LINPAC Storage Systems has supplied a specialist racking solution to the Peugeot Motor Company's Tile Hill, Coventry warehouse. Constructed to fit out a new, 5,000 sq m extension, the wide aisle pallet racking has been designed to store all of the large and irregular sized automotive parts.
The 34 acre Tile Hill facility is the UK parts division for Peugeot Citroen and over 60,000 different automotive parts are stored in the two main warehouses - Tile Hill North and Tile Hill South. This centrally based warehouse and distribution centre supplies parts to over 500 Peugeot and Citroen dealers together with 270 Motaquip factors throughout the UK and Northern Ireland.
To improve the efficiency and productivity of the two main warehouses, a decision was made to separate out all of the large and irregular sized parts and store them separately in a purpose built extension to Tile Hill South. Warehouse Engineer for the project, John Broadbent, was tasked with selecting a racking supplier who could design, manufacture and install a unique solution that would accommodate the very specific challenges of the extension.
"Quite apart from the unusually shaped parts that were to be stored, the racking had to be designed around a Severn Trent drain," explained Broadbent. "The drain ran diagonally across the field at the back of Tile Hill South, the designated area for our extension. It was re-routed to run straight across the extension and therefore the storage solution had to allow room for a way leave of two metres on either side of the pipe. Consequently the drain became a fundamental part of the storage design
process."
He continued, "LINPAC Storage Systems was awarded the project because they presented the best solution to overcome the problems. The only obvious sign we have left of the Severn Trent drain is a single drain cover positioned in the centre of one, particularly wide aisle.
"Everything was finished in accordance with project plans - on time and in budget. Now that we have the specialist racking in the extension we've gained more regular pallet positions in the two main warehouses and our productivity has improved through greater handling efficiency of our large and irregular shaped parts."
To accommodate the various sizes of the parts the racking in the extension ranges from 750mm up to 3 metres in depth. The addition of mesh decking on all levels increases the versatility of the solution which houses small, single pick items such as batteries as well as heavy gearboxes, engines and even entire body sides.
Large exhausts are stored in special wooden crates located on the mesh decking. The crates feature drop-down access at the front for ease of picking from the first two racking levels.
At ground floor level, custom-built stub arms have been installed to keep the large, fragile parts upright and stored in separate compartments. This feature prevents damage occurring. Bulk pick items, accessed by reach truck, are positioned on the higher beam levels.
Tim Judge, sales and marketing director for LINPAC Storage Systems concludes, "Over the years we've built a reputation for delivering first-class automotive storage and handling systems. This solution for Peugeot is further evidence of our ability to provide an effective storage solution for items that present size and shape challenges.
"From our Milton Keynes headquarters we design and manufacture a full range of shelving, racking and lineside applications. Our customers represent each link in the automotive supply chain; manufacturers, suppliers, dealerships and the
aftermarket."
Contact:
LINPAC Storage Systems, telephone: 01908 561222,
Fax: 01908 567455
e-mail: solutions@linpac.com
web: www.linpac.com