A force to be reckoned with
August 1st 2008

The new AC powered Aisle-Master takes articulated truck performance to a new level

Irish specialist manufacturer Aisle-Master Ltd has long been acknowledged as the pioneer of LPG technology in articulated forklifts, and is once more leading the way with the introduction of AC power into its range of electric models.

"This technology has been thoroughly tried and tested at customers' premises over the last couple of years, with extremely positive feedback, " says company MD Gerry McHugh. "We are way past the prototype stage and are now fitting AC as standard on all our electric models." The AC truck naturally shares all the space-saving and versatile qualities of its predecessor and the company's LPG model range, with some of the main benefits of AC summed up as follows: Enhanced performance levels Increased pallet movements for greater productivity Improved acceleration and gradability Fewer wearable parts resulting in low maintenance and reduced downtime Reduced energy consumption For Aisle-Master customers preferring gas powered trucks, the performance of the LPG Aisle-Masters is equally impressive.

Bulmers Cider opted for LPG trucks, and a fleet of eight Aisle-Masters keep the supplies flowing at its site in Co. Tipperary.

Counterbalance forklifts and drive-in racking were previously used, but the massive increase in popularity of the Bulmers brand and the resulting increase in output meant that Logistics Operations Manager Raymond Galligan needed a much more space saving and efficient method.

He explains: "Aisle widths with the counterbalance forklifts were 4m, and we knew we could improve on this. By introducing a combination of a new warehouse management system, the Aisle- Masters, racking, and much narrower narrow aisle widths designed around the trucks capabilities, we have vastly improved storage density and product location. We have achieved a 50% increase in storage capacity, so the trucks have saved us money as there is no need to buy extra storage space." The trucks' versatility enables them to be used throughout the complete handling process, from unloading pallets of empty bottles through to reloading 80 to 100 lorry loads a day with pallets of filled bottles for distribution to markets around the world.

The three bottling plants can each fill 55,000 bottles an hour, and the three warehouses have a total of 28,000 pallet spaces. With such a workload, reliability is vital, and Raymond Galligan and Warehouse Manager Michael Gavin are happy to report that in spite of long working hours there have never been any problems. LPG power means that trucks can be filled up quickly with no time needed for battery charging, which is of major benefit at times of peak activity in the summer months when the trucks work round the clock.

Aisle-Masters can work in aisles of just 1.75m, with capacities of up to 2.5 tonnes and lift heights of up to 12.5 metres. The 3rd party logistics, DIY, manufacturing, pharmaceutical and food and beverage industries are just some of the sectors enjoying the benefits of the Aisle-Master range. All Aisle-Masters are designed and built at the company's dedicated production facility in Monaghan, Ireland, ensuring a top quality and extremely reliable product.

Aisle-Master design engineers also offer a site visit and warehouse layout service and supply free layout proposals illustrating how to maximise the use of available storage space.

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