Wavin goodbye to inefficiency
October 1st 2009 Piping firm Waivin has updated its forklift fleet with a mix of new and used trucks – low level
order pickers, reach and counterbalance – from Jungheinrich
The DFG 2.5 and 3.5 tonne LPG powered forklifts use a
hydrostatic drive which, according to Jungheinrich makes
them particularly suited to applications where a lot of
'shuttling' work is involved – such as lorry loading and unloading
within and around a busy warehouse or factory environment.
Operational parameters are fully adjustable and combined with
the truck's drive control system mean site speed limits are
automatically adhered to whenever the forks are raised above a
pre set height. Smooth direction changes, claims the firm, also
reduce tyre and transmission wear.
Another feature that impressed Wavin is the potential fuel
savings offered by the hydrostatic trucks: as well as being
designed to deliver lower noise levels and emissions, the truck's
engine – which is supplied by Volkswagen – is particularly fuel
efficient. Test cycles have shown that over the course of 2000
hours of typical operation Jungheinrich's hydrostatic trucks will
save some £2000 in fuel costs in comparison with a standard
conventional 'torque-converter' counterbalance truck.
In total Jungheinrich has supplied Wavin with ten 2.5 tonne
capacity trucks, fifteen 3.0 tonne and one 3.5 tonne capacity
machines.
All of the 3.0 and the 3.5 tonne capacity trucks are fitted with
Kaup fork spreaders. The fork spreaders allow loads measuring
up to six metre wide to be picked up and can be adjusted by the
operator from within his cab.
There are 22 aisles of pallet
racking at the site. Each racking run
features eight storage levels with the
ground and first floor levels used for
order picking and the upper levels
accommodating replenishment
stocks.
Picking is undertaken by a fleet of
20 refurbished low level order
pickers as well as three very narrow
aisle combination hi-rack stackers
and a reach truck. Six pedestrian
pallet trucks were also supplied for
general use in the production plant.
The low level order pickers (LLOPs) are from Jungheinrich's
Ready To Go range, having been overhauled at the firm's
refurbishment factory at Dresden, Germany. Here, all of Wavin's
LLOP's were completely dismantled and all worn or defective
parts were replaced. The trucks were resprayed before being
reassembled and safety tested.
According to Wavin's MHE controller, Keith Rowles, the trucks
are "performing well and look
as good as new". More articles from Jungheinrich UK Ltd: | 
