Annual Awards for Excellence 2008

Materials Management

Sponsored by Taygroup Limited

Winner:    Quinn Radiators in partnership Swisslog

Faced with the task of improving the handling of Quinn Radiators' large and varied product range, Swisslog set about developing automated handling for radiators.  Following successful trails with magnetic grippers they were able to incorporate this solution into a fully automated, 40 metre high, storage facility.  This has flexible size locations, and can handle 4 production pallet sizes, and pick to any of 80 despatch pallet sizes.  In operation they have been able to halve order lead-times, achieved almost 100% OTIF and reduce staff by two-thirds. The resultant savings were more than double that planned and the investment paid back within 2 years.