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Wincanton’s new storage and distribution centre in Middlewich, Cheshire, is a state-of-the-art automated warehouse facility handling nutritional drinks for Glaxo Smith Kline. Middlewich has been one of Wincaton’s most successful start up projects and reflects the expertise Wincanton has developed in managing the logistics of supply chain solutions in partnership with their clients. Planning for the new facility included the creation of a flexible storage and access area using Galebreaker Industrial systems.
Middlewich has three access-bay areas. Two are set up to receive the forty to sixty loads in and thirty to fifty loads out per day that are currently being handled. In the third access-bay an area has been created where products can be stored in a controlled environment, while still maintaining direct access for all types of vehicles including articulated lorries. The sixty metre access-bay area can now be kept as a dust free zone, benefiting from excellent natural light and ventilation, as well as being fully protected from the prevailing weather around the site. This has all been achieved with easy to fit Galebreaker clip on wind shields, and large folding access doors. The front of the bay was “closed in” using two 15m wide x 7.8m high Galebreaker Maxidoors (electronically driven vertically folding doors) and two 15m wide x 7.8m Galebreaker Windshields.
The doors and shields were made using Galebreaker’s immensely strong, long lasting PVC coated mesh with built in UV protection. The system has the ability to transmit light, enhance natural ventilation and, at the same time, protect against all weather conditions, 365 days a year. Galebreaker acted as a turnkey supplier, designing the steelwork, determining structural wind loadings and fully installing the system. Paul Ireland, Operations Manager at Wincanton Middlewich, was very pleased with the installation “The service from Galebreaker was very professional, on time and hassle free. The equipment itself is of a high standard, it looks impressive and does exactly the job requested.” Wincaton’s Middlewich facility is a 35,000 pallet space high bay automated warehouse system with total tracking software. The warehousing solutions incorporate value-enhancing activities such as stock planning, product manipulation and customer service, providing Wincanton’s customers with a single source of supply chain expertise.
