Atlas shuttle the right treatment for medical products supplier
An Australian supplier of medical equipment was facing a dilemma. The company – the world's largest integrated provider of products and services for individuals undergoing dialysis – had sensitive product that couldn’t be block stacked higher than two metres, along with wasted floor space in its 3,400 SQM distribution centre (DC).
It needed to find a way to utilise the floor space more efficiently, or be forced to relocate to a new DC, away from its adjacent production facility. This was not an ideal scenario for the business.
After viewing the stow Atlas shuttle system already in operation at Fujitsu’s DC in Eastern Creek, NSW, comparing other shuttles available on the market, and considering the quality and functionality of stow’s Atlas shuttle, the company felt it could solve its storage and handling problems. Another benefit was a compelling return on investment.
The Atlas 3 shuttle system was also chosen for its high-density capability that could maximise pallets in the small footprint available, and provide the best FIFO (first in first out) solution and productivity of its forklift operators.
It was also confident in the stow installation team’s experience and capability. stow Australia, a leading supplier of storage solutions, is renowned for the quality of its European rack and the expertise of its team – something that would become crucial shortly after the project commenced.
An efficient solution, fit for purpose
Installation of the Atlas shuttle solution into the medical supplier’s DC started in February 2020, with a one-month scheduled timeframe for completion.
The Atlas shuttle is an automated and integrated deep lane pallet shuttle system that operates as a carrier, moving pallets within stow’s high-density pallet racking. The benefit of the Atlas system is that it optimises and increases storage capacity and efficiency, and reduces manual handling. Essentially, more storage locations and less forklift aisles.
In this facility, stow’s storage solution included:
- Two Atlas 3 shuttle kits
- 18 lanes of stow Atlas racking, 22 pallets deep, storing 1,782 pallets (in a 725 SQM footprint!)
- Safety mesh on the sides of the shuttle racking
Martin Bates, stow’s National Sales Manager, immediately recognised that the Atlas shuttle would be the right solution for the business.
“Sometimes, a customer presents with a challenge in its storage and handling operations that is a perfect fit for our Atlas system. This was such a company. And we were confident in our ability to deliver the project quickly and safely during the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Martin.
The Atlas shuttle solution was completed and delivered on 19 March, 2020, one month after the project commenced. stow’s customer is very happy with its new system, observing that the stow team took the time to understand its business goals and challenges, and design a solution specifically for them. And they delivered it despite the unforeseen challenges of the pandemic.
The Atlas shuttle system is already improving the storage and handling of the crucial medical products, and this inevitably will improve productivity and service levels, and importantly make life better for patients.
