The stackers in the UHX series lift heavy pallets up to a height of 11.1 meters. © Unicarriers

Logistics solution that meets requirements
The ideal solution at Boughey is as follows: All products are stored in flexibly adjustable pallet racks as well as mobile racks that enable optimum use of space. The racks are loaded with the help of UHX and UMS reach trucks. These lift the pallets weighing up to 1,250 kilograms to rack levels up to 11.1 meters high.

The backrest can be tilted by up to 18 degrees, allowing the head and neck muscles to be in an ergonomic position at all times. Boughey relies on continuous stocktaking to maintain an overview of all items stored in the 15 warehouses. The logistics service provider constantly compares the actual stock levels with the data stored in the system and makes corrections if necessary.

OPS high-lift order pickers are used to carry out the inventory. If goods are required for delivery, the reach trucks retrieve the required pallets and place them in the picking zone. The customer orders are put together using PLP low lift pallet trucks, which are also used to load and unload the trucks via the rear.

Boughey relies on the 37 DX 20 and DX 32 gas-powered counterbalance trucks for side unloading of trucks and internal transport of pallets on the site. The five models, which are designed for the simultaneous transport of two pallets, enable the trucks to be handled quickly. With 26 pallets per truck, double pallet handling contributes to significant time savings.

Safety in all work steps
The products stocked by Boughey include aerosol dispensers. These containers are pressurized and can explode. For this reason, only specially equipped reach trucks are used in the storage areas with aerosols. These have a gas warning device that constantly monitors the ambient air and warns warehouse workers if explosive gas escapes. The safety equipment on all reach trucks also includes a Stability Support System (S3). This permanently monitors the driving characteristics of the trucks and intervenes in the event of danger. For example, excessive speed when cornering is automatically reduced to prevent the truck from tipping over.

UniCarriers is providing a fleet of 100 rental units for Boughey. © Unicarriers

"The health and safety of our employees is our top priority. The Unicarriers equipment helps us to do justice to this," says a delighted Dave Vernon. The floating armrest and mini steering wheel on the reach trucks, for example, are unique. They enable effortless vehicle control and help to prevent employees from becoming ill due to repetitive tasks.

The manufacturer has also developed a concept to meet the requirements for replacing heavy forklift batteries: The Battsman, a vehicle with an electromagnetic device that docks onto the empty battery, removes it from the forklift and replaces it with a new one. This reduces manual handling to a minimum and thus enables safe and ergonomic battery replacement.

On-site support from technicians
In order to achieve maximum availability of the forklift fleet, two Unicarriers technicians are on site at Boughey five days a week - one specialist for the counterbalance trucks and one for the warehouse trucks. They operate their own spare parts warehouse in the logistics center.

Regular review meetings between managers from both companies form the basis for a continuous improvement process. Among other things, potential for cost optimization is examined. This includes a more even utilization of the machines over their six-year rental period or the reduction of forklift damage. The VOM fleet management system, which Boughey is currently testing on three forklift trucks, can help with the latter. The system constantly collects and evaluates vehicle usage data. This makes it easier to identify and rectify the causes of damage to the forklift trucks. If the test is successful, VOM will be introduced across the entire fleet. as