15.02.2023 / 3 minute read

Lenzing Fibers continue to remove manual handling by investing in more Voyager Stackers to lift & manoeuvre their steel reels.

Key points – Key points – Key points –

Telescopic handle to ensure stacker is easy to manoeuvre for all users.
Non-stick wheel castors installed to avoid fibre getting caught up.
Site visit identified further opportunities to reduce manual handling.
Previously purchased Stackers could be modified as changes were made internally to reels & processes.

Product: Elevation Voyager & Freedom Stackers

Who are Lenzing Fibers?

Lenzing Fibers is an extremely innovative company who source and manufacture natural, renewable and bio-degradable fibres to create a responsible, circular economy. They’re working with some of the world’s leading fashion brands who are equally as environmentally conscious and passionate about providing the world’s growing population with responsibly sourced and manufactured products.

The Challenge

For a number of years, Lenzing Fibers has reduced manual handling by increasing their fleet of Advanced Handling’s Voyager Stackers and overhead lifting solutions, adapting them to carry out specific tasks and processes.

One of their applications requires the lifting and manoeuvring of heavy steel cutter reels weighing between 80kg and 120kg in and out of their cutting machines in a safe and efficient manner. Due to the heavy load, it was integral that the solution was light but strong, and easy to manoeuvre to ensure the operator’s task could be carried out safely and with ease.
The Solution

Advanced Handling has provided Lenzing Fibers with several standard and bespoke solutions to improve the health, safety and efficiency of their workplace.

Every time a new solution is required, Advanced Handling visits the site to ensure they fully understand the company’s requirements and challenges and are delivering the best solution for the task at hand.

In this case, Lenzing Fibers invested in an additional 1,000kg Voyager Stacker to add to their collection of five. These are ideal for their application due to their light-weight frame yet strong and dynamic design. After a site visit and discussion, Advanced Handling made some slight modifications to their existing models to give them a new lease of life and to the new model to further optimise the solution for its task.

Three of the Voyagers were adapted with a bespoke sliding handler which offered telescopic extensions. This meant the Stacker could be modified to lift reels of varying dimensions and manoeuvre them into their required positions.

The additional three units were modified with shortened steel forks so that Lenzing Fibers’ operatives could get closer to the reel when required.

Advanced Handling also altered the Voyagers’ wheels ensuring they had non-stick casters fitted to them to help prevent fibres and yarn getting tangled up in them which could impede their manoeuvrability.
The Benefits

Investing in an additional Advanced Handling Voyager Stacker has increased Lenzing Fibers’ productivity and efficiency as they’re able to handle and manoeuvre more reels at any given time.

Working collaboratively has allowed Advanced Handling to gain a better insight into Lenzing Fibers’ production processes and adapt the Voyager Stackers accordingly to better meet their needs.

Advanced Handling was also able to retrofit newer features to the previously purchased stackers to prolong their working life.

Goursunder Gupta, Process Specialist added that the team are going to investigate “upgrading the wheels to the existing fleet of Voyagers to the new design, non-stick [wheel caster] version”.

Lenzing Fibers with the help of Advanced Handling’s expertise aims to continually improve their health, safety and efficiency of their workplace and reduce manual handling from their processes and operations.

If you’re facing a similar challenge in your workplace, contact us on 01778 345 365 or email sales@advancedhandling.co.uk & we’ll be happy to help.

The new Voyager [Advanced Handling’s Voyager Stacker] has been a valuable addition to our handling solutions. Collectively they have reduced our manual handling risks considerably.

Tim Turner Shift Team Leader