Three tier battery bank

Co-operative Food Retail Logistics called on EnerSys to help optimise the warehouse space at its new distribution centre at Birtley in County Durham by minimising the area required for charging warehouse truck batteries. The solution was to build a three-tier battery bank - with potential to go even higher - served by a unique electric-powered changing cart, believed to be the first of its type in the EU to work without hydraulics.

This novel installation forms part of an advanced battery management system to meet Co-operative Food Retails Logistics' key objectives of best practice and sustainability.

Sophisticated charging and allocation procedures as well as remote diagnostic facilities ensure optimum performance over an extensive projected working life for the batteries and warehouse trucks.

"This new installation continues the policy employed at our other sites and provides a good benchmark for the group," says Chas Shepperson, national MHE fleet manager at Co-operative Food Retail Logistics. "We have a strong relationship with EnerSys and they went out of their way to listen and devise what we wanted."