Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
Provider of precision heating and plumbing components, Altecnic, are investing £100,000 to create an industry-leading, international standard distribution centre at their headquarters in Staffordshire.
Their warehouse facilities are being further developed in response to increasing demands for effective supply chain solutions. 90 people are employed at the facility and the adjoining offices which cover 70,000 square feet of land in Stafford. The warehouse serves installers, plumbers, specifiers and trade counters across the UK and Ireland.
There has been an advanced barcode system installed that identifies each unique location within the facility and allows multiple orders to be amalgamated and pick from one area for several discrete picking lists. The items are then returned to a central area for second stage picking and order collation, improving stock control and productivity.
Energy-efficient materials handling equipment has also been introduced, including a mixed fleet of high-level order pickers and reach trucks. The majority of the fleet is electric, saving on running costs and benefiting from zero emissions.
Operations manager at Altecnic, Simon Grocott said: “This is a facility to be proud of and we are also proud of the high level of service we provide. But, what I am most pleased with is how our distribution teams rise to the challenge every day. Whether its forklift movements or picking and packing, the investment we put into our people means that we train and retain the very best staff, which can only be good for customers.”
