Plant holds no truck with electricity
February 1st 2005 Warehousing efficiency at automotive refinish products manufacturer, U-Pol, has dramatically improved since the introduction of two gaspowered Bendi Aisle- Masters into its manufacturing plant.
U-Pol has experienced healthy expansion and predicts continuing growth – but its fleet of electric counterbalance and reach trucks was struggling to keep up with the longer working days this caused. It also needed considerable space in which to operate.
Nick Lucy, works director, outlines the problems: ‘Electric trucks were demanding. We needed a dedicated charging area which was only used at night and batteries would run out towards the end of the day, reducing productivity.’ Local materials handling suppliers Apollo Plant recognised the suitability of the LPG powered Bendi Aisle-Masters for this scenario, not only for their ability to work in intensive operations, but also to save space in U-Pol’s storage facilities.
Immediate time-saving benefits include day-long operation on both shifts from 5am until 6pm, with just a short interval to change gas bottles every ten hours or so, and labour saved in the evenings by not having to ensure all forklifts are in the charging area. The gas trucks also offer reduced fire risk, which was welcomed by U-Pol’s insurers. More articles from Bendi: | 
