Automated storage and retrieval system has major impact in forklift manufacture

A forklift truck manufacturer based in Northern Ireland is seeing significant space- and time-efficiency benefits from vertical storage installed by Industore at close to 10m high.

Hyster-Yale Group in County Armagh has installed six Hänel Lean-Lifts after intralogistics provider Industore carried out a detailed site audit.

Material superintendent at Hyster-Yale Mark Topley explains how the installations utilise the full height of the building. “Each machine has 60 shelves, and each shelf is the equivalent to two Euro-pallet spaces,” he says. “That’s huge. The space we’d need were we still using narrow-aisle racking would be enormous – not to mention how much more time we’d spend picking and replenishing.” 

Retrieval times have improved by more than three times, says Industore, while the system takes Hyster-Yale much closer to its goal of 100% stock transparency, including via access controls and comprehensive audit logs – as well as ergonomic picking. 

Further benefits arose from the manufacturer’s ability to repurpose former racking areas for additional bulk storage, improving their stock levels. 

Supporting batch-picking is the fully-integrated MPX order fulfilment software. Stephen Froude, software manager at Industore, claims the company has never failed to integrate with a client’s SAP system. “It’s an accolade we’re extremely proud of, and another thing that separates us from the crowd in automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) circles.” 

The system allows workers to batch-pick, Froude adds, which is a much more efficient way of picking and replenishing stock. It also allows for remote monitoring of stock levels from anywhere in the world.

Industore claims that, although the return on investment on its systems is typically 18-to-20 months, Hyster-Yale saw even faster payback thanks to the transformative effect of the change, in terms of moving from aisle racking to AS/RS with batch-picking. 

Industore makes much of its ‘interior logic’ approach, which orchestrates layout, throughput and design to maximise productivity.

For his part, Topley underlines the popularity of the system with operators and other stakeholders, and leaves open the possibility that Hyster-Yale may invest in further Lean-Lift capacity in future. 

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www.industore.co.uk