann, has been granted a new European patent status ahead of its launch in early 2017.

The machine is the first purpose-built GSE machine of its type and has overcome the disadvantages of traditional modified ‘Ambulift’ vehicles.

Raising passengers smoothly and without a pantograph, stabilizers, mast or chains, the PaxLift utilises three lifting columns to provide a smooth, safe lift, with fully hydraulic suspension for maximum comfort during driving.

The solution avoids the inherent problems associated with adapted PRM vehicles, such as chain maintenance, slow loading times and uncomfortable, often manually intensive, experiences for passengers. There’s also complete free movement with the cabin raised.

“We saw a need for a high quality passenger cabin with lifting capacity from ground level up to 8,000mm,” says managing director, Klaus Pirpamer, “something which does not require steps nor an additional lifting platform, offers easy access and great manoeuvrability to reach the airplane door, and is in keeping with the Baumann ethos of quality and reliability.”

Baumann has almost 50 years of experience in development, design and production of industrial vehicles. Its award-winning industrial sideloaders are recognised around the world as brand leaders, offering exemplary performance.

The in-house design team first developed and produced a machine for PRM over a decade ago. In recent years the company has won awards and recognition for its innovation in the sideloader market, where turning circles, lift heights and travelling distances are also key product facets.

Technical director, Riccardo Bove, masterminded the company’s latest award, the 2016 FLTA Award for Innovation Excellence, and helped develop the new thinking behind the PaxLift. Says Riccardo: “Our previous experience in aircraft ground support and our work with industrial equipment gave us the insights to design the next generation ‘Ambulift’. One that gives precise control and maximum comfort within a small footprint – just 2550mm wide, and 3,100mm high when travelling.”

Since 1969, Baumann has remained privately owned and based at their specialised manufacturing facility in Cavaion, on the shores of Lake Garda.

A family company to this day, Baumann now sells its 3 to 50 tonnes sideloaders worldwide through 106 dealers in 76 countries, offering professional technical support, training and parts supply to customers and distributors.

“The evolution of PaxLift was a natural consequence of our earlier work in this field,” adds Klaus. “We began collaborating on ground support equipment when we worked with Lufthansa Leos and Catcon to produce the first sideloader-based trucks. Whilst this type of equipment is still on the market, our experience with raising and transporting materials led us to look at new and better ways of providing safer, smoother and more practical ways to transport PRM and VIP passengers.”

With a proud and distinguished history, combining generations of engineering expertise, modern craftmanship and a spirit of innovation, Baumann believes their equipment has to present a high standard of quality.

“Our starting point for the PaxLift was comfort, convenience and reliability,” says Klaus. “Having exhibited at ground support equipment and airport passenger transport events on both sides of the Atlantic, the dedicated design and high lifting capacities (up to 2,000kg) has created surprisingly high interest. With a tighter turning circle, clearer view and smaller footprint, we believe we have the safest option available. Integrated suspension makes the operation fast and smooth, whilst the hydraulically powered steering axle ensures continuous reliability and performance.”
Our philosophy of high service levels, world class industrial vehicles and reliable innovation neatly fits the needs of the airline and GSE industries. We understand that safety and the punctual departure of the aircraft is paramount.

Standard trucks are fitted with a Stage 4 Final Diesel engine, electric trucks are manufactured upon request. Orders for 2017 demonstration units are now available, with the first deliveries expected in Spring.

For further information visit www.paxlift.com.

Categories
Latest News Public Relations Windsor

Windsor Celebrates 40 Years!

Since its origination in 1977, Windsor has developed into one of the largest and most innovative suppliers of independent forklift and materials handling equipment in the UK.

The last decade has been particularly good for Windsor, as it has cemented its position as one of the UK’s leading materials handling supplier, with 12 branches and a wide portfolio of services including new equipment, used equipment, short and long term hire, repairs and maintenance service, parts, and health and safety services.

Windsor is a unique player in the materials handling industry, having remained independent throughout its 40 years of operation. “We have always valued having the ability to make our own decisions,” explains managing director, Stephen Burton. “What this means to our customers is more flexibility and we recognise this as an important factor to everyone seeking a new supplier. With an approach that is more consultative rather than focussed on the end result, working to identify the requirements of the customer before making unbiased recommendations is key to our business.”

Windsor’s most recent customers include confectioners Jakemans and Hadfield Wood Recyclers, who were both supplied with Doosan forklifts amongst other materials handling equipment. But Windsor has a vast range of longstanding customers under its wing too. As a customer of Windsor’s for over 20 years, Thor Shipping & Transport’s (TST) Hull terminal is home to all manners of Windsor-supplied equipment, including counterbalance forklifts, sideloaders, reach stackers, tugs, scrubber driers and trailers.

“As a business, we have made it our aim to provide the highest quality support to customers with teams of skilled local materials handling sales staff and technicians,” continues Stephen, who believes Windsor’s strength lies with highly skilled people and attention to detail. “Whether one truck or a whole fleet is required, we structure our service around what works best for the customer. It’s this long-established ethos that’s helped us develop and retain some of our oldest clients, and we will continue to use this philosophy for the next 40 years.”

The company prides itself on being one of Yorkshire’s fastest growing companies, and aims to provide the best quality local service on a national level.

With a twelve-strong branch network, advice from Windsor is never far away, but quality support begins with a philosophy of continuous investment and a commitment to long-term partnerships built on personal customer support.

“Our ethos is to treat each customer individually, paying special attention to individual requirements,” says managing director, Stephen Burton. “Great value is placed on the knowledge and experience of our highly trained engineering teams, and we aim to deliver excellent value for our customers through inspirational service. Thanks to a local, one-stop approach for finance, hire, sales, maintenance and spares, we’re able to add value via a quick, reliable and professional service.”

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Beno Latest News Public Relations Swisslog Video

Elf To Shelf

Team Beno is delighted to have played a small part in the creation of the 2016 Swisslog Christmas video. John Lewis better watch out…

Categories
Carrylift Latest News Public Relations

Carrylift Driving Success

Within two months of Electron Technical Solutions opening a second 28,000 sq ft factory  in 2012, turnover had more than doubled.

A third building was added in 2015, with both original sites already working at near full capacity. “We handle around 60,000 items a week,” says managing director, Steven Schofield, who founded the business in 1984. “They come in all shapes and sizes, but whatever it is, from here it usually goes straight onto a car.”

The company delivers specialist painting services for plastic components to the UK automotive industry from its Runcorn base. There’s also manual preparation and assembly operations, both for painted components and as a standalone service, allowing completed units to go straight to the assembly line.

Top Marques

Typically supplied with technical, metallic, body-coloured and decorative finishes, the components are predominately grilles, trims, door claddings and glove box latchings for Jaguar Land Rover, but the company’s expertise has also led them to projects for Bentley, FIAT and Toyota, amongst others.

Electron has facilities to cope with varying volumes, another benefit to customers, and has fully-automated painting cells to complement the manual painting of components. “In 2002, we had 13 sprayers working on eight hour shifts, and giving us a £4m turnover,” adds Steven. “Today, we have five painting robots working 120 hours a week, and a £15m turnover.”

Quality Assurance

Electron is approved to TS 16949, the global standard for automotive quality management systems, as well as ISO 9001 & ISO 14001 and the company has recently become accredited as an Approved Supplier to Jaguar Land Rover.

JLR’s supplier performance measurement system, known as JLRQ, determines the performance of suppliers, and helps both parties in the pursuit of quality excellence.

Electron has invested heavily in quality over recent years resulting in the virtual elimination of defects. It has also carried out extensive in-house training of its workforce to ensure quality standards are adhered to and won various awards including the Northwest Automotive Alliance Supplier Excellence Award in 2014.

“We have been on the road to continuously improve quality for many years,” says Steven. “The recognition from Jaguar Land Rover isn’t the end of the journey. We are committed to further improving our performance as the company continues to expand.”

Tied into that improvement process is the upgrade of its own materials handling fleet. A customer of Carrylift for over a decade, the provision of forklifts and servicing has changed in line with the business’s growing demands, but in Steven’s words, the support rarely gets talked about because ‘we don’t need to’.

“We have timed collections from our customers, so we need the reliability, and we get it. There’s been a lot of consistency over the years and we know from past experience that if you get a supplier that’s not up to the mark, the whole business knows about it. I’m convinced we get the best combination of truck and service. What we get is worthwhile.”

There’s also the desire to get more out of their existing equipment and infrastructure, a lesson perhaps learnt from the success of the automation process, the outright purchasing of equipment and the investment in expanding the premises.

Doing More

“We always want to do more with what we’ve got,” says Steven. “We have made small changes and made relatively small increases. We’ve also made large increases by adding extra capacity, so it’s about choosing the right path.”

Carrylift’s Geoff Pearson says the reliability of the new TCM equipment has helped make life easier, but the quality of the equipment and support package is something which a business like Electron is quick to recognise.

Said Geoff: “It helps to have equipment that can be relied upon, as it makes our lives much easier. The new TCM 1.8tonnes LPG trucks have a closed-loop system, which improves reliability and delivers the best emissions standards available. That’s important to Steve and the team, when they are using trucks inside and out. It means excellent fuel economy too.”

“I don’t believe we can be beaten on quality, concludes Steven. “We do a good quality job and we can’t sell enough!”

“We offer a fair price and customers come here because they want a quality part, backed up with consistency. Different customers may want different components, but what they all share is a desire for flexibility and reliability too. It’s exactly the same for us, and that’s another reason we do business with Carrylift.”

Categories
Baumann UK Latest News Public Relations

Baumann Shortlisted For Second Innovation Award

We are delighted to see Baumann’s high performance electric model, the ELX50, shortlisted for the 2017 FLTA Award for Innovation. The first of the models in the UK are being trialled at a major energy business.

Unveiled this year at LogiMAT, the nimble ELX is now in full production, and is the most compact of its kind ever produced, measuring less than four metres in length and 750mm in deck height.

Designed and built from the ground up, and following two years of painstaking research and development, the new electric features a completely new chassis, battery and power train configuration. The low deck height allows customers to utilise racking under 800mm at the second row height, maximising storage capacities inside and out.

flta-2017-lo-resThe ELX has earned Baumann its second FLTA Award nomination in a row, following last year’s Innovation win for the remarkable Archimedes outreach system.

UK managing director, Jason Reynolds believes the ELX50 could have a profound effect on the sideloader market. Said Jason:

“Battery and charger technology has really come of age. That said, our mission to produce a lighter, shorter, and more energy efficient electric model, would only make sense if it were without sacrificing the quality and durability that we have become famous for. The development was difficult, and raised many technical challenges that our team worked incredibly hard to overcome. The result is a model we are very proud of.”

The reduced overall length and improved turning circle have been achieved without sacrificing the mast or well width, clearance and low bed height, whilst the combination of 120 volt power supply and 2.5 tonnes weight reduction is expected to increase battery performance by up to 30%. The operator cabin was also designed from scratch at Baumann’s Cavaion HQ, maintaining the company’s reputation for comfort and uncluttered operability, all within a reduced footprint.

Aside from likely persuading diesel users to make the leap to electric, it will perhaps represent Baumann’s greatest opportunity for winning back former sideloader users that have switched to multi-directional machines, such as Combilift.

“The main benefit to multi-directional machines lies in the smaller spaces in which they can operate,” says Klaus Pirpamer, head of Baumann Srl. “If you match that benefit, you’ll start to see our other features such as travel speed and distance, stability and comfort becoming more important to the user.”

The bespoke battery more than doubled the work cycle expectations during field trials on the continent, but that’s not the only electric upside. “Cost saving, of course, is a big factor, but so too is noise. In Germany, Austria, Switzerland, long-established companies which have seen towns grow up around them, are under pressure to cut noise pollution by neighbours and legislators,” adds Klaus.

A robust chassis is a crucial part of the sideloader physiology, so developing the new framework was essential to the overall design.

“We sent people to the chassis manufacturer for over six months before adding them to our suppliers,” says Klaus. “Simple requests, such as changes in fork length, have huge repercussions for the chassis, axle and deck. Our new outreach system also resulted in changes to the weight distribution, so the integrity is crucial.”

Baumann credit a new technical production troubleshooter with helping to bring new developments to the production line, whilst technical director, Riccardo Bove, has spent years working on refining and revolutionising everything from electronic systems to hydraulics and ergonomics, all aimed at bringing the ELX to life.

“The war against weight was won,” says Riccardo. “We achieved the results by looking at every component, every system and every material. The total weight saved was three tonnes, a huge amount for a small machine, and so much that it allowed us to add weight back in to improve weight distribution and operability.”

By reducing the size and weight of the machine, less power is needed to achieve high levels of performance, extending running time between charges. The reduction also provides further scope for battery integration, in this case a specially designed intelligent system developed in conjunction with Midac, which can be paired with a charger system to re-energise in mid-shift without damaging the cells. There’s also a battery change option thanks to Baumann designing their own battery box.

“The size, battery integration and cabin were all big challenges,” adds Riccardo, but the overall results add up to a truck that is much more than the sum of its parts. In our intensive work cycle trials, we’ve seen improvements in battery life of about 25 percent, but that it likely to increase even further in the field.”

“It is sometimes difficult to convince customers of the benefit of a smaller size truck,” concludes Jason Reynolds, “but in this case there are so many advantages that we believe it will set a new standard. We are seeing the market move towards electric power and this gives exactly the performance capabilities that customers need. Our prediction is that the demand for five tonnes diesel models will all but disappear. The ELX50 will go a long way to shifting the market and is likely to double our electric sales within the next three or four years.”

Baumann is a world-class manufacturer of sideloaders from three to 50 tonnes capacity with a reputation for consistent innovation, and the highest level of design and productivity. Based in Cavaion in Italy, the family-owned company has led the sector for over 40 years, and now sells its products worldwide through 106 dealers in 76 countries.

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Invicta Latest News Public Relations TB Marketing Video

Scrubbing up well

When Invicta Forks & Attachments asked team TB marketing to shoot a video displaying a Telehandler Scrubber attachment on a Wednesday in early November, the last thing we expected was snow.

What was even more ironic, is that the week before, we had filmed a Hydraulic Gritter attachment in action for Invicta, in dazzling sunshine!

The day began in a bitterly cold industrial yard in Sturton, Leeds, and within ten minutes of arriving on site, we had already started to lose the feeling in our fingers and toes. With the telehandler late due to the weather, we couldn’t say no to a hot drink and a bacon buttie.

But the telehandler soon arrived and we got to work filming the impressive piece of kit.

The scrubber was quickly attached to the telehandler and was demonstrating its potential in the yard soon after. The attachment is intended to be used to clear dust and mud from the floor of yards and warehouses, but the wet floor on the day of filming made it tricky to show the impact. At this point we made use of the cover shelter on site, ideal for both floor scrubbing and shelter from the snow!

When the snow subsided, we got some more shots from a balcony with a good view of the yard (see image of Terry and Kate laughing as the snow started again) and called it a day.

Here’s the finished product.

NB – it was colder than it looks!