Endurance test passed
Published: 05 August, 2010
DSV is a global transport and logistics specialist with offices in over 50 countries. The company has been testing three of Crown's new WT 3000 rider pallet trucks at their Neufahrn site near Munich. Neufahrn is a high-volume distribution hub for one of Germany"s leading pharmaceutical retailers, turning over 1700 pallets during each two-shift working day between 6.00 a.m. and 1.00 a.m.
A key ingredient to the success of the WT 3000 within DSV was the ongoing close collaboration between DSV and Crown. "While the truck was being developed, Crown engineers spent a lot of time on our Neufahrn site, discussing the operators’ practical experience with the WT 3000 in minute detail. They incorporated ideas and suggestions from drivers who were working with the vehicles day in, day out, directly into the development process”, explains Christian Fuchs, regional manager of the Southern Distribution Hub.
Work at DSV is especially challenging because of the fluctuating workload. Volumes can literally double from one day to the next. “Each Monday morning we may have 15,000 units to sort out and over twice that over the weekend - up to 40,000 units. We have to be flexible to keep up with our customers’ hugely variable sales levels”, asserts Fuchs. To make sure goods reach their destinations promptly, the working day at DSV stretches over two shifts – which means that each and every day of their four-year operating lives, the pallet trucks may be in use for up to 16 hours at a time.
During the test period, Crown’s new WT 3000 Series trucks were continuously exposed to ultra-demanding working conditions. Above all else, Christian Fuchs expects a new pallet truck to be durable. “We use these vehicles for loading and unloading lorries, which means they’re travelling over dock ramps hundreds of times each shift. It’s a working process that puts enormous stress on chassis and wheels, so they tend to wear out very quickly.”
The new WT 3000 Series was designed with precisely these conditions in mind, so it is extremely robust. Steel-reinforced chassis, forks and castors all help to minimise wear and tear and extend the truck’s working life. Fuchs explains: “The sheer strengths of the individual components is what I like most about the WT 3000, because thanks to them, the truck very rarely needs repairs. This means the WT 3000 stays up and running for longer, and unscheduled downtime – something we can’t afford because of the tight timeframes and enormous fluctuation in order volumes – is a thing of the past.”
For further information please visit: www.crown.com
