Racking up growth
September 1st 2007

Innovate Logistics used Schaefer's racking systems to enable its warehouse to be flexible enough to respond to changing business needs

Efficient, cost-effective use of space is one of the top challenges facing any storage company or warehouse owner. Peaks and troughs in demand due to business performance or seasonal trends are a natural part of the cycle – but while they can often be predicted, it's not always easy to accommodate them.

Add to this pressure the extra demands associated with temperature controlled foodstuffs and you have a complicated balancing act on your hands. Food entering the site needs to be stored safely and quickly: there is no margin for error and no time to waste.

When building its third storage and distribution centre at Holmewood in Chesterfield, Innovate Logistics decided its racking system had to be a help, not a hindrance, to business performance and growth. In order to proactively manage space issues, it appointed the SSI Schaefer Systems Group to step up to the challenge.

The challenge Innovate has a reputation as a leading UK temperature controlled logistics provider.

Storage, handling and stock management of frozen, chilled, deep chilled and ambient foods are a significant part of its business and the Chesterfield warehouse is a 24/7 facility, 16.5m in height with a floor area of 3,850m2. Innovate was determined that it should be fitted with a racking system that would enable the business to respond equally quickly to seasonal variations and new contract wins.

Managing director Pete Osborne summarised, "We needed a storage installation that would enable us to continue to grow within our expanding industry".

The solution SSI Schaefer Systems Group planned, designed and coordinated the entire internal layout of the building for Innovate, working alongside the main contractor and the project management company, Mirus.

Mobile Pallet Racking was identified as the best storage solution for the Chesterfield warehouse due to its space-saving characteristics. Multiple rows of racking are fitted onto mobile bases and run on fully motorised rails. Only one access aisle needs to be open at any given time, depending on where the goods need to be picked or stored. This approach significantly increases storage space, typically creating an 85% increase in capacity compared to traditional systems over the same surface area. When early planning allows mobile pallet racking to be incorporated in a new warehouse's design, overall building volume requirements can be decreased by 60%.

This leads to substantial cost savings upfront, as well as increasing the life-time value of the facilities.

Schaefer ensured the integration of a number of different trades, living up to its reputation as a fully integrated solutions provider. The mobile pallet racking guide and runner floor rails had to be installed before the final concrete slab was laid by the flooring contractor. This was followed by the implementation of the powered mobile racking bases, as well as safety and control devices.

John Dixon, mobile racking specialist for SSI Schaefer, explains: "We designed the internal layout, ensuring maximum compatibility with the proposed material handling equipment and providing optimum utilisation of the building, while maintaining the very highest standards of operation and delivery of service." The completion of the whole project took just 15 months, including preparing the site, building the warehouse and installing the entire internal fit-out.

Pete Osborne continued: "We now have a third storage and distribution warehouse in Chesterfield with over 10,000 mobile pallet racking locations. Our aims and objectives for SSI Schaefer have all been met and the end result is a fully functional warehouse facility, backed up with the knowledge that we have ongoing operational support if required. SSI Schaefer will be our first call for any future installations of this kind." Conclusion Achieving full value from racking systems and ensuring they are flexible enough to enable the warehouse to respond to changing business needs requires a long-term, strategic approach. Schaefer's bespoke racking solution has left Innovate Logistics poised for future growth and development.

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