SAS is one of the UK’s leading
suppliers of glazing systems, with an annual turnover of £27 million. Its South Yorkshire base includes a
production facility for cutting and colour-coating profiles and fittings
alongside a 10,000m² warehouse. In the
last financial year over 33,000 orders were despatched from the site.

Supplied to SAS by Briggs
Equipment on contract hire, the five Sidetrackers are battery-powered
three-wheel SOW30C models with an 8.35 metre lift height and a width of 1800mm,
allowing them to operate in 1900mm rail-guided aisles within the cantilever
racking. Extrusions stored in the
warehouse are up to 6.1 metres long. The
compact design and manoeuvrability of the trucks, which can travel in any
direction and rotate on their own axes, has enabled aisle widths and turning
areas to be minimised to achieve high-density storage and efficient product
handling.

Fork spread on the trucks is adjustable
from the cab between 750mm and 3000mm to suit pallets and extrusions. The stand-on design gives operators a clear
view in all directions – particularly important for handling loads at the top
of the racking – and also enables them to get on and off quickly for
order-picking. Cabs have been
custom-built to provide extra space for drivers.

Fitting high-capacity batteries
has provided longer running periods between charges and reduced the number of
spare batteries on stand-by.