The UK's largest cold storage site has just completed a 7 million pound extension, supported by a material handling fleet from Toyota.

With the Boroughbridge site now containing 112,000 pallet spaces, Reed Boardall offers the UK's largest and only single site consolidation service in the frozen food industry. The unrivalled critical mass reduces food miles and combined with a sophisticated infrastructure ensures short order lead times and a continuous supply of frozen foods for consumers.

Garry Tilburn, managing director, Reed Boardall explains: "We supply stores all over the country, so with 10,000 pallets being moved in and out each day, the longstanding support from Toyota is critical in maintaining a reliable and productive material handling fleet."

Reed Boardall have worked with BT and Toyota products for over 30 years and now operate a growing fleet of reach trucks and powered pallet trucks, specially adapted for the cold store environment working in temperatures down to -28°c.

Several of the trucks on site are the unique E-Series featuring a cab which automatically tilts from a pre-set lift height, positioning the driver for the best possible view of the forks and considerably reducing neck strain.

The instrument panel follows the cab when tilting, keeping all the controls in the correct position for comfortable operation.

Dave Barraclough, national account manager, Toyota Material Handling, explains: "Neck bend is reduced by 10°; independent studies show a significant reduction in stress on the driver's neck and shoulders as this end movement range produces the most strain. Combined with a comfortable, heated, enclosed cab, the operators have all they need to stay productive in the cold store.

The Reflex trucks are ideally suited to multi-shift operations where high demands are placed on their reliability coupled with a range of adjustable features in the cab making them suited to use by a range of different drivers."

Garry explains: "At Reed Boardall, we pride ourselves in being specialists in our area, so we choose to work with expert partners like Toyota who really understand our challenges and ensure we are well equipped to provide the best possible service to our customers."