Millers Oils is a leading independent blender of advanced engine oils, lubricants and fuel additives, supplying to the global industrial and commercial automotive market. The Brighouse headquartered business sells 11 million litres of product each year, with its motorsport oil used by World Rally Championship driver Martin Prokop among others.
2,500 products or pack lines are managed through the site every year to meet the demands of customers across the world, so pressure to produce and deliver constantly and on time is intense. When Supply Chain Manager, Lisa Shepherdson reviewed the material handling fleet, reliability was the key factor: “We have 17 lorries that need loading and unloading every day, a warehouse facility with thousands of pallets to be picked and transported and a production area where packed and unpacked materials have to be transported efficiently and accurately. Our material handling equipment has to work as effectively and quickly as possible to support the entire operation.”
Cesab dealership Spartan Forklifts of Bradford was one of several material handling suppliers invited to bid to Millers Oils, with four different forklift brands trialled by the company. Cesab was chosen as a result of its high reliability, quality manufacturing and the service levels provided by Spartan. Three Cesab M318 forklifts, three Cesab R214 reach trucks, three Cesab P320 powered pallet trucks, one Cesab B215 electric forklift and a Cesab B418 are now in use at Brighouse The Cesab M318 four wheel and Cesab B215 three wheel counterbalanced forklifts are used to move raw materials and filled packaging in the production area. Both trucks have been modified to reduce their mast height to fit through the low ceiling heights in the doors.
These forklifts feature Cesab’s Intelligent Mast Design, a series of smart, innovative features that help forklift operators to work more easily and safely and achieve quicker workplace operations. Superior visibility is achieved through two FFL cylinder providing operators with superior forward vision through the mast. The Cesab R214 reach trucks and Cesab P320 powered pallet trucks are used in the warehouse where they take pallets from the racking for picking. The Cesab R214 is designed for operator comfort enabling drivers to work quickly and easily, which leads to higher productivity in the workplace. Drivers are helped by excellent visibility all around the truck, 360° steering and programmable controls. The Cesab P320 is a heavy-duty powered pallet truck for high intensity applications and long travel distances.
As with all Cesab products, the Cesab equipment in use at Millers Oils has been made in Europe in ISO 14001 certified factories using TPS, one of the world’s most respected manufacturing systems.
“The service from Spartan has been exemplary. Cesab engineers are available whenever we need them, although the build quality of the Cesab trucks and their reliability means that breakdowns are a rare occurrence. This ensures that we can operate productively and continue to meet the demands of our customer base around the world.” Lisa Shepherdson, Supply Chain Manager, Millers Oils.