Aisle-Master is the right accessory for Marc Cain

Internationally renowned fashion label Marc Cain is one of the first German companies to take delivery of a narrow chassis 15E Aisle-Master articulated forklift.

A recent overhaul of storage and handling procedures was part of a major programme of investment in new premises and equipment at the HQ near Stuttgart.

The 2,300m² warehouse stores bales of textiles that are designed and produced in-house, before being dispatched to garment manufacturers across Europe.

“Setting up this facility from scratch was a good opportunity for us to review the trucks available on the market,” says Team Manager Mr. Lacher. “Space optimisation and indoor/ outdoor operation were priorities and the current combination of the Aisle-Master, narrow aisles and racking to a height of 5.4m has enabled us to achieve maximum storage density.”

The textiles are stored in specially designed folding containers which are larger than standard pallets. Aisle-widths were configured according to the containers' dimensions as well as the presence of metal posts throughout the building. Mr. Lacher: “Reach trucks would have necessitated aisle-widths of at least 3.7m, but we now have 2.2m aisles and can accommodate over 700 containers, which is very impressive.”

The 15E model with a lift capacity of 1.5t is a relatively new addition to Aisle-Master's range, designed for companies handling lighter loads in low bay applications. Marc Cain's truck was fitted with an in-cab camera system which facilitates depositing and picking in the highest bays and reduces the risk of product damage.

Its versatility allows easy loading and offloading in outdoor delivery bays. Mr. Lacher sums up: "The truck is manoeuvrable, robust, easy to operate and ideal for our requirements."