Made-to-measure warehouse solution

In 2014, production expanded to include self-adhesive labels for the beverage industry, bringing with it a need for Ellerhold not only to buy new presses, but to build a two-storey administrative and production building with a new warehouse. The curved roof in the storage area of the print shop presented a major challenge; off-the-shelf storage technology solutions cannot be used and this is where Yale has played an integral role.

Bernd Schmidt, CEO of Ellerhold in Zirndorf, explains: “The Yale dealer, M + S Bauer from Nuremberg offered the best overall concept, consisting of a high-bay warehouse and a narrow aisle truck. It was important to us that the available space is used optimally, so that we have the largest possible number of pallet spaces available on the shelf. Sufficient area also had to be provided for ground-level parking spaces to pick fast-movers using a pallet truck." 

Martin Gärth, VML consultant at M + S Bauer, comments: “A customised shelf solution was necessary and with the flexible PowerPal-shelf systems, Yale has used the available space optimally, to offer a high-bay warehouse for around 900 pallet spaces in an area of approximately 500m2." 

The warehouse has four aisles, each with seven levels to a length of 17m and a shelf height of 7.5m. The aisles had to be designed to a width of 1.65m. Had Ellerhold opted for only three aisles, 100 pallet bays would have been omitted.

"With such a narrow aisle width, the materials handling vehicle had to be very compact,” adds Martin Gärth. “The Yale narrow aisle truck MTC 10 with swivel reach fork and integrated pantograph was the perfect truck for Ellerhold."

The MTC 10 has a lifting height to 7800mm with a capacity of 1t. Through the use of a pantograph the width of the vehicle has been reduced to 1420mm. Gärth adds: "40mm was ultimately decisive at Ellerhold. Goods remain inside the cabin contour and safe use in the aisle is ensured." 

The pantograph that is integrated into the swivel reach fork also enables a faster and more precise storage of pallets on the shelves. The top and bottom mounted swivel reach fork is said to ensure a perfect load handling at all times as well as a good view of the forks and pallet. Even in the lowered fork position, the operator can see both forks. "For us, a simple and safe handling of the truck is very important, because the driver is not constantly sitting on the vehicle," says Bernd Schmidt. 

The cab of the Yale MTC moves up. The operator has an excellent view of the pallet and can execute picking tasks if required. By using the patented hydraulic system the operator can perform multiple functions –  drive, turn and press the additional lifting functions while raising the cabin. In this way, storage and retrieval of pallets is faster. Disruptions are avoided and productivity is improved. For all Yale MTC trucks ratios of speed to height and weight will be monitored as standard. This means that based on cabin height and load weight the fastest possible speed is calculated for the stacker.

Tailored approach

The narrow aisle truck at Ellerhold was adapted for use in the high-bay racking. Speed is limited when the vehicle leaves the high-bay racking and passes under the longitudinal beams of the shelf to receive the goods on the staging areas before the high-bay warehouse. These spaces can only be operated when the vehicle is turning on the spot. Here, a safe distance must be kept so that vehicle and rack system are not damaged. To handle the slow-movers above the roof-mounted area safely and efficiently, the vehicle is guided inductively.