Conveyor Systems was awarded the contract to supply a storage and handling system, which included a spiral conveyor belt to transfer products to/from a mezzanine floor for the new NHS national distribution centre in Scotland.
The system had to maximise storage areas, provide optimum workflow and efficiency in order picking and fulfilment. Conveyor Systems’ proposals included plans for slower moving bulk products to be stored and picked on the mezzanine floor. Full plastic tote boxes are conveyed down a spiral belt conveyor for loading into a live storage system. The spiral belt conveyor also provides the system with maximum handling flexibility, as it can safely convey products of various sizes and weights and can operate in reverse to transfer empty tote boxes or products back from ground floor up to the mezzanine level.
Below the mezzanine floor, orders are picked from tote bins that are located in an ergonomically designed live storage racking system. The system consists of five bays, each with four levels of six tracks, capable of holding four tote boxes per track. This offers 120 picking locations and storage capacity for 480 tote bins.
Jack McIntyre, national procurement project manager, says: “The whole project has been a great success as the entire building and fit out was completed on time and within budget. By streamlining NHS Scotland Logistics it is anticipated that savings of some £9m can be achieved each year and re-invested into patient care.”
