Coca-Cola Beverages

LOCATION: VARIOUS, CZECH REPUBLIC

Coca-Cola Beverages, Czech Republic is a bottling and logistics operation

BACKGROUND

Coca-Cola Beverages has a main production facility and logistics centre in Prague with 8 other branches across the Czech Republic acting as distribution centres and providing interim storage.

Before talking to Hyster, the company had previously faced several materials handling challenges, for example:

• The company purchased trucks from multiple suppliers resulting in a mixed fleet, uneven utilisation rates and increased operational costs across the 9 sites
• High seasonal demand meant the fleet needed to expand at certain peak times. There was always a difficulty in getting hold of the right number and right type of truck on short term contracts
• There were constant technical difficulties and rising service costs

EQUIPMENT SUMMARY

The core fleet of almost 30 trucks is used in various applications throughout the 9 Coca-Cola operations from bottling to dispatch and includes:

• J1.60XMT 3-wheel electric forklift trucks
• E1.50XM 4-wheel electric forklift trucks
• E3.00XM 4-wheel electric forklift trucks
• S1.5S stackers
• P2.0S pallet trucks
• LO2.0M low level order pickers
• H3.0FT, H5.0FT and H5.5FT Fortens forklift trucks

BENEFITS HYSTER BROUGHT TO COCA-COLA BEVERAGES, CZECH REPUBLIC

• Fleet utilisation has been optimised across all 9 sites A range of tough Hyster trucks are quickly available to perform specific handling activities
• Within the contract, Hyster provides the flexibility of enlarging and reducing the fleet according to operational demands In order to manage busy, seasonal periods, Hyster provides a dedicated range of short term hire equipment
• Equipment has been standardised across the fleet benefitting the drivers with increased product familiarity and reducing overall service costs
• Productivity has improved thanks to Hyster’s reliable and easily serviceable products and service expertise
• ollowing a review of the fleet, greater efficiency has been achieved through the choice of higher capacity trucks and double pallet handling attachments, allowing more pallets to be transported simultaneously. For example, the production line is served by a 3.0T Hyster H3.0FT Fortens, that can transport two pallets at the same time. Previously this operation was served by 2x 1.5T trucks
• The H5.5FT is equipped with a raised operator compartment. For optimum visibility over tall loads, the driving position is 50cm higher than standard equipment, so that three pallets of beverages or six pallets of empty packaging can be transported at once with the double pallet handler.
• Operator morale has improved through sufficient driver training
• Ergonomics are vastly improved for operators. Hyster equipment is easy to operate and can manoeuvre in tight spaces and aisles. For example when order picking, stock is easy to access and to transport
• For the production of PET bottles, electric powered trucks replaced diesel and LPG trucks because they are primarily used indoors. The Hyster E1.50XM 4 wheel truck is highly compact for operation in the racking
• In the raw materials warehouse there is limited space, so items are transported by elevator. Maximum manoeuvrability and low truck height is crucial in the application which is provided by Hyster’s three-wheel J1.60XMT trucks, S1.5S pedestrian stacker and a P2.0S pallet truck. The same scenario occurs in syrup production

HOW DID HYSTER HELP?

1. Audited existing fleet
2. Became the single supplier for all 9 sites
3. Implemented a flexible 5-year full maintenance lease program for entire fleet which can be enlarged or reduced at any time
4. Implemented truck replacement programme. The most intensely used trucks to be replaced after 3 years
5. Provides a dedicated short term hire fleet for 6 months of the year
6. Conducts on-site training for operators
7. 7. Provides service and back-up support