Proactive loading bay servicing and maintenance

THE NEVERENDING growth of online shopping – and the increasing need for companies to offer abundant delivery options – has resulted in relentless pressure to ensure that logistics facilities constantly operate at full capacity, and that any potential downtime is eliminated. In response to this busy environment, logistics operators should be taking preventative measures to ensure the overall safety and efficiency of their site. This, together with the implementation of a regular schedule of service and maintenance, should ensure that any potential faults and issues are dealt with in a proactive manner.

Twice-yearly servicing
While health and safety at work regulations do not specify a set number of times that industrial doors and loading technology should be serviced, we recommend that servicing should take place at least twice a year, and more often in high usage areas. However, at Hörmann we are constantly working closely with clients and end-users to develop tailor-made solutions and service programs to suit their specific requirements. As part of our bi-annual service a comprehensive check regime is undertaken, to ensure that any potential issues with the technology are unearthed.

Our standard service procedure covers 30 to 40 different areas that are checked and analysed to ensure every aspect of door or loading technology is functioning correctly. This procedure gives our team the ability to provide up-to-date information to improve operations and safety. If a certain type of fault is occurring frequently, our service engineers work closely with clients and draw on global experience to design and develop bespoke solutions. This is part of our commitment to build long term relationships with customers throughout the lifetime of their operations.

Keep a critical spares holding
To ensure that a warehouse can be back to full operation as soon as possible service teams need to be responsive and be able to attend a property within two to four hours of a fault or accident occurring. With a nationwide team of engineers available 24/7, we are ideally placed to respond to the demands of time-critical operations. The Hörmann service teams keep a large and varied supply of maintenance consumables in their vans to enable the teams to fix most things, but we also recommend that the warehouse site itself keeps a critical spares holding. This can significantly save time as spare parts do not have to be ordered-in prior to the repair being carried out.

By using a Hörmann service engineer, clients are assured that they are using a specialist who has expert knowledge of the loading systems and doors and will only ever use Hörmann parts, ensuring that complete operational integrity is maintained. As an OEM, all parts are manufactured by us, meaning there is no reliance on third party suppliers. With our systems being open-parameter, and with all technical and service-related information available online, clients and trade partners have instant access to vital support information.

While the service engineers are the visible face of the operation, they are supported by a dedicated team behind the scenes – a large and experienced department committed to planning, provision of spare parts, technical advice and training. The launch of our Training Academy in 2019 further represents our commitment to support the next generation of engineers through free, first-class training.

So far 2021 has been a challenging year for everyone involved in the logistics industry and it is set to become even busier over the coming months. Hörmann is ideally positioned to support logistics operators in meeting the demands of this expanding market by providing responsive service and maintenance support which is second to none. 

Phil Clark is industrial service manager at Hörmann UK 

https://www.hormann.co.uk