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Easilift Supplies £9 Million Loading Bay Equipment For Major New Tesco Distribution Centres
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Easilift Loading Systems has supplied cutting-edge loading bay equipment to three major new purpose-built Tesco distribution centres at Livingston, Lichfield and Goole, in contracts valued in excess of £9 million.
For the one million sq ft Livingston distribution centre, including the RSU centre, Easilift supplied bespoke exterior modular dock leveller pods for 162 of the 179 loading bays, with the free-standing pods installed on the outside of the bays; avoiding the loss of internal floor area and providing a confined, insulated, hygienic, weatherproof area – with resulting energy saving potential and health & safety benefits due to the elimination of any cross traffic.
Each pod is fitted with swing lip type 'PowerRamp' dock levellers and insulated electrically-operated sectional overhead 'PowerDoors'. Collapsible type 'PowerShelters' are fitted to 108 of the bays, with inflatable versions to accommodate double-deck trailers for the remainder.
A further 17 scissor lift dock pods, designed to integrate with Tesco fixed bed double-deck trailers, are equipped with scissor lifts. They are capable of carrying 36 roll cages and an operator safely between the two fixed vehicle beds and the loading dock.
The lifts incorporate a number of high-tech features in order to improve safety and maximise efficiency. For example, the re-levelling feature continually repositions the platform within 3mm of the preset dock height throughout the loading and unloading process, ensuring that cages can be safely rolled between the platform and the warehouse floor at all times.
Each of the pods, which have been designed to accommodate the normal reversing action of a trailer without the need for a mechanical wheel stop, are equipped with sectional overhead 'PowerDoors' to the front and rear, plus inflatable dock shelters.
Similar Easilift pod systems, with swing lip type 'PowerRamp' dock levellers and 'PowerDoors', have been supplied for 100 of the 108 bays at Tesco's new 850,000 sq ft Fradley Park, Lichfield, regional distribution centre.
Collapsible 'PowerShelters' are fitted to standard height dock leveller bays, with inflatable type versions fitted to the high dock leveller bays. A further eight pods were equipped with 36 cage scissor lifts, plus insulated sectional overhead 'PowerDoors' and shelters.
The 700,000 sq ft Goole national distribution centre was almost identical to Lichfield, with Easilift pod systems comprising swing lip type 'PowerRamp' dock levellers and 'PowerDoors' supplied for 100 of the 108 bays.
Collapsible 'PowerShelters' are fitted to standard height dock leveller bays, with inflatable type versions fitted to the high dock leveller bays. And, once again, a further eight pods were equipped with 36 cage scissor lifts, plus insulated sectional overhead 'PowerDoors' and shelters.
All of the loading bays at the three distribution centres feature Easilift integrated control panels, traffic lights and dock lights, with insulated sectional overhead doors provided for vehicle maintenance units and trailer wheel guides for goods in bays.
Easilift Sales Director, Dave Whyatt, said: “We have worked closely with Tesco for a number of years to develop our modular dock pod system to fully meet their stringent requirements.
“That a company of Tesco's status continues to equip its new distribution centres and stores with Easilift loading bay equipment is a ringing endorsement of the quality and reliability of our products and the high levels of service we deliver to all our customers.”
Easilift is part of the Loading Systems International group, one of Europe's foremost manufacturers of loading bay equipment, and in addition to its UK operation it has other sales companies in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
The company provides everything necessary for the safe, efficient and profitable operation of loading bays. This includes dock levellers, dock shelters, dock seals, dock pods, doors, high speed doors, vehicle restraints and lifting platforms. We also offer a complete range of accessories and safety aids, from dock plates, dock bumpers and wheel guides, to traffic lights and integrated control systems.
Easilift was also one of the first loading bay equipment suppliers to achieve the prestigious SAFEcontractor Health and Safety Accreditation. SAFEcontractor is a scheme that independently assesses the health and safety competency of contractors in a variety of fields and, as such, confirms to prospective clients that effective policies and systems are in place.
It has an extensive customer list that is a roll call of some of the biggest names in UK manufacturing, retailing, logistics, distribution and the service sector. And, reflecting the extremely high levels of customer satisfaction achieved, more than 60 per cent of new orders come from existing customers.
Easilift's continued successful development is due in no small part to the positive commitment of its staff, plus its extensive facilities which include an in-house design team, together with experienced engineers available to advise on the most efficient and productive installation, whether as a new project or refurbishment.
This is complemented by a full installation and after-sales service, which includes the provision of preventive maintenance programmes designed to avoid costly and disruptive loading bay down-time.
