Jungheinrich has broken its own record: combi trucks with a lifting height of almost 18 metres. The intralogistics specialist delivered the two combi trucks to Claassen Logistics' new warehouse in Tilburg.
Claassen Logistics decided to expand its warehouse in Tilburg due to growing customer demand. In the 20-metre-high new building, the logistics provider says it operates at "unprecedented heights". Whereas in previously built parts of the warehouse, goods are stored and unloaded at a height of 12 metres, this is now done up to a height of 17.8 metres. Thanks to the extra height metres, not 25,000 but 37,000 pallets can be stored in the same area. A gain of 12,000 pallets.
Lift height of 18 metres
Jungheinrich supplied two combi trucks, type EKX 516, for inbound and outbound operations. However, deploying a combi truck at a height of almost 18 metres is no mean feat, Jungheinrich claims. The drop-off height is more than five metres higher than previously usual for these trucks. Moreover, Claassen Logistics wanted to maintain the same aisle width as in the other parts of the warehouse, so that the combi trucks could be interchanged and a high degree of flexibility was guaranteed. The combination of clearance height and maximum aisle width proved challenging.
By lengthening the chassis of the combi-trucks and reducing the travel speed and lifting capacity for the last few metres of height, Jungheinrich can ensure safe and stable operations even at 18 metres. The combi truck supplier states that the modifications hardly affect the productivity of the operation, as the pallets on the upper girders never weigh more than 500 kilos and at that height, anyway, the slow-movers are stored.
Linking WMS
The new warehouse management system (WMS) enables Claassen Logistics to link to Jungheinrich's Logistics Interface. Essential warehouse information is then sent to the truck, after which it automatically determines and chooses the optimal route to the desired storage location.
'Interesting option due to rising land prices'
"It was a unique and challenging project," Huib Claassen of Claassen Logistics looks back. "We are very satisfied with the result. The decision to go higher up has certainly not hurt us. As land prices rise, this will be an interesting option for more and more companies."
