Stelrad: Mexborough, UK

To ensure the premises were fully maximised to maintain productivity levels and the customer delivery success rate of Stelrad, a new materials handling solution was required. “For us to achieve our goals, the equipment needs to be running throughout the 24-hour shift period,” said Paul. 

After an initial consultation period to understand Stelrad’s new requirements, Forkway proposed an extensive and customised solution throughout the distribution centre to minimise delays in handling and despatching stock. 

Six heavy-duty Yale MR20HD Reach Trucks were delivered to the Mexborough site, offering Stelrad higher travel, lift and lower speeds. Forkway recommended that the Yale MR20HD units included the optional Pedestrian Awareness Lights to help pedestrians working around the trucks. Stelrad has already noticed an improvement in driver productivity, with the monitors and HD cameras at the top of the 11m beam allowing precise pallet handling for the operator. 

To cope with the various pallet sizes handled in the National Distribution Centre, a bespoke fleet of 18 Yale MP20X series platform pallet trucks were fitted with longer forks and repositioned load wheels, minimising damage during pickup and transportation.

Having found a suitable solution for Stelrad’s National Distribution Centre, thoughts then turned to how to maximise productivity on the production line in the manufacturing facility. Forkway recommended the Yale GLP18VX Veracitor to lift radiator fins onto the production line, alongside three Yale MP20X platform pallet trucks to transport finished goods to the packaging machine, ready for dispatch to the distribution hub. The Yale solution provides Stelrad a seamless operation from beginning to end.

To enable Stelrad to maintain its fast delivery times to its customers, downtime of the fleet needs to be kept to a minimum, something Forkway understands due to the longevity of their working relationship. A knowledgeable service team working in perfect synergy with the team at Stelrad keeps the business on track. 

“All service and breakdown tasks are undertaken by service technicians who have been coming to the site for many years and have an in-depth knowledge of the trucks and a great relationship with the operators, meaning that unplanned downtime is kept to a bare minimum. All service correspondence and calls are handled locally rather than through a national call centre that would have little or no real knowledge of our operation,” added Paul. 

“The service team has initiated a tailored materials handling equipment service programme that demonstrates their total understanding of our operational requirements. I have always been impressed with Forkway’s consultative approach of looking at our operational requirements and proposing solutions tailored to suit our needs,” added Paul.