15.12.2014 B&B Attachments helps improve productivity at DHL/Coors


B&B Attachments helps improve productivity at DHL/Coors

Tradeteam Ltd is part of the world's largest logistics company, DHL, and is the UK’s leading drinks logistics business. Formed in 1995, its sole aim was to offer brewers, drinks brand owners and retailers cost savings through a number of tailored services. DHL’s multi award-winning drinks logistics arm has successfully renewed elements of its Primary Distribution and National Distribution Centre contracts with Molson Coors in Burton-on-Trent.

Tradeteam has provided a ‘Primary’ logistics service between the brewery, Tradeteam depots and customer on behalf of Molson Coors since 2008, delivering 65,000 loads a year. It is responsible for the storage and despatch of products to Molson Coors customers.

On a daily basis, the National Distribution Centre in Burton-on-Trent receives containers of cased beer with a loading height of 2400mm. The time-consuming task of reducing the height of this somewhat problematic load was previously carried out manually by two people. To improve efficiency and safety, B&B Attachments, the UK’s leading supplier of forklift truck attachments, supplied the logistics company with an innovative LayerMaster attachment.

B&B’s revolutionary LayerMaster clamp is specifically designed to cope with palleted loads that require splitting for easier handling and storage. The LayerMaster eliminates manual handling and helps prevent damage to the load.

Very versatile, the LayerMaster can lift a third of a 2400mm high pallet at a time, or alternatively just a single layer of boxes, thereby enabling the load to be quickly broken down or built up, by clamping single or multiple layers. This ensures products are handled quickly and safely with a minimum use of resources.

The LayerMaster can be adjusted for a wide range of products. It operates by making contact with the load on all four sides and requires minimal force to lift, thereby eliminating any possible damage to the packaging or product. Where multiple layer weights or varying products need to be handled, a special pressure valve with three different pressure ranges can be supplied and fitted by B&B Attachments’ qualified engineers.

Graham Toon, Site Service Manager at the Tradeteam National Distribution Centre in Burton-on-Trent comments “We could not be happier with the LayerMaster attachment. It has already become an integral part of our operation, enabling faster loading, unloading and end of line support. A job that previously took two people a considerable length of time is now completed in a tenth of the time and by a reduced work force.  More importantly, it has dramatically reduced the risk of injuries and accidents to our workforce. ”

Established over 30 Years ago, B&B Attachments Ltd offer the largest range of products from a single source. With customers throughout the UK and Europe, B&B continues to build on its reputation for offering the most comprehensive aftercare service available in the attachment field.