One of the UK's fastest growing specialist manufacturer's of boilers and radiators, the MHS Group, is now benefiting from new premises in Basildon fully fitted out with storage systems supplied and installed by Link 51. Extensive pallet racking and a purpose-designed fireproof mezzanine have combined at the site to create a vital ingredient in the intensive product throughput required by the MHS organisation which, with an annual turnover of ?6.5 million, is seen as one of the fastest growing in its field. Its manufacturing and distribution efficiency are central to an enviable track record which, for example, saw it identified in 2001 as one of the UK'S 100 fastest growing companies.

Three key areas are now at the heart of the new facility. A clear central floor is dedicated to both goods inwards and outwards operations and is also home to radiator assembly procedures. This sits adjacent to the second area that features the Link 51 VNA pallet racking where a series of back-to-back aisles provide palletised storage for both components and finished products. The adjacent mezzanine structure, the third element, has been constructed by Link 51 to span one end of the building's interior and has been designed to meet diverse requirements, as Daniel Connelly, Quality Manager for the MHS Group, explains

The upper floor of the mezzanine structure provides an area for multiple small parts storage locations from where products such as boiler spares can be readily picked,he says. it was important that key considerations were designed into the structure, including its ability to accommodate relatively high overall loading. Alongside this, wide pallet gates and stairwells, which were specified to meet our precise requirements, have also been incorporated into the Link 51 design.

One further key consideration of the mezzanine design has been to construct its floor to meet stringent fire regulations due to office location directly underneath. the fact that we were able to turn to just one organisation to fulfil the vast majority of our storage system requirements has also helped with the overall scheduling of the project,continues Daniel Connelly. He points out that the ability of Link 51 to meet a specified Installation window was critical to the build programme. Construction of the new purpose-designed premises provided just a limited amount of time for the racking, mezzanine and storage systems to be installed. Link 51's involvement, from design and support to professionalism and installation has been excellent,?adds Daniel Connelly.

Within its field, this is a major operation and the ability of the MHS Group to supply both the retail and trade sectors with a wide range of product types, not least through partnering agreements with major house builders, is clearly closely linked to their manufacturing and distribution capability,adds Link 51's Divisional Sales Director, Chris Hopkirk.

Tt is a business that is constantly evolving with new designs and concepts continually being brought to market so a degree of versatility within the storage system has also been a key consideration. We are delighted that, to date, this too has been fully realised by our storage systems,he concludes.

Link 51 is the UK'S leading storage equipment manufacturer and is part of Whittan Storage Systems the UK based, pan-European, storage-focused manufacturing group. Other group companies include Link Lockers, Moresecure, N C Brown, Polypal and Permar.

Whittan Storage Systems group supplies products and services across the Continent and indeed, further afield, with sales of some 30 million and a workforce of over 1000. Through manufacturing facilities in four countries and sales operations in six, all Whittan Storage Systems customers benefit from its commitment to its core business.