Double Deck Lifts Boost Booths’ Logistics Efficiency
Transdek UK, the innovative loading equipment specialists, has installed two of its 6.5 tonne double deck lifts to ensure efficient loading of a new fleet of fixed double deck trailers at Booths, the family owned and operated northern grocer.
Established in 1847, Booths is the leading independent regional supermarket chain in England with 29 stores across Lancashire, Cumbria, Yorkshire, Cheshire and Greater Manchester. Often referred to as ‘Waitrose of the North’ the company is committed to sourcing products locally and seasonally from the counties it serves focusing on quality and value for money.
Transdek’s unique surface mounted lifts have been installed at Booths’ dedicated Bluebell Distribution Centre near Ribbleton, adjacent to the M6 Preston Bypass. The self-contained modular loadhouse units took just 1.5 days each to fit and commission by Transdek’s team of engineers accredited under the safecontractor scheme.
Each lift has been tailored to accommodate a specific requirement at Booths warehouse facility. One is for handling ambient grocery products and has a retractable dock shelter, while the second unit is for loading chilled food and drink, and features an inflatable dock shelter and insulated cladding to minimise thermal transfer. Both lifts incorporate a wide range of safety features, including interlocked dock management systems, and energy saving technology, such as light emitting diode (LED) traffic lights and loading lamps.
Without the need for expensive and time-consuming engineering ground-works, which can result in other types of installations taking significantly longer, Transdek was able to install its lifts without causing any disruption to distribution activities at the site to meet Booths’ operational schedule.
With a streamlined design for simple maintenance, the high efficiency lifts provide fast loading speeds that enable Booths to maximise the use of its new double deck trailers. These can carry more volume than conventional vehicles and require fewer vehicles to deliver goods, which can reduce transport-running costs by up to 40%.
Mark Glover, Head of Logistics at Booths, said: “Transdek was able to tailor the lifts to our requirements, install both modular units quickly and effectively, allowing the site to operate normally during the process.
“From the start the Transdek team fully understood our requirements and we can now very efficiently load our fleet of double deck vehicles, which is key to our aim of reducing the number of deliveries we make and carbon footprint.”
Transdek was also commissioned to develop a specially adapted double deck scissor lift for internal fitment in the loading bay at a new Booths store in Barrowford, north of Burnley. This is positioned sideways onto the loading bay, to accommodate the site’s specific space restrictions, without slowing down unloading speeds. The lift platform holds up to 12 rollcages, which are loaded across the platform. A bespoke-designed protective frame surrounds the lift pit, incorporating electrically-interlocked loading gates and a separate personnel gate.
From initial consultation through design specification and final fulfilment, Transdek provides a full project management service throughout the build process to ensure smooth progression of a project through to completion and, right first time products.
