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Upgrades improve the flow at Chivas Brothers

Upgrades improve the flow at Chivas Brothers
Renowned distillers Chivas Brothers could raise a glass themselves to celebrate the success of the upgrades to their Kilmalid bottling plant.

The Scotch whisky and premium gin arm of the drinks giant Pernod Ricard, Chivas Brothers markets a range of famous spirits, producing some 20 million cases per year. From its bottling plant at Kilmalid, northwest of Glasgow – one of the largest in Scotland – Chivas Brothers distributes leading brands including Ballantine’s, Beefeater Gin and Malibu to more than 150 countries around the world.

Modernisation programme
To ensure that Chivas Brothers could continue to support the increasing worldwide demand for its products, the company decided to invest in a multi-million-pound refurbishment of its conveying, palletising, shrink wrapping, storage and dispatch systems at Kilmalid. In a carefully planned 3-year upgrade programme – undertaken in four phases, each tendered for separately – Chivas Brothers required its 25-year-old equipment to be replaced by equally reliable and robust systems, yet without any disruption to its processing of orders. The control systems for each of the four contracts were supplied by Autotech Controls Ltd, working in partnership with the handling systems main contractor, Excel Automation.


Phased upgrades
Phase one comprised the refurbishment of eight automatic stacker cranes and the new control system specified for the cranes included the latest generation of intelligent Rockwell AC drive system with full closed-loop control via laser positioning devices on the horizontal and vertical movements. This technology eliminates the need for on-board PLC controllers, provides improved functionality and has increased the throughput of the warehouse for Chivas Brothers. The project also included the fitting of two-man manual drive cabs, equipped with HMIs (Human/Machine Interfaces), to facilitate stock checking within the high-bay stores.

The second phase of the upgrade programme involved replacing the seven existing shrink wrapping machines with two new, high-speed wrappers and replacing the warehouse infeed pallet conveyors. Phase three involved the replacement of seven palletisers with eight new ones, and the replacement of case conveyors from the production hall to the palletisers. The final phase saw the twelve dispatch lanes that fed old clamp-type pallet exchangers replaced with an improved pallet exchange system, including laser-guided AGVs (automated guided vehicles).

Improved throughput
Autotech’s scope of supply included all the control systems for the carton conveyors, pallet conveyors, palletisers and stacker cranes. The company’s proven control solutions – combined with careful planning and project management by the Chivas Brothers, Excel and Autotech teams – not only allowed order processing at Kilmalid to be maintained seamlessly throughout the upgrade programme, but also resulted in an increase in throughput at the site.


www.autotech.co.uk


Upcoming Exhibitions
February 2012 - Modex - 6th to 9th February
ProMat2011 was a very successful show with attendees stating they have plans to spend $ 75 billion in materials handling equipment and technology in the next 18 months.
March 2012 - Logimat Stuttgart - 13th to 15th March
Between 13 and 15 March 2012, the 10th 'International Trade Fair for Distribution, Materials Handling and Information Flow', LogiMAT 2012, will be putting on a comprehensive show of innovative products, services and the latest solutions in the intralogistics sector. In its anniversary year LogiMAT is taking up the entire north wing of the Stuttgart Trade Fair Centre
May 2012 - AMHSA - 2nd May 2012
A one-day event for Supply Chain Directors and Senior Logistics Managers to discuss the developments in material handling over the next five years and the key role that automation and software will play.
 Keynote speaker: Lord Digby Jones


June 2012- Transfairlog - 12th to 14th
transfairlog is the name of a new specialist trade fair for international transport and logistics management, taking place for the first time from 12 to 14 June 2012 in Hamburg. transfairlog is aimed at companies involved in the import and export transport chain. It focuses on ocean and inland shipping, forwarding services and operational equipment, warehouse optimisation and process control, container cranes and electric stackers and lots more – in short transfairlog is about the optimisation of international freight transports and logistics processes. The fair covers the full spectrum in the transport and logistics market.
 
June 2012 - CSCO Forum - 18th to 20th June
The Chief Supply Chain Officer Forum is the most elite gathering of the Heads of North America’s Best-in-Class supply chains. Nowhere else will you find a greater concentration of top executives sharing strategies and engaging in board-level discussion and debate.
 
If your role depends on knowing the key supply chain management strategies of the industry leaders, and meeting and developing relationships with the executives who lead those supply chains, then you cannot afford to miss this event!
 
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June 2012 - 3PL Summit - 18th to 20th June
eyefortransport's 10th 3PL Summit, co-located with the Chief Supply Chain Officer Forum, form  the most elite meeting place for senior supply chain executives on the one hand, and the CEOs of the largest 3PLs on the other.  Discover the growth strategies of the industry leaders at their only meeting place.
 
Join the highest level, most cutting edge forum for the industry executives who are driving their organisations and their careers towards a new era of innovation and success.
 
Register to attend the most game-changing event in the industry today.
June 2012 - 3PL Awards - 19th June
Each year the eyefortransport 3PL Awards aim to recognize those 3PLs that continuously deliver excellence in logistics operations and superior service to their customers. The awards are decided on by 3PL customers - the manufacturers and retailers who depend upon and work with logistics service providers every day.
 
As such, these awards take on a special significance, and the winners can feel confident in the knowledge that their customers have chosen them as best of breed partners in supply chain excellence.
June 2012 - SIL - 5th to 8th June
The fourteenth edition of the International Logistics and Material Handling Exhibition (SIL 2012), which will be held from 5th to 8th June at Fira de Barcelona Gran Vía venue, has just presented its slogan.


September 2012 - Material Handling - 27th to 30th
The Material Handling World Expo is an endeavor
which is specifically designed to present an array of
developments in the material handling segment of the
industry. With an exhibition area spread over 10,000
Sq. Mtrs. and a guarantee of over 100 participants
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October 2012 - CILF - 15th to 17th October 2012
The 7th China (Shenzhen) International Logistics and Transportation Fair (CILF2012) shall be held on Oct. 15-17, 2012. （Mon.-Wed.）
 
March 2013 - IMHX - 19th to 22nd March
After a hugely successful event in November 2010, a large number of IMHX exhibitors have rebooked for the next show in March 2013.
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