Women's power on electric forklifts from Still

Power packs organize block storage

Not only are chipboard and MDF panels produced on the approximately 220,000 square meter site, they are also coated with melanin or lacquered on site, depending on the order. Every day, around 25,000 boards are transported by the Still electric forklifts and tractors. The raw panels are first transported from the presses to a cooling area. From here, they are transported to the sanding area and then to the melamine presses. Before the finished and finished panels are transported to the block storage area by the R07 tractors, a quality check is carried out: the panels are lifted by suction nozzles, turned at a 45-degree angle and illuminated by spotlights.

If the trained eyes of the quality team do not spot any irregularities, the panels are loaded onto pallets and transported to the block store. This is where the seven-ton electric forklifts from Still come into play. The powerhouses not only organize the block storage, but also load the trucks, which roll through the warehouse on a special lane.

More power, lower costs

Tahir Kitapci, logistics manager at the Starwood plant, is delighted with the new Still vehicles. The tasks of the electric tow tractors were previously performed by tractors, but instead of the modern RX 60 forklifts, combustion-engine forklifts from a South Korean manufacturer were used. The new forklifts are not only more powerful, but also more compact, more comfortable and more precise to operate. This makes work easier and safer.

Another advantage of electric power is the operating costs. "On a rough estimate, the operating costs of a diesel truck were around 200 euros per day. With electric forklift trucks, it's only around 80 euros," says Tahir Kitpaci. And this figure does not even include the costs for maintenance and spare parts - these are also generally higher for IC engine-powered forklifts than for electric trucks.

Even when it's hot, the forklifts don't run out of breath

When you look into the cab of a forklift truck, you often see a woman. Starwood promotes female employees in what was once a male domain.

The forklifts operate 24 hours a day in three shifts. Two batteries per vehicle are sufficient to ensure continuous availability. "One battery charge provides energy for around eight hours of operation, after which we also charge them for eight hours," explains Logistics Manager Tahir Kitapci. Even at high temperatures - in summer the temperature in the warehouse can reach 40 degrees - both the batteries and the rest of the forklift technology function absolutely reliably. The service technician responsible for Starwood is therefore a welcome but extremely rare guest.

Wood pile without soot layer

In contrast to the diesel forklifts previously used, the energy-laden powerhouses from Still do not emit any soot. "Our entire plant has been much cleaner since then and we have even been able to completely eliminate one work step," says Kitapci. Previously, Starwood had to use a special blower to remove a layer of soot caused by the diesel trucks from the wooden panels. Since Still came, saw and electrified the system, it has had its day. Starwood's customers can rely on clean wood deliveries and the employees can breathe easy.

Forklift training for women

Starwood is also proving to be an industry pioneer when it comes to its workforce. In Turkey, the job description of a forklift truck driver is largely dominated by men. However, if you take a look inside the cabins of the Still forklift trucks at Starwood, you will often see a female face. The electric tugs are even operated exclusively by women. Starwood is committed to promoting women in this field and regularly organizes forklift training courses specifically for women. "Every one of our female employees does a very good job. Many of them come from small villages and therefore already had experience of working with agricultural machinery. Some of them do their work even more carefully than their male colleagues," reports Tahir Kitapci on the positive experiences with the female workforce, who also maneuver the large electric forklifts unerringly through the warehouse.

On course for expansion

The proportion of female employees could soon increase even further, as the company is desperately looking for reinforcements. The wood panel manufacturer is expanding. An additional logistics center of around 21,000 square meters is being built not far from the existing production facilities. And there will also be a need for more industrial trucks there. Starwood's experience with Still Arser, and in particular with the powerful electric forklift trucks, bodes well for the expansion of the successful partnership.

Heiko Görtz

Contact:

Starwood Orman Ürünleri A.çs. 16400 Bursa, Turkey E-Mail:

Still GmbH 22113 Hamburg Tel.: 0 18 04 / 7 84 55 33 E-mail:[email protected] www.still.de