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Excel raises spirits at Chivas Brothers

Excel Automation, the UK's leading supplier of automated materials handling systems, has recently completed a major refurbishment of two automatic storage and retrieval systems and the associated pallet conveyors for Chivas Brothers, the Scotch whisky and gin arm of Pernod Ricard.

Stephen Trainor, Project Manager for Chivas Brothers, says the Palletisation and Automatic Despatch facility in Dumbarton is one of Scotland's largest bottling plants with storage for more than 10,800 palletised loads. As it has been operational for nearly 25 years it was important that the company chosen for the refurbishment contract had the experience to deliver a reliable and robust system. Also important was Excel's ability to take responsibility from design to commissioning, with mechanical and electrical design and manufacture handled in-house at its Worcester factory.

As well as the replacement of the conveyor systems to improve the flow of palletised product into the warehouse, Excel was responsible for the total refurbishment of the eight existing narrow-aisle stacker cranes. This included extensive replacement of mechanical components such as lifting mechanisms, the installation of new motors on all crane axes, and modernisation of the safety and controls systems, the latter using the latest Rockwell AC drive systems with full close-loop control via laser positioning devices on the horizontal and vertical movements. This eliminates the need for on-board PLC controllers, improves functionality and has increased warehouse throughput by 20% to 144 pallets in/out per hour.

The new two-people "manrider" cabs installed on each crane are equipped with HMIs (Human/Machine Interfaces) that allow them to be controlled from the cab. A further HMI was fitted at the infeed to the warehouse to provide diagnostics and allow off-board manual control of each crane.

In-feed to each of the automated stores comprises a new pallet conveyor system incorporating two stretch wrappers and two pallet profile and weight checkers. The stretch wrappers feature a cutting and welding system specifically designed to eliminate film tails, which can cause hours of downtime by giving false readings to the control systems. The output from either of the stretch wrapping machines can be routed to any of the eight cranes aisles via new pallet delivery conveyor systems.

Confirming Chivas Brothers' satisfaction with the major refurbishment project Stephen Trainor says that, as Excel had clearly demonstrated its ability to manage and deliver this complex system in difficult and demanding conditions, Chivas has awarded Excel the contract for the third phase of the project.
Contact Information
For further information please contact:

Excel Automation
Marcus Hunter
Tel: 01905 721500
www.excel-automation.co.uk