Windsor Komatsu & Access

Single supplier sugar solution

Windsor Komatsu and Access recently secured a contract with British Sugar to provide a materials handling solution for its new purpose built screening and bagging warehouse at Wissington Sugar factory, Norfolk. The 5 year agreement covers all equipment provision and maintenance.

British Sugar required a single supplier that could match equipment requirements with a superior after sales service and high levels of flexibility to support the operation. To comply with strict health and safety and food hygiene standards all equipment had to be electric powered, operating n a 24hr shift pattern, 5.5days a week. Battery handling and recharging was a critical factor within the remit. Close consultation with British Sugar ensured the requirements were accurately identified and the final proposal specified 7 Komatsu FB18M-2R 3wheeled counterbalance forklifts, with 4 Crown RD5280s reach trucks.

To meet the up-time requirements of the application, two batteries were provided with each truck. Enersys was contracted to install monorail cranes in two locations for the counterbalance trucks and a battery tugger attached to a Komatsu powered pallet truck to manage the reach truck battery exchanges. High frequency battery chargers and additional roller bed positions were incorporated at each charging area, preventing double handling of exhausted batteries and minimising health and safety issues.

Since the initial contract was agreed Windsor has provided an additional diesel powered forklift. Windsor places great emphasis on building long term partnerships. Local depots with direct lines to the service manager result in a quick response, keeping downtime to a minimum and providing a focused team with in-depth understanding of individual customer needs.
 
"When choosing a supplier we were looking to form a partnership with a company with integrity, high levels of service and a local presence. Windsor were able to meet all our criteria and understood from the start exactly what we were trying to achieve,"

Trevor King, British Sugar purchasing manager.