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UNICARRIERS UPGRADES STACKERS FOR NEXT-LEVEL PRODUCTIVITY

UniCarriers has launched an upgraded series of compact pedestrian stackers with state-of-the-art features designed to enhance operator comfort and productivity.  As the latest innovations in the world-class UniCarriers portfolio of market-leading stackers, the CSW125 compact pedestrian stacker and CDW125 compact pedestrian stacker for double pallet handling are ideally suited to cross-docking applications.

These compact pedestrian stackers excel at shop replenishment, order picking and short-distance internal transportation in environments such as warehouses, supermarkets and production areas.  The narrow chassis of just 660mm allows easy working in tight spaces while achieving lift heights of up to 2090mm.  Due to its low weight, the single stacker CSW125 is especially valuable if working on mezzanine floors.

In good hands

The CSW125 and CDW125 stackers now feature a new advanced ergonomic tiller head that offers greater operator comfort thanks to large rocker buttons optimally placed for better access. The robust and impact-resistant tiller head is IP65 rated against water and dust damage and is completely weatherproof to withstand all conditions when working indoors and out. This minimises maintenance and downtime to ensure lower total cost of ownership. The tiller arm is designed to reduce stress on the operator’s arms and hands enabling them to stay comfortable and focused over long shifts.

The compact pedestrian stackers have also been upgraded with a new speed regulated electric proportional valve for controlled lifting/lowering and smooth handling. This supports maximum throughput and efficiency as operators can quickly, confidently and safely handle goods.

Adapt to your application

UniCarriers is dedicated to delivering high-performance trucks built to meet the ever-increasing market demand for efficiency and adaptability.  That’s why the CSW125 and CDW125 compact pedestrian stackers come with a range of new options including an advanced multi-function display, battery creep, an audible battery level warning, service alarm, automatic log off, and the ability to revert to low speed at log off. Pedestrian stackers can play a vital role in every part of the pallet handling chain from intake to dispatch, and to increase uptime, UniCarriers utilises a modular build using fewer components for faster repairs and servicing. It’s all part of UniCarriers full-maintenance site support.

The CSW125 and CDW125 are available now. For more information visit:

https://www.unicarrierseurope.com/uk/products/stackers/csw125

https://www.unicarrierseurope.com/uk/products/stackers/cdw125

 

ICELAND DEVELOPS NEW HEAVILY REDUCED PLASTIC PACKAGING FOR ICE CREAM RANGE

Iceland is launching more own-label products with heavily reduced plastic packaging, as the supermarket continues to tackle the issue of plastic.

The supermarket is launching carton board seda packaging for its Made in Italy ice-cream range, which will see a 92% plastic reduction compared to the previous packaging and deliver an 84.5 tonnes annual plastic reduction.

The new packaging will be launched across five flavours – Italiano Vanilla, Italiano Caramel Swirl, Italiano Mint Chocolate Chip, Italiano Triple Chocolate, Italiano Strawberries & Cream – and will be available in stores across the UK.

Iceland will monitor customer feedback for its new packaging across stores, continuing to gather insights into how consumers respond to plastic-free packaging alternatives.

Richard Walker, Managing Director of Iceland, said: “Reducing our plastic footprint continues to remain a high priority for Iceland as we redevelop our own-label packaging. Our team of experts and suppliers are developing innovations that are leading the way in our industry.”

“Despite the challenges we have faced reducing our plastic packaging, we are still showing other businesses that it is possible to significantly reduce plastic packaging across products that were once covered in the material. This is a long journey and we are still striving towards a future without the heavy reliance on plastic.”

For further information on Iceland’s plastic reduction progress to date, please visit sustainability.iceland.co.uk.

BRAKES ANNOUNCES A FURTHER £500,000 INVESTMENT TO TACKLE HOLIDAY HUNGER

Brakes, the UK’s leading foodservice wholesaler, has pledged £500,000 over the next five years to support Meals & More in its ongoing fight to end holiday hunger.

Founded by Brakes in 2015, Meals & More has supported thousands of families, providing them with healthy, nutritious food in a safe and enriching environment during the school holidays when support for vulnerable children is not so readily available.

The charity has grown significantly in recent years, as the impact of COVID-19 has seen many more people join the millions that were already living in poverty.  During 2021, Meals & More supported more than 750,000 meals through packed meals and food parcels as the pandemic took its toll on communities.

Peter Jackson, Sysco GB CEO, said: “The latest tranche of funding will mean that we’ve invested more than £1m in supporting the aims and ambitions of Meals & More.  When we started the charity in 2015, holiday hunger was not well understood, and our mission was to create a movement to put an end to holiday hunger by bringing the issue to government and the public’s attention.

“Fast forward almost seven years and it’s very much on the public agenda and we’ve made so much progress in that time.  Sadly, however, it seems that in these challenging times, the work of Meals & More is even more important to many families.  We look forward to helping the charity continue its valuable work in the coming years.”

The investment in Meals & More aligns to Brakes parent company Sysco’s purpose, which is to connect the world to share food and care for one another.  Globally, Sysco will generate $500m worth of good in its global communities by 2025.

Peter McGrath, Operations Director at Meals & More, said: “We are delighted that Brakes remains so passionate about our work.  Without their support, which spreads far beyond generous financial donations, the charity wouldn’t have been able to achieve anywhere near as much as we have.  On behalf of all the families that we’ve helped, we thank Brakes and our other supporters for their continuing support.”

THE TRUE COST TO WRAP A PALLET

How do you calculate the cost of your wrapping operations?

It’s all too easy to look at the initial price of a roll of film and assume that’s all you need to consider when ordering wrap, but does a cheaper roll provide good value for money when used?

Based on your current film specification, how much material do you use for each pallet?

If you wrap a large amount of product each day or week, you may find yourself going through a significant amount of thicker or less efficient film, which may raise your overall wrapping costs in the medium to long term.

Furthermore, budget films may not provide enough tension to maintain high integrity for your pallets in storage or transit, potentially losing stability over a short period of time. This results in potential damage to interior packaging and product; additional costs that may need to be considered when shipping.

Changing to a high-quality specialist wrap may, at first, appear to increase the initial cost per roll… but the benefits gained in terms of efficiency and performance will make vastly greater long-term savings.

We’ve listed just a few reasons why this is below:

 

1: High Stretch

Our Goliath hand films stretch 100 percent when used, whereas standard hand films can only stretch 25 percent before losing retention performance and tearing. This means that you only need to use half the material to secure a pallet for shipment. Similarly, our Goliath and ExcelAir machine films can stretch between 100 and 300 percent, which means that each roll can wrap far more pallets than a conventional film. As a result, far less wrapping material is required for each load shipped.

2: Reduced Ordering Costs

You can reduce the number of rolls required for your wrapping operations by using specialised stretch film that travels two or three times the distance (yield) of standard stretch film. Further optimisation of the wrap configuration is possible due to the films amazing performance. This reduces purchasing costs, frees up valuable storage space, and reduces the time spent replacing finished reels. In addition, fewer deliveries result in reduced transport costs, fuel usage and emissions.

3: Maintain Quality

Reduced material use does not imply decreased quality. Specialist films have a high durability and tension, ensuring the integrity and safety of the pallet throughout its journey. This also improves the presentation of your goods on the pallet, allowing for easy bar-code reading and a clear view of your primary products.

4: Reduce Waiting Times

Perforated films allow hot or moisture-laden products to cool or dry while being wrapped, eliminating the need for dedicated time and space in your busy operations. ExcelAir can cut your cooling times by more than 50 percent, saving you both time and money.

5: Return on Investment

We understand that your primary revenue is dependent on your products. Our films have been designed to protect and preserve your shipments, with the goal of minimising damage or spoilage of loads. This results in higher profit margins on each consignment delivered.

6: Film Waste

Our Goliath films have reinforced edging, which not only ensures a stronger, more reliable wrap, but also allows rolls to be dropped, thrown, or run over without tearing, unlike standard films, which will continue to tear in use. Due to performance issues, we estimate that approximately 13% of standard pallet wrap is discarded without being used. This must be considered during the purchasing process, as the cost of waste could be used to purchase a better product.

7: Staff Productivity

Employees who dislike using pallet wrap is common in fast-paced warehousing and distribution. Standard films require far more effort to use because they are not flexible and cannot deal with protrusions, increasing the risk of strain and injury. Unreliable film, which frequently tears and fails, can frustrate and reduce productivity, especially near the end of a shift. Goliath film requires far less effort and your employees will appreciate your investment in their tools.

By embracing the latest technology in high performance films, you can reduce film usage by up to 70% and costs by 50%.

It is not a difficult or lengthy procedure.

Goliath and ExcelAir films can be easily installed on existing machinery or introduced for hand wrapping, with no extra effort!

BFFF’S NEW CEO TAKES UP OFFICE AT LONG BENINGTON

As I write this on my second day at the BFFF, I have been given an excellent welcome by the team and am being shown the ropes by Richard Harrow. Big shoes to fill I know, but I am very much looking forward to it.

Originally farming for the Co-operative Farms, I then spent 19 years working in three roles for the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), a membership association that represents members with land or businesses in rural areas. The CLA is in effect the rural business equivalent to BFFF.

I join the BFFF as consumers are concerned about inflation and their cost of living. The frozen food industry offers consumers and professional kitchens options to manage their inflation challenges which will only become more important in the coming months.

Also, with thoughts on the environment on every agenda and the effect that waste can have on it, the role that frozen food can play in reducing food waste is becoming a compelling argument for the industry.

I am looking forward to meeting members of the federation this year and getting an understanding of your businesses, including how the BFFF can continue to provide you with a vital and impressive service.

Please feel free to reach out to Claire Mathieson if you would like to get a date in the diary.

Rupert Ashby, CEO

Carlsberg Fined £3m following 2016 Ammonia Gas Leak

Carlsberg has been fined £3 million after a contractor died and another was seriously injured following an ammonia gas leak at one of its breweries.

The incident happened at Carlsberg’s site in Northampton. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found Carlsberg hadn’t put proper controls in place.

Father-of-two David Chandler, 45, was killed and David Beak, now 57, was seriously injured.

David Chandler was a father of two, from Bridge North, Shropshire. His family today said they welcomed the end of the case against Carlsberg and hoped no other families would have to suffer as they have.

Birmingham Crown Court heard that at its Northampton brewery Carlsberg had failed to put in place appropriate isolation controls to prevent exposure to ammonia before work started to remove a compressor from a refrigeration system.

The Principal Contractor for the project was Crowley Carbon UK Ltd, which had appointed numerous contractors to assist in the works.

On 9 November 2016 while the compressor was being removed, there was a large, uncontrolled release of ammonia.

David Chandler and David Beak were both employees of sub-contractor Speedrite NE Ltd.

Twenty people needed hospital checks after showing symptoms of ammonia exposure. It was several days before the leak was contained and gas levels dropped to a safe level. David Beak, of Failsworth in Oldham, was seriously injured.

Carlsberg Supply Company UK Ltd, who were summonsed under their new company name of Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company, pleaded guilty to charges under Section 2(1) and Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, and Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. The company was fined £3 million with costs of £90,000.

Mr Chandler’s family, in a statement, said: “We welcome the conclusion of the prosecution case against Carlsberg UK Supply Company Ltd following the death of David five and half years ago.

“As a family we will never fully accept the death of David in such tragic but preventable circumstances and the legal process involved has been emotionally exhausting as well as frustrating given the length of time which has lapsed since the accident.

“We are pleased that improvements have been made at Carlsberg’s site in Northampton which will hopefully ensure no other families suffer the anguish we have endured since November 2016 when the failings at the brewery resulted in the deadly release of ammonia gas which caused David’s death.

“David was a loving husband, adoring Daddy and much-loved brother and Uncle. We are devastated that his young family will not be able to share their lives with him as they grow. He was a larger-than-life character whose loss has left a massive void nothing can replace.

“There have already been so many special and precious moments which David has missed out on and the fact that there will continue to be some many more as his daughters grow into young ladies breaks all our hearts daily. He is missed every day, and our lives will not ever be the same without him.”

HSE principal inspector Samantha Wells said: “Industry guidance on safe isolation of plant should have been followed. This would have ensured that a higher level of isolation was in place, for prevention of exposure to this highly toxic and flammable substance.

“Both the client, Carlsberg, and the Principal Contractor should have worked together to ensure that the risk was adequately managed. Not only Carlsberg had a duty here. There was also a very clear duty on the Principal Contractor.

“This underlines the dangers of not following industry guidance when working with toxic and flammable substances – HSE will take action against all who fail to ensure the safety of employees and others who may be exposed to danger.

“Projects involving multiple contractors require effective management arrangements, so it’s clear who is responsible for every part of the work and that safety checks are carried out before allowing work to start.”

The Health and Safety Executive also brought a case against Crowley Carbon Ltd in relation to the incident which led to the death of Mr Chandler and the injuries to Mr Beak, which were also due to be tried but for the company being placed into compulsory administration by creditors.

28th June 2022

Member Benefits

Exclusive Partnership deals on key products and services:

  • BFFF energy deals and rates
  • Vypr member deals and introduction
  • Defib Plus deals
  • Company Shop – membership
  • Mentor – MHE training health check

Exclusive access to networking opportunities and events:

  • Meet the Buyer events (retail & foodservice)
  • Annual Business Conference with networking dinner
  • Specialist H&S and Technical Conferences
  • Special interest groups (packaging, frozen food temperatures)
  • Annual Lunch
  • Awards Night
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