SSI Schaefer – materials bhandling solutions
October 14th 2008 SSI Schaefer is the UK and world’s leading supplier of logistics and material flow systems.
With a product offering ranging from plastic storage and transit containers to high bay warehousing systems and almost everything and anything in between – all of its own manufacture – SSI Schaefer is the One Stop Single Source Supplier.
SSI Schaefer’s unrivalled in-house expertise in the design and installation of major – and often bespoke - turnkey materials handling and storage projects has resulted in many successful automated picking and high bay warehousing schemes for leading blue-chip companies and international organisations.
The UK arm - established some 40 years ago and now one of the largest manufacturing subsidiary’s outside Germany – is also uniquely placed to work alongside major customers and leading systems integrators.
Typical products are storage and transport containers, shelf storage systems, pallet racks, long load racks and mobile racking systems, which combine with automated picking and sortation systems to form the basis of manually operated or fully integrated storage solutions.
Capable of providing tailor-made handling and storage solutions to companies large and small anywhere in the world, SSI Schaefer can also boast to having the most comprehensive range of pallet racking available from a single manufacturer.
This product offering also has the unique distinction of being the only product of its type capable of withstanding maximum loadings of up to 75 tonnes at heights in excess of 30m - in its heaviest duty format.
Unique Record Height Building from SSI Schaefer
SSI Schaefer has built the highest cold rolled rack supported building in the UK for leading global provider of integrated logistic solutions for warehouses, distribution centres and hospitals, Swisslog.
At nearly 40 metres high with over 41,000 pallet locations, the SSI Schaefer Systems Group completed the multi-million pound project in Newport, Wales for Swisslog.
Swisslog called upon the expertise of SSI Schaefer to design, manufacture and erect a rack supported building for their client Quinn Radiators, Europe’s leading manufacturer of Round Top and Compact radiators with over 35 years of experience within the heating industry.
SSI Schaefer is one of the few companies that can build this type of building to the required height whilst maintaining the strict European FEM guidelines. Using the Schaefer Systems Group the project used build methods that reduced the amount of work that had to be carried out at height thus reducing the overall risk involved.
Bob Jane, Business Development Manager, SSI Schaefer, said: “The time and cost saving for a rack supported building is clear with rateable benefits to the end user and the single source sub-contractor approach.”
SSI Schaefer Rack Supported Buildings are constructed directly onto a concrete slab; the racking is assembled in blocks and then craned into position to be bolted into the slab. When the structure is complete the pallet handling cranes are lifted in which are run on floor rails and guided at the top.
The racking is then clad using metal cladding similar to that of a normal building. The one major advantage of a Rack Supported Building is the speed of the build – up to 30% faster. Other advantages include maximum economic efficiency in both cost and space saving requirements.
With a reputation built on an unwavering commitment to excellence, SSI Schaefer has developed a unique partnering approach, through which they work hand in hand with their customers to develop, design and implement the most innovative yet cost effective solution for each project. SSI Schaefer prides itself on going the extra mile to fulfil and deliver the best solutions. More articles from SSI Schaefer Ltd: | 
