Sidetracker Order-picker boosts customer service

Acenta Steel Distribution is the UK`s leading stockist and distributor of engineering steels with over 5000 black and bright products in stock across 50 specifications in round, square, flat, angle and hexagonal sections. The material in the Bolton warehouse is stored in six-metre-high cantilever racking with 2335mm-wide aisles. The Sidetracker order-picker allows individual items to be accessed directly in the racking instead of whole bundles being taken out, lowered to the floor and then replaced in the racking when the items needed have been taken out.

The truck has cabs at each end of a work platform that can be lifted to 6.3 metres high by a two-section mast with a maximum capacity of 2000kg at 365mm load centre. One cab houses the truck controls, while the other has a VDU that displays the weight of products on the vehicle’s forks. This design enables operators to lift items from the racking on to the scales and check their weight quickly and easily.

Safety features include cab doors that are interlocked with the drive system, which stops the truck moving if a door is open. Roller guidance has also been fitted to allow the truck to operate safely and efficiently in the racking aisles.

As the truck plays such an important role in the warehouse, Acenta required long-term reliability and easy maintenance. The heavy-duty construction and electro-hydraulic drive systems without electronics on the Sidetracker provide this performance. In addition, a 360º turning capability provides excellent manoeuvrability within the warehouse.