Essentra Components

Two-Phase Warehouse Design and Installation Project

Phase One

As the origins of Essentra Components – Moss Plastics, based in the UK, manufactures and distributes a broad range of injection and dip moulded components serving a wide range of industries.
As part of the first project working with Essentra, SEC conducted a design and feasibility study which determined that a three-tiered mezzanine floor and staircase system could be installed with great effect.

Lift access was also built in throughout the floors, and a picking tower was also implemented to optimise warehouse manoeuvrability with the pallet racking installation also featuring mesh decks and dividers.

Phase Two

Building on the existing highly effective multi-tier structure, Essentra needed an intelligent solution to fulfil their ever-developing distribution needs by maximising current and future requirements. SEC began by conducting an extensive in-depth operational analysis using customer data in conjunction with Essentra’s warehouse management team, in order to create an optimal solution.

Challenges – It was found that staff members were using an estimated 20% of their shift time waiting for the elevator to arrive; the primary form of goods transport across the floors which caused inefficient use of their time.

Furthermore, the company’s VNA pallet racking – due to its restrictive aisle size – would only permit one person down the aisle at any one time. This proved to be a rather expensive system concerning both time and money.

Intelligent Warehouse Design – SEC devised a warehouse design solution that enabled the extension of the existing multi-tier picking structure into the VNA racking system. This increased the picking capacity within the existing multi-tier whilst saving time and expenditure, negating the need for new materials.

To maximise product distribution and reduce elevator wait times SEC installed a multi-level, automated conveyor system, complete with custom intelligence, to serve each of the floors and spiral goods chute for the despatch of picked goods. The conveyor has a 400mm slat-belt for the handling of specified Tote box sizes; connection bridges assist with the flow of product from the process are; a swing arm diverts then distribute the product to various floors and gravity rollers with weight sensors force the system to shut off when there is an overload.

This redistribution of space has allowed Essentra to expand overall storage capacity, greatly saving on forklift truck rentals, employee wait times & operational expenditure.

Key features:

• The conversion of existing VNA pallet racking enables the extension of the multi-tier structure, whilst delivering financial savings & increased pick capacity.
• The installation of a fully automated, multi-floor conveyor system returns an estimated 20% reduction of employee lift wait times. The system is able to identify product type & intelligently deliver goods to various levels with additional product overload safety measures.
• On the opposite end, a dedicated goods chute allows for the quick transportation of product to the packing area

What our clients said about us

“The whole project has gone extremely well and has been delivered on cost and on time. SEC worked closely with Moss, ensuring the design maximised the available storage cube and continuing operations were maintained throughout the installation period.”
Maurice Callan – Operations Director