A Link 51 pallet racking layout which centres on a very narrow aisle design and the comprehensive use of pick and drop stations is helping Europe’s largest manufacturer of malted ingredients to maximise its storage efficiency. The 1,200 pallet position layout at Muntons in Stowmarket provides an active link between the manufacturing and despatch processes from where a range of products such as malt extract, malt flour and malt flakes are forwarded to the company’s customers both in the UK and worldwide.
“Our manufacturing centre is operational 24 hours per day whereas the warehouse is only active for 16 hours per day,” says warehouse manager Nicki Milner. “Link 51’s inclusion of the pick and drop stations in the design plays a crucial role in this regard as they allow material manufactured overnight to be located at the end of the appropriate aisle for location into the racking the following day. This helps with the smooth operation of the facility and enhances the overall tidiness of the warehouse floor.”
A total of seven pallet levels are available across a facility that is designed to accommodate two standard 1200 x 1000 mm pallets per bay, each weighing up to one tonne. The products are packaged ahead of despatch with access throughout the facility achieved via a man-up forklift truck unit.
