Narrow Aisle's Flexi EURO

Narrow Aisle's Flexi EURO forklifts have been instrumental in assisting the international automobile supplier maximise its facility space and double its product targets.

Brose produces door systems for the Mercedes S, C and E ranges and had been producing up to 4,200 door systems per day. However, after purchasing a Flexi, it is now pumping out about 9,000 units per day.

Brose did not want to expand the size of its warehouse so it sought assistance from Narrow Aisle for alternative options.

The company has leased two Flexi EUROs to do the work that previously required both counterbalance and reach trucks.

By using the Flexi, Brose has been able to create a more compact space at the factory in Sindelfingen by reducing the aisle widths from 4 metres (13 feet) to 2 metres (6.5 feet).

Jan Francke, production manager at the Sindelfingen plant and sister factory at Rastatt, says he identified the Flexi articulated forklift as a potential solution to the company's space problem after seeing a demonstration of it at the LogiMAT exhibition at Stuttgart.

"During the LogiMAT fair, an experienced forklift driver from our factory inspected the Flexi. We were impressed by the fact that the Flexi can work in an aisle width of only about 1,700 mm (66 inches) and lift as high as 12 metres (39 feet)."

The Flexi solution was compared with two alternatives - a reach truck and a machine that had been especially designed for Brose.

"We dismissed the bespoke machines as we could only truly judge how effective they were once they had been manufactured," says Francke.

The reach truck was considered unsuitable because of its width. "If we used reach trucks, we would have had to increase the distance between the pallets and consequently we would have lost space," says Francke.

John Maguire, sales director of Narrow Aisle Flexi, says "the Flexi EURO is creating a lot of interest throughout Germany especially in manufacturing industries where space is at a premium and costs need to be controlled".

"We have demonstrated the product at several trade fairs in the country throughout 2008 and the feedback we have had has been overwhelmingly positive."