Branston moves to single supplier
January 1st 2011 Company upgrades fleet to more fuel efficient models at its factory and warehouse
complex using Jungheinrich expertise
Branston recently upgraded the materials handling
equipment at its Somerset factory and warehouse
complex with a new fleet of counterbalanced and
powered pallet trucks from Jungheinrich.
The counterbalanced trucks selected by Branston are a mix of
4, 3.5 and 3 ton capacity gas powered trucks from Jungheinrich's
hydrostatic range. One of the key drivers behind Branston's
decision to specify the Jungheinrich gas trucks was the fact that
the trucks' engines – which
are supplied by
Volkswagen – are
particularly fuel efficient.
Thanks to their
hydrostatic engine, the
trucks are particularly
suited to Branston: the
company's operation
involves a lot of 'shuttling'
work - loading and
unloading lorries within
and around the busy
warehouse and factory
environment – the VW
hydrostatic engine Is
perfect for such intensive
materials-handling operations.
Branston have noticed another cost benefit since the new
trucks became operational – the drive wheels cannot spin with
the Jungheinrich hydrostatic drive resulting in a significant
reduction in tyre and transmission wear.
The gas trucks are used to unload lorries containing up to 26
one ton wooden boxes of potatoes that arrive at the site on a
daily basis. The boxes – which come from growers across the UK
- are taken by the counterbalanced trucks to either a chill store –
where they are stored at a constant temperature of 2oC or direct
to the packing facility where they are washed and packed before
being delivered to their customers.
The powered pallet trucks meanwhile transfer pallets in and
around the chill and ambient stores and work around the
loading bay loading outgoing lorries. High frequency charging
has been used to further reduce costs of energy input, as well as,
reduce maintenance on battery topping.
The trucks have been supplied on a full contract hire package.
"We had operated a mixed fleet of trucks at our site before but
most of the trucks were predominantly supplied by another
manufacturer," says Branston's logistics manager, James Beaven.
"We made the decision to move over to a single supplier
agreement with Jungheinrich to streamline operations. I'm
delighted that we made the
switch." More articles from Jungheinrich UK Ltd: | 
