Stand 10H27, OS2, IMHX, NEC, Birmingham, 13-16 September 2016
Impact, the UK’s sole distributor for Cat® Lift Trucks, is using IMHX to further cement its role as an official distributor for Finnish automated guided vehicle (AGV) manufacturer Rocla, by displaying one of the company’s units on its stand.
The Rocla ATX16 AGV has been tasked with serving drinks throughout the exhibition, moving safely and steadily around its own display zone. The unit has a load capacity of 1,600kg and a lifting height of 150mm – more than enough to balance a tray of refreshments – and is one of 1,000 Rocla variants Impact can offer UK companies.
The Nottingham-based materials handling equipment provider is spearheading the innovative technology’s expansion across the UK, with Impact Managing Director Terry Kendrew describing Rocla’s technology as “transformational” for the nation’s industries.
Kendrew says: “Rocla is at the forefront of AGV technology – and Impact recognises its transformative potential for the UK’s industries. Through our agreement with Rocla, we can now offer a new approach to manufacturing and logistics – and a chance to realise cost-savings that will bring down a company’s bottom line.
“Rocla’s AGVs are ideally suited to repetitive jobs – the kind a human operator may find laborious. By tasking a Rocla AGV with accomplishing that task, companies can get the most out of their workforce, and move that human operator to a more important, productive position on the production line,” Kendrew adds. “Rocla’s AGVs are relentless. They work 24/7, and can be programmed to handle just about any section of the supply chain.”
AGVs manufactured by Rocla – which has been part of Mitsubishi Nichiyu Forklift group since 2009 – share many common components with Cat® lift trucks, meaning Impact is ideally placed to help the UK’s companies adopt, optimise, install and operate the time-saving technology.
Impact’s technical training managers have undertaken a comprehensive ‘train the trainer’ programme at Rocla’s Finland headquarters, and have since passed on the skills needed to maintain the AGVs to staff manning Impact’s service and maintenance network.
Most commonly programmed to operate through laser triangulation – which sees the vehicles scanning for reflective strips placed on warehouse racking, for example – Rocla’s AGVs can navigate without the need for costly under-floor wiring installation.
Such an approach also means a company’s AGV fleet can be reprogrammed and retasked easily, and thanks to an extensive catalogue of load-handling equipment, Impact can now provide its customers with the right truck for every application.
Rocla’s AGV technology already has a firm foothold in mainland Europe, where its range of more than 1,000 AGV systems supports industries varying from dairy product manufacturing and distribution to paper mills, with more than 7,000 units already in operation.
For more information about Impact visit www.impact-handling.com .
ends
About Impact
Established in 1985, Impact is wholly owned by Eqstra Holdings and is the sole distributor for Cat® Lift Trucks for the whole of the UK and Ireland. Impact is also an agent for some of the world’s best known materials handling brands; ranging from forklift and warehouse equipment, heavy duty lift trucks, long load handling, side loaders, articulated trucks, access equipment and cranes which makes up a full complement of materials handling equipment. As one of the UK’s largest independent materials handling companies, Impact operates from 11 locations and has more than 300 employees, including in excess of 160 service engineers. It operates a combined fleet of more than 5,000 rental units, plus supports 3,000 customer-owned machines and 1,000 used assets.
Note to editor: For press information contact Andy Hemphill or Beth Laws at Garnett Keeler PR on 020 8647 4467 or by email to andy.hemphill@garnettkeeler.com / beth.laws@garnettkeeler.com . Please note colour separation enquiries will be processed by email only – send all requests to sep@garnettkeeler.com
IH/IMHX01/16
