HP Frugtimport

23 new STILL COP-H 10 low level order pickers are helping to improve safety and efficiency in the workplace at Danish company HP Frugtimport A/S, based in Vejle. The work carried out at the fruit and vegetable wholesalers presents a number of challenges. Therefore it was a primary concern for HP Frugtimport A/S to improve the drivers' working environment with these new low level order pickers.

In the refrigerated warehouse, one orange STILL low level order picker after another moves amongst the rows of fruit and vegetables – and there's a good reason for this. HP Frugtimport A/S has purchased 23 new STILL low level order pickers of type COP-H 10 for this particular warehouse, in order to make the everyday work of the employees there simpler.

The warehouse is alive with hustle and bustle, with fruit and vegetables being packed and distributed to a large Danish chain of shops with over 150 outlets. Work is carried out seven days a week so that shops can be supplied with fresh produce, both conventional and organic, on a daily basis.

HGVs arrive between early morning and midday, and deliver goods from producers around the world to the refrigerated warehouse. The HGVs are unloaded and the goods checked, registered and temporarily stored in the picking hall, where they await the next step. Around midday, 23 employees arrive to pick a minimum of 250 orders and prepare the shipment so that the shops can open the following morning stocked with fresh goods.

"It's strenuous work for the pickers, having to process part of our annual turnover of around 330,000 pallets of fruit and vegetables every day. Without the efforts of our employees, the goods simply wouldn't reach the customer so it's important for us to ensure that the ergonomics are top quality, and that our drivers have proper work equipment that is easy to operate," explains Ib Poulsen, Operations Manager at HP Frugtimport A/S, adding: "We think the low level order pickers, with their forks which can be raised up to 800 mm, are fantastic. They provide a good working height for the picking employees. To begin with, there weren't many who made use of this benefit, but now everyone is doing so. Another advantage for the employees is that the trucks can now be accessed from either side, making them even more efficient. These access points are almost at floor level, which is extremely advantageous from a safety perspective.

For horizontal transportation, the forklift driver is well protected within the contour of the truck and has good forward visibility as the goods are transported at the rear. The truck can be operated with one hand, and by both left- and right-handers. There are also practical storage compartments with sufficient space for rolls of film and adhesive tape. Right at the front, there is a large storage shelf with a writing pad where you can neatly store order slips. When the forks are raised, the speed is reduced automatically and the forklift truck can move around with the pallet raised. 

It's quite clear to see that the employees have become accustomed to the new trucks as they drive quickly when there is enough space; they know that the pickers are stable, even when cornering. Also, the new low level order picker comes equipped with a button for pedestrian mode, whereby the COP-H continues to drive forward while the driver walks alongside," concludes Ib Poulsen.

"From this warehouse, we send top-quality fresh fruit and vegetables to a large chain of shops in Denmark every day. Some days, we deliver flowers at the same time."

Operations Manager Ib Poulsen, HP Frugtimport A/S