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Retrofits with less interruption

Industrial Conveying is successfully using a new approach which causes minimal intrusion when retro-fitting Australian factories, warehouses and sortation plants with materials handling systems.

Rather than make a complete shutdown while an old system is replaced with new, the company engineers its retrofits in stages, allowing businesses to carry on trading during the process.

This is a major step forward for Australian industry as until now businesses had been forced to factor in many weeks of operating losses just because they want to upgrade for the future.

Industrial Conveying managing director, Don Erskine, said the new approach is further helped by the company being based in Australia, and therefore offering instant communication, as well as complete turnkey availability on the project.

“The best outcome for any business looking to retrofit its materials handling system – typically one that uses a conveyor network – is to stage the installation from one section of the plant to another so they don’t have to shut down the whole operation,” said Erskine.

“Because we are implementing section by section, we almost eliminate the risk of shutdown if there is an unexpected failure while any of the old equipment is being replaced; purely pillar because any problematic section can be switched off immediately, allowing the rest of the factory or warehouse to continue running.

“This is a much quicker and much later method of implementation. When you do a mass change, all sorts of issues can arise which impact the entire operation.

“Staging installations is a much faster option, is much easier to process, and is much easier for plant personnel to learn and understand the new issues gradually (such as software, conveyor characteristics, controls, processes).”

Any factory or warehouse owner would not be in business unless it was their objective to expand operations and grow the company.

Therefore, it is seen as an is imperative to set up any materials handling system to handle throughput which might be several times the rates of which are experiencing today. This is purely to accommodate growth in any business and is a consideration that should never be overlooked.

In a materials handling game, what you set up today will be working for you tomorrow, hence the urgent need to retrofit warehouses and processing plants.

“Any Australian business that factors in a complete shutdown is doing itself a disservice,” said Erskine.

“There is now no need to throw money away like this – especially because a stage by stage retrofit can be supplied by a local company with local engineers and instant communication and assistance.

“If a company from overseas attempted this type of installation in Australia it would most likely cost the client a lot more money because personnel visits would have to be made from overseas.”

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