Sun-Powered Efficiency: Transformative Investment in All-Electric Forklifts

Fork trucks running from solar panels in a very narrow aisle (VNA) racking scheme. Has been a key benefit of the newly built warehouse. With the investment in Flexi Truck articulated forklift technology, e-Commerce fulfilment specialist, FuturePro Logistics, has increased storage capacity by some 30 percent at its newly built 60,000 sq. ft warehouse in Thatcham, Berkshire.

The Flexi Truck’s iconic articulated design is ideally suited to modern order fulfilment centre because they save space, increase productivity and allow safe access to stacking aisles and stored products.

Replenishment stock is held in the upper levels of the 10 meter high building. Pallets are then taken down to ground level, where in rack order picking can take place. In addition, a new 7,000 ft mezzanine was built providing additional floor space for, shelf storage, order picking, and packing, while client dispatches and returns are processed in the area created underneath the 3.5 meter raised mezzanine floor.

A diverse range of products - from FMCG goods, beverages, and electronics – is stored and fulfilled often overnight for a client list that includes well-known brand names.

With an initial investment in two new Flexi Trucks, FPL can accomplish a range of tasks including unloading incoming delivery vehicles and transferring loads to their allocated position within the racking. Activity levels are always high with the volume of customer orders driving the need to constantly replenish picking stock on the mezzanine and at floor level within the store’s main racked area.

Flexi Trucks feature digital electric motor technology and independent drive and hydraulic motors as standard. The truck’s unique independent power-steering motor provides precise steering with no ‘kickback’ and, because 20 percent less battery energy is consumed, one overnight battery charge is all that is required to ensure that the truck performs at optimum efficiency throughout a full working day.

"The control systems at the heart of the Flexi Truck deliver greater reliability and higher productivity combined with significantly reduced operating and maintenance costs,” says John Maguire, managing director of Narrow Aisle Ltd, manufacturer of the Flexi Truck range.

Picking pallets at height is not a problem for the Flexi Truck thanks to the truck’s integrated side-shifting carriage and tilting Hi-ViS heavy duty ‘I’ beam mast design which eliminates mast sway – even at heights of eight meters and over. This feature – which is unique to Flexi ­- enhances the truck’s already class-leading operator visibility to both sides of the aisle.

“With the unique, smooth independent power steering, pallets can be picked and put-away on the top beam of the highest racking smoothly, safely and efficiently,” says John Maguire.

Having opened its first facility some nine years ago, FuturePro has grown rapidly and today the company operates a total of five fulfilment warehouses located close to Reading, some 35 min from West London.

Mark Wallace, FuturePro Logistics managing director, comments: “To achieve optimum on-line order fulfilment performance it is important to deploy the most suitable materials handling equipment. Our investment in Flexi Truck was based, in part, on the Flexi’s ability to deliver improved space-efficiency, enhanced productivity, and the benefit of multi-tasking so important in our highly flexible operations.”

www.flexi.co.uk