The deal will see Jungheinrich supply electric counterbalance and power pallet forklifts across the logistics and warehousing specialist’s 14 UK sites.
Kevin Barber, head of corporate business solutions at Jungheinrich, said: "Contracts can change quite regularly in logistics and no company wants to overcommit to equipment it needs now but may not need in the future. The new contract gives Kammac a more flexible, dynamic solution where they can on-hire and off-hire trucks throughout the contract without having to give us long notice periods or pay financial penalties. It's an arrangement that enables both Jungheinrich and Kammac to be agile and responsive to our customers' needs."
Jungheinrich has truck lead times as low as 13 weeks for VNA trucks. This was a factor behind Kammac’s decision to replace its aging carriers at its Trafford Park site with a new fleet of Jungheinrich's equipment. Investment to date for this site includes 9 EKX 5 Series VNA and 12 lithium ion-powered pallet trucks, with RFID technology for aisle and position recognition.
"These are semi-automated trucks," Barber continued. "Once connected to the warehouse management system, it will tell the truck where to go. Once accepted by the user, the truck will drive itself to the point in the racking where the pallet is to be picked. It also automatically takes the pallet out of the racking in a safe manner and onto its next destination. The system standardises processes, increase throughputs and driver input is minimal."
Barber sees VNA as essential for any organisation wanting to grow its operation. "In the UK warehouse space is at a premium. The best way to optimise that space is to make aisles as narrow and as tall as you can. The trucks in this particular VNA solution achieve a 14280mm lift height.