CARGO – providing savings of up to 80% in floorspace
October 14th 2008 CARGO storage systems were launched at the 2007 IMHX Exhibition, causing quite a stir in the marketplace, and generating considerable interest in the newcomer’s products.
While the name ‘CARGO’ is a new brand to the storage industry, the company behind the product has a long heritage of manufacturing and engineering, and in fact the Countax factory based just outside Oxford, has been manufacturing components and products from sheet metal for over 25 years.
The 100,000m2 site houses an impressive collection of manufacturing hardware, including laser cutters, hydraulic presses up to 250 tons, press brakes up to 4m long, robot welders, and an automated sheet metal processing machine which is the size of 2 tennis courts.
A team of CAD/CAM professionals, mechanical, electrical and software engineers with extensive manufacturing experience head an impressive Research and Development Department. In-house toolmaking facilities, paint line, state-of-the-art assembly lines and extensive warehousing complete the picture, and with over 250 people employed, Countax can clearly demonstrate the pedigree of it’s manufacturing prowess. So why storage systems ?
Quite simply, Countax have been a user of storage systems for many years, recognising their worth in their stores department, and within their considerable spare parts facility, which is located in a bespoke warehouse some 10 miles from their main manufacturing site. When a requirement was identified for a further two storage units, Countax made the decision to design and build both units themselves, having the engineering know-how, and production capabilities to do so.
Once completed and installed, the storage units were the subject of considerable interest from Countax’ customers and suppliers, to such a degree that the management made the decision to investigate the feasibility of designing and manufacturing the units on a commercial scale.
Following the successful launch at IMHX, several months of development have addressed requirements raised both during the show, and as a consequence of the increasing level of interest in the CARGO products. Orders have been placed and met, and multiple system installations carried out.
Focus has been on the CARGO Lift, a computer controlled vertical lift, storage and retrieval system, which offers the user key design innovations. On command the lift transports selected items to and from the operator, improving productivity, increasing picking speeds and reducing costs. Product image display on a touch screen monitor improves picking speed and reduces errors, and trays can hold up to 750kg of stock, able move vertically up to an incredible 2.3 metres per second.
The Lift offers great flexibility and is ideal for storing and retrieving items with different dimensions, and a shelf capacity from 250kg to 750kg. With the ability to store heavy and bulky goods, the CARGO Lift reduces the physical efforts and risks associated with manual systems, innovations which are applauded by the HSE.
The unit is fitted with a light curtain located at the access point, which measures the height of the items, storing them accordingly optimising maximum storage space. Security is addressed by a biometric login system, providing irrefutable verification, and reducing opportunity and incidence of fraud and theft.
The built-to-order lifts are available in heights of 5 to 12m, and widths of 2 to 4 meters.
Bowman International
Oxfordshire based Bowman International, one of the largest stockists of bearings in Europe, have four CARGO vertical lift storage systems. The four new 7.5m high CARGO lifts create 600sqm of shelved storage space, on a footprint of just 40sqm, representing an 80% saving on floorspace when compared to conventional shelving and racking.
An estimated 50% saving in manpower costs has already been identified, together with a considerable increase in health and safety benefits to Bowman employees. | 
