Hoerbiger Compression Technology (HCT) is reaping the benefits of a new storage installation from System Store Solutions which has cut both time and labour. The new storage infrastructure has reduced the distance parts travel around the shop floor by nearly a third, which extrapolates to a saving of 259 days per year.
The functionality of the storage has consequently saved 130 working days a year on raw materials handling and has reduced time taken for stock control by 50 working days per annum. The new storage equipment includes wall-mounted Eurobins, two different kinds of shelving systems, modular trolleys, and a modular bench unit with lighting.
HCT had wanted a more efficient way of handling and storing its packing rings, which make up a half of its turnover from the Bradford plant. To comply with HCT’s just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing cycle, the new bespoke storage system has introduced better accessibility and organisation with a compact system that integrates seamlessly into the factory floor environment.
The company has used the storage system to its full potential and created standardisation, which has led to profitability. “The take-up of this new system has now outstripped the supply,” says HCT operations manager Paul Smith. Its own labelling and a link to a proprietary database have further enhanced the accessibility provided by the equipment, helping staff to locate components easier and faster.
Before the new system was installed, HCT discovered that over an 18-month period the manufacturing of 115,000 packing rings involved 19,000km, equating to 454 marathons of employee walking. The new storage system demands just 13,500km, a 30% reduction in travel.
