Innovative warehouse extension
Pallet-Track has invested £1.5 million in an innovative new canopy-style extension to its Wolverhampton head office and distribution centre in order to increase capacity and drive more business through the hub.
The company has created three canopies alongside its 267,000 sq ft hub in Millfields Road which will accommodate the loading of an additional four vehicles at any given time.
The canopies – two for loading and one for scanning – will increase the speed and efficiency of movement of up to 250 trailers in a hub that is already handling more than 10,000 pallets a night.
The new structures also remove the volume of pallets from the operating floor of the DC and further enhances the blemish-free health and safety environment by increasing the safe work areas within the facility.
Since the canopies have been in place, more than 2,500 pallets have already been loaded through the extension.
Pallet Track was looking at ways of freeing up capacity, while optimising the movement of vehicles within the same tight time windows, without compromising service.
“We have created a system within a system so that we can get more vehicles through the hub while at the same time increasing our overall capacity,” said Nigel Parkes, managing director and founder of Pallet-Track.
“Because we are a ‘can-do’ company, we needed to find a solution that did not stretch us financially, but delivered maximum payload within the confines of the existing building.
“In April we will be commencing our outbound consignments into Europe as part of our agreement with Hellmann Logistics Worldwide, so optimising the space at our main hub was central to our plans. We are also approaching one of our busiest times of the year, and expect to break through our 10,000 pallets per night record in early April.”
