Britvic have been using Joloda Hydraroll automatic loading docks for 25 years so when the opportunity came to automate their factory loading, the Trailerskate system was the obvious choice.
Before the Trailerskate system, the trucks in the shuttle were loaded by forklifts which takes around 20 minutes per trailer, now they can load in just 2 minutes.
Each load is 30 tonnes, 26 pallets of heavy cans load quickly and easily into the truck and they are then offloaded at the NDC using the automatic Trailerskate offloading.
With no forklift trucks in the loading and only 3 trailers in the fleet, the loading bay area is free from traffic and becomes a safer working area. The driver operates the system, loads the trailer before driving off, so overall this is a one-man operation.
Joloda Hydrarolls Trailerskate system is perfectly designed to automate loading for medium to long shuttle hauls and can integrate with any conveyors or warehouse equipment
With long skates to perform the loading and unloading, there is no technology in the trailer except for four simple tracks on the floor.
The Trailerskate system is fitted with 4 off 13.6 metre long skates. When the full 26 pallets are accumulated on the dock then the skates are elevated by means of an airbag system located within the skate. The skates are then driven into the trailer by means of a drive chain. The trailers are fitted with 4 off simple steel tracks into which the skates run. Once the full load is in the trailer the air is extracted out of the skates and the load is then placed onto the trailer deck. The skates are then withdrawn onto the dock awaiting the next load.