Since its entry into the Warehouse segment of materials handling in 1998, Yale has developed its range of warehouse equipment with a succession of new models.
Steve Ridgway, Yale brand manager, says that Yale has earned its position as a warehouse equipment solutions provider by supplying its customers with a range of products that deliver a real alternative to the other major European manufacturers.
"We have a equipment available that will allow us to meet almost every warehouse application. From our highly successful motorised pedestrian pallet truck range, to our new low, medium and high level order pickers and reach trucks with standard lift heights of over 12 metres, our equipment has many technical and operational benefits.
"Our man-up Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) trucks address the needs of many companies operating in high density warehousing and from a technical viewpoint, build quality is as advanced as any other product available in the market today.
Steve Ridgway continues: "The design process at Yale takes into consideration a number of factors, not least of all the demands for the lowest lifetime operating costs, a competitive initial purchase price and maximum uptime.
"As important as these are the high costs associated with the employment of operators meaning that Yale equipment has to deliver industry leading operator comfort and unique intuitive control features to ensure that the operator remains comfortable and productive throughout the shift."
Picking the right product
Yale's new MO series of horizontal and vertical order pickers use the same technology that was developed initially for the MTC range of Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) equipment. The result is a sophisticated leading edge series which is quiet in operation, is effortless to operate and is packed with features that are focused on ensuring operators can achieve faster, more accurate order picking.
Taking advantage of Yale's extensive MO range is leading catering supply company Brakes who has recently taken delivery of a number of bespoke MO10S wire guided VNA high level order pickers.
Working with the warehouse team at Brakes Catering Equipment, engineers from Yale reviewed the current order picking methods and rates to determine how to increase efficiency and productivity. The solution was a fleet of specially engineered versions of the Yale MO10S order picker which included:
A purpose designed picking gondola, capable of accepting a 1200 x 1000mm pallet from either side for increased handling flexibility
An entry ramp fitted to the rising platform that can be lowered to allow a palletized load to be deposited or removed safely using a motorised hand pallet truck and is locked in the vertical position prior to the gondola being lifted
Meeting exacting requirements
Steve Ridgway, says that Yale really comes into its own when a standard product cannot meet the specific requirements for a customer's application and a specially engineered product has to be designed.
He said: "We realise that we are not the largest warehouse equipment manufacturer and this means that we often have to be prepared to work harder and provide a solution that meets the customer's exact application needs to win their business.
"It is something that we are used to and providing special solutions does form the largest part of our warehouse equipment business in contrast to our competitors.
"One such example were units built in co-operation with one of our dealers in Empfingen, Germany, Stapler Center Pieckert, where a truck based on our MR reach truck had a 3,000kg lifting platform built into the truck in place of the standard mast."
Karsten Pieckert, who led the customisation project, said: "The build quality of the Yale product often allows a standard product to be customised to meet a customer's demanding, and quite often unique, handling applications. Together with the flexibility offered by Yale in its special engineering design department and in its manufacturing plants it is one of the strengths of the Yale product.
"And with customers operating in such a wide variety of industries demanding ever increasing customisation, having a product that can be tailored to meet a customer's needs is so important in today's marketplace."