Draper has worked with Toyota to find the right equipment for material handling throughout their operations.
Established in 1919, Draper Tools are now one of the largest wholesalers of tools in the UK. Their 400,000 sq.ft. facility in Chandlers Ford represents probably the largest stock of tools in one place in the country. Despite consistent growth to a market leading position, they remain fiercely proud of their heritage as a family business and the people who help to make them successful.
Even in 1919, founder Bert Draper understood the importance of effective stock handling, with his maxim “You can’t sell nothing off an empty barrow.” These days increased order size and throughput has led to the majority of material handling tasks now being carried out with the support of a varied fleet of material handling equipment. This gives employees the equipment they need to work faster and smarter, whilst reducing the risks associated with manual handling.
Draper have a long standing relationship with BT, now part of Toyota Material Handling, giving them access to a comprehensive material handling range and supporting services. Toyota Account Manager Darren Carson has worked with Draper for over 12 years to help them select the best material handling solutions to keep their operations as safe and productive as possible.
Draper uses BT warehouse equipment throughout their operations from goods-in through to order picking and dispatch, handling everything from hand-tools to professional quality powered equipment. Their fleet now totals over 50 units including powered pallet trucks, order pickers, stackers, counterbalance, reach trucks and radio shuttle.
Keith Mclean, Warehouse Manager, explains why he thinks the partnership has been so successful: “As we handle a huge variety of products at Draper, we need a supplier that can offer a comprehensive range of products. Through Toyota Material Handling we have access to one of the biggest ranges on the market.
When we looked to specify a fleet for our new warehouse facility, we naturally looked to the BT range. Once again they were able to help us maximise our operations with the innovative radioshuttle, which automates pallet put-away, providing a cost effective option for aisle free storage.
At Drapers we also understand that it is worth investing in quality. We know that higher quality often leads to better results and lower costs in the long run. We have found that BT products are built to the highest quality standards, backed up by fast response times and comprehensive maintenance to help us achieve maximum productivity.”
Darren adds: “In a busy warehouse where pedestrians often work alongside the trucks, Draper also make safety a top priority. Across the range, our products use a combination of technology and smart design to help keep operators and pedestrians as safe as possible. For example the steering tiller on the “walkie” trucks is designed to position the operator for safe, comfortable operation. A “click to creep” button allows the operator to easily engage a creep speed so they can safely walk alongside the truck for short distances between picking stations.
We also offer pin code access which allows supervisors to allocate operators a pre-programmed level of performance tailored to their training and experience. This allows experienced operators to be as productive as possible whilst limiting inexperienced operators to slower travel and lift speeds for added safety.”
Keith concludes: “Ongoing account management helps us monitor the productivity of our fleet. We receive a regular Toyota Care Report which helps to identify any issues that are causing additional running costs, for example frequent areas of damage or training issues.
We feel our business has benefited from working with an experienced materials handling provider who not only has a comprehensive range of products, but has also taken the time to fully understand our business and recommend the most effective solutions for us.”
