11 December 2023, Company News
Rubix, a renowned global distributor of industrial products, teamed up with Kardex, a global leader in smart intralogistics solutions, to develop a cutting-edge hazardous materials storage solution. In the Rubix national distribution center in Wolverhampton, UK, operators pick and maintain multiple components and provide the available stock to customers. Rubix has been a long-time partner of Kardex. With more than 30 machines nationwide, they rely on Kardex's advanced technology to ensure fast, accurate, and safe order picking.
The challenge: safe and compliant storage of hazardous items
Faced with the daunting task of safely storing hazardous items like flammable liquids, Rubix needed a solution that adhered to strict regulatory standards. After an audit, they decided to meet strict HSE (health and safety executive) regulations and protect colleagues, customers, products, and the environment. "We were driven to find a best practice health & safety warehouse solution, particularly one that would meet the standards of COSHH (control of substances hazardous to health)", explains Alistair Yates, Programme Manager - Logistics Function, Rubix UK.
The idea was to find a solution that would ensure safe storage while reducing the touchpoints between operators and hazardous items at the same time.
The solution: two Kardex Shuttles and two Kardex Compact Buffers
"To create a secure environment for storing classified COSHH products like greases and aerosols, we installed two Kardex Shuttles and two Kardex Compact Buffers," explains Richard Ellis, System Sales Manager at Kardex Remstar UK.
The Kardex Compact Buffers store all small items with a maximum weight of up to 35kg and fit into a 640x440 mm bin. All other items are stored in the Kardex Shuttles. A blast cage prevents damage in the rest of the warehouse in case of an explosion within the machine.
Rubix selected Kardex VBM and VLM Boxes, which deliver flexible storage equipped with a divider system. This design optimizes the organization of storage locations and maximizes available space within the machines.
The results: enhanced safety, efficiency, and growth potential
The Kardex solution enables Rubix to centralize hazardous item storage, significantly reducing touchpoints and minimizing risk. Labor demand is also more manageable requiring just 5 specialized and trained people touching these items. Overall, the solution supports fast and very secure picking.
"Our future plans include implementing the Kardex Frame Pick System to enhance our processes further. This will provide complete stock transparency and facilitate batch picking, supporting the ambitious goal of a fivefold increase which will deliver growth in the near future," shares Matt Luke, Logistics Director, Rubix UK.
About Rubix
