Laura Ashley chose Atlet to replace its old forklift fleet.

Laura Ashley at Coalville has replaced its current fleet with Atlet forklifts because the Swedish supplier offered it the "best value" over the life of the contract.

"We went through a detailed assessment and tender process and while Atlet was not the cheapest on the initial price, it was the most cost-effective over the life of the contract," says Ivan Bere, Laura Ashley's warehouse manager.

Laura Ashley, established in the 1950s, is one of the UK's most popular fashion and home furnishings retailers. The Coalville distribution centre opened in 2002 to manage the delivery of furniture to UK customers. The business has grown on average 60% annually, placing pressure on existing forklifts even though the warehouse is designed for efficiency with minimal use of materials handling equipment, Atlet says.

"Other companies quoted for what we thought we wanted," says Bere. "Atlet was different. They took the time to find out about our operations and where we thought we would be in five years and politely suggested we could do it a different way."

Atlet invited Bere to visit its UK head office and several customer sites to see how the company operated before suggesting 10 of its Presto PLP-powered pallet transporters and battery facilities would serve the Coalville facility without reconfiguring the warehouse.

Bere and Coalville's shift managers requested a modification to the operator footplate. On a standard truck, the footplate is manually raised and lowered, but Laura Ashley wanted a footplate that folded up whenever an operator stepped off the truck. This was to save time as they often alternated between ride-on and pedestrian operations and aimed to reduce the risk of operators bumping into the footplate when carrying items.

After the trucks had been delivered, Atlet and Laura Ashley assessed the operating conditions and adjusted the trucks' performance by reprogramming the on-board computers including reducing the top speed to operator preferences.

An unforeseen issue was identified when the trucks started to slip on the floor. Atlet tested alternative tyres and retrofitted a suitable replacement.

"It took some work on both sides to get it right but Atlet put the effort in and made the commitment," says Bere.

Another key change with the new fleet was the introduction of battery charge and change facilities. The solution, designed and installed by Atlet, incorporated high frequency chargers and single point top-up facilities. Atlet's "Transfer Track" dual trolley system enables battery switching without any need for manual handling or lifting.

Almost all Laura Ashley's products are made to order. The company estimates there are 10,000 different product combinations taking into account the style, upholstery and finish options across its range. The operation has to be flexible so that deliveries, around 3,900 items each week, can be scheduled in line with customer requirements.