Mecalux installs a special mobile cantilever rack solution for metallic profiles in Tiverton (UK)

The needs of the customer

Hepco Motion, a British company that is part of the Hepco business group, has branches and accredited distributors throughout the world and more than 40 years of experience. The company offers a wide range of products that are constantly being updated to meet the demands of their customers within the automation and other industrial sectors, offering all kinds of innovative linear movement solutions.

Due to their continued growth rate, Hepco has recently launched an expansion of its production and storage facility headquarters in Tiverton, UK.

Given that the old warehouse was used to expand production area, storage processes were moved to a new premises adjacent to the factory. In other words, the main goal put forward by Hepco Motion has been to optimize this new space, which is 53 m x 13.5 m x 6.5 m in size.

Another project requirement has been the reuse of stationary cantilever racks from the old warehouse, so that they could be integrated into the new facility.

The company entrusted Mecalux with the development and implementation of this storage project, so in addition to sorting out space requirements, it also took into consideration the specific nature of the product: profiles of various lengths.
 

The solution proposed by Mecalux

Given product characteristics and the need to maximize storage capacity, the solution proposed by the Mecalux delegation in the UK (located in Birmingham) was to install cantilever racks on Movirack mobile bases.

In all, nine Moviracks were installed, grouped in 3 blocks of 3 racks each. Each Movirack cantilever is 11 m long, which allows you to make full use of the 13.5 m wide warehouse. The three blocks of mobile rack were interspersed with the stationary cantilever racks for heavy loads that came from the old warehouse: two single, one on each end of the warehouse, and 5 double, with access on both sides.

A cantilever system is the best option for the storage of different length profiles, because the cantilever arms that support load units allow for easy, safe handling. In addition, it is possible to adapt them to the size, stiffness, tolerance, weight, etc. of the goods.

In respect to the Movirack mobile base system, its main feature is the automatic sideways movement along rails embedded into the floor. This takes up less space by eliminating unnecessary aisles, but without losing direct access to the products stored.

Consequently, each of the 3 blocks of 3 Moviracks installed only needs a single work aisle, instead of the 4 that would be needed in a conventional system. Taking into account that rack length is 11 m and aisle width is 2.6 m, this amounts to an overall space saving of more than 250 m², which has resulted in significant cost savings in the construction of the new building.
 

Advantages for the customer

In addition to achieving the immediate goal of efficient use of space, the new warehouse installed by Mecalux brought Hepco Motion other benefits:

• Higher productivity: the installation of mobile bases allows faster processing of inbound and outbound goods, optimizing product placement and workflow.
• Cost savings: the high-density nature of the mobile bases has made it possible to reduce the size of the new industrial building, requiring less surface area to achieve the desired storage capacity. The opportunity of combining mobile and stationary cantilever systems, by reusing old racks, has also resulted in cost savings.
• Optimal warehouse management: the above benefits will improve the management of warehouse processes.

As such, Hepco, with the help of Mecalux, has efficiently adapted its facilities’ to its forecasted growth and expansion, ensuring they are ready to respond to the challenges of an ever demanding market.