June 2020

NexSys ATEX batteries, available from ENERSYS, can allow materials handling vehicles to work safely in hazardous areas where there is an explosion risk. The company says they conform to ATEX standards, which are compulsory and a legal requirement in Europe and NexSys batteries are also available world-wide certified in compliance with IECx standards. The new batteries, available in nearly all DIN sizes and capacities, offer significant advantages over both Valve Regulated Lead Acid gel and flooded lead-acid solutions. These advantages result from the Thin Plate Pure Lead technology used in the batteries’ construction. Accordingly, they offer outstanding Amp- hour capacity. NexSys ATEX batteries require lower maintenance than flooded types, with no need for topping-up. Critically for hazardous environments, the batteries’ electrolytes are non-spillable, as they are absorbed into the Absorbent Glass Mat separator material. w | www.enersys.com Draper Tools, a leading hand and power tool distributor is a family-run company that has been in business for just over a century and has more than 5,000 UK and overseas customers. A ‘RED LEDGE WMS’ warehouse management system now sits at the heart of the company’s 15,000-SKU operation. The WMS is integrated with Draper Tools’ IBM ERP (enterprise resource planning) and Knapp automated picking systems and is capable of updating inventory in real time. Other, WMS-driven functions include a volumetric packing optimiser, automated labelling and carrier management. The company’s 100+ mobile scanners that are now used by its warehouse teams are also driven by the Red Ledge WMS. Future objectives include greater automation of Draper Tools’ export order fulfilment. w | www.redledge.co.uk w | www.drapertools.com TOYOTA MATERIAL HANDLING says everyone is focused on safety right now and gloves, masks and sanitiser are the essentials that everyone is thinking about, but remember the importance of Thorough Examinations as part of the approach to health and safety. The company says it’s important to be aware that unlike MOTs, there is no revision of Thorough Examination guidance from the CFTS, FLTA, BITA or HSE - they still need to be completed as normal. As a critical part of maintaining workplace safety, Thorough Examinations help to maintain essential services, reduce component failures, damage and accidents. Toyota says with its CFTS accredited 32-point check customers can be sure that the equipment is thoroughly inspected. Toyota’s independent team of CFTS specialists have years of experience and are highly skilled in the examination of materials handling equipment. t | 0370 850 1402 w | www.toyota-forklifts.co.uk SICK says its innovative 3D camera and SensorApp solution has enabled rapid, damage-free guidance of automated and driver-assisted high-bay forklifts into pallet pockets, as well as the precise and efficient pick- up of dollies by automated guided vehicles (AGVs).The SICK Pallet Pocket and SICK Dolly Positioning SensorApps run on SICK’s Visionary T-AP 3D time-of- flight snapshot camera. They promise to cut out delays associated with lining up both automated and manual forklifts to load pallets in high-bay warehouses, as well as positioning AGVs to collect dollies. The new Apps, developed in SICK’s AppSpace software environment, work by positioning the camera in front of the pocket or dolly chassis within a working range of 1.5m to 3m. t | 01727 831121 e | andrea.hornby@sick.co.uk w | www.sick.co.uk Smooth docking for pallets Working to support the country’s essential services in this unprecedented time, loading bay solution specialist THORWORLD INDUSTRIES reports it has devised safe practice methods to continue operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing the company to both assist and champion the nation’s collective combative efforts. The company says by adopting a ‘complete compliance’ operational approach regarding social distancing and safe working systems at its Derbyshire factory, the manufacturer has been able to continue supplying emergency loading apparatus to hospital environments where COVID-19 patients are being treated. Although factory operations may have been functioning at a reduced capacity, the Thorworld team has successfully fulfilled key and essential loading equipment orders, including apparatus required within extremely short lead times. e | info@thorworld.co.uk. Supplying solutions, supporting the frontline Thorough Examinations Tooling up A new RTITB Accreditation solution has been launched to improve safety by assessing and accrediting an organisation’s entire MHE operation, not just its basic operator training. The solution, exclusively for organisations delivering materials handling operator training in-house, is said to be the first of its kind in the transport and logistics industry. “Our newly updated RTITB Accreditation solution is specifically designed to improve business efficiency through proactive risk reduction, in- house resilience and continued improvement,” says Nick Welch, technical director for RTITB, a leading UK workplace transport training accrediting body, explaining an annual MHE training and operations compliance HealthCheck is included at no extra charge as part of the new in-house RTITB Accreditation. t: 01952 520207 e | solutions@rtitb.com w | www.rtitb.com ATEX batteries bring advantages New MHE Accreditation launches 36 | Plant & Works Engineering www.pwemag.co.uk June 2020 Handling, Storage, & Logistics