Comments are circulating in the South African market that Storax mobiles are old fashioned and out-dated and do not incorporate the latest developments in base and electronic control design.
As this questions the foundation on which Barpro Storage SA was established 22 years ago, it must be discussed, especially as one local mobile racking supplier of an imported system has recently gone into liquidation, and we would be delighted to receive comment on our Storax mobiles from both current and potential future customers as Barpro Storage must keep in touch with market perceptions.
Barpro Storage’s objective has always been to install mobile racks to operate reliably and safely for the life of the facility in which they are installed.
Already we have Storax systems that have been operating for over 25 years in South African freezer stores in some of the most difficult conditions imaginable. If our quotes are sometimes more expensive than our competitors it’s because our mobiles are designed to last, and have proved they do.
In order to deliver on our objective, Barpro Storage has set up a factory in Cape Town which supplies all mechanical and electrical components. This facility has been established with the assistance of our principals, Storax Engineered Storage Solutions, with whom Barpro Storage has enjoyed a strong relationship since the business was established. Training of technicians is ongoing and the standard of shipping emergency spares within 48 hours of order is maintained. Barpro actively encourages regular system inspections to identify and repair any damage before it causes operational problems. All current or potential clients are welcome to visit our factory.
During our 22 years we have competed with several other suppliers of mobile racking including Tecnolam, Dexion and Forflex who, using variations on the cheaper European designs, are not in business today. Storax mobile systems have been the subject of on-going technical innovation and improvements over the years.
Below are some of our recent innovations…
1. Bay to bay side members.
Barpro insists on structural side members outside the pallet bearing base beams to give additional strength to the base, prevent product damage and to provide a strong surface for reach truck positioning. The old Storax multi bay side members were expensive to transport and the new bay to bay alternative has proved itself. We are, it should be noted, the only supplier who insists on these additional side members.
2. Retrofit PE (photo-electric) safety trip bars
Retrofit PE (photo-electric) safety trip bars to replace the old mechanical ones. These units were developed in Cape Town, refined by Storax and are now in production.
3. Longer mobile bases
Barpro used to restrict mobiles to 10 bays and 360 tons. This was prompted by South African experience and by several disasters in Europe. However, systems with additional guide-rails in the base design have now been operating problem free in the UK allowing us to install systems in excess of 11 bays and 400 tons.
4. Invertor speed controls
Our Nord motor gearboxes are direct drive and provide controlled motion for the full movement of the mobile. We are not considering drive shafts, so problematic in the Forflex systems. Our Benelux office has been testing invertor speed controls on a number of recent installations. If potential clients want to try them we will use the Benelux approach but only after clarifying that the electrical circuitry satisfies local electrical regulations.
Barpro is always looking for ways to do things better, but ‘when a thing ain’t broke, why fix it?’ Our current approach has worked for more than 25 years and we have over 250 satisfied customers in SA alone, and thousands more across the world.
We welcome further discussion on this issue and look forward to hearing your views.
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