Lidl gets tough on downtime

Lidl, a long-standing client of Union Industries, has invested in four new high speed doors for its Kent-based site that will facilitate significant efficiency gains.

Three Ramdoors and one Bulldoor have been used to replace four existing doors at the warehouse which were supplied by one of Union’s competitors when the distribution centre was built in 2014. The original doors frequently required costly new parts, mainly as a result of impact damage by forklift & ride-on ped trucks. The new Union rapid roll doors will drastically reduce the downtime that Lidl experienced with the previous doors, which was caused by excessive lead times for parts and repair.

Stacy Copley, head of logistics for Lidl UK in Northfleet, said: “Having reliable rapid rise doors between our temperature controlled rooms is important; however, having even better after-sales service support is our main priority as it ensures a fast response time on any repairs required that could affect our cold chain.

“We previously had to pay for regular call-outs, repairs, parts and maintenance of the doors we used, but since we invested in Union’s high quality doors with their brilliant warranty scheme, these problems have gone away.”

Union Industries’ doors have an excellent reputation in retail distribution for very high traffic use openings between various temperature controlled zones. The robust construction of the doors, coupled with Union’s ability to deliver exceptional after-sales service has been key to its success in securing contracts with multinational companies such as Lidl. Alternative suppliers in the industry tend to be agents and distributors rather than OEM manufacturers so cannot match the speed at which Union can react to customers’ requirements.

A team of Union’s highly trained technicians carried out the installations in a way that caused as little disruption as possible to Lidl’s operation, which involved working throughout the weekends and on evenings, when traffic in the warehouse was at its lowest.

In common with the other doors in the range, the Bulldoor and Ramdoor also features Union’s highly-regarded ‘Crash-Out’ damage protection facility which ensures the doors remain operable if the heavy duty steel composite bottom beam is hit by a vehicle.

Both door models are also covered by Union’s Lifetime Warranty Scheme, which was introduced several years ago. This cover not only provides an extensive guarantee but also includes service visits from Union’s highly trained technicians as required. Lidl saw the benefits of the Lifetime Warranty from day one and so have agreements in place for Union doors on their all warehouses in the UK.

Henry Patterson, technical sales engineer for the South at Union Industries, said: “Businesses operating in industry are recognising the importance of investing in a high quality product, which is complemented by a responsive after-sales service.

“Too often cheaper imported doors, which are not durable, are used at warehouses and end up leading to spiralling costs. On the other hand, Union Industries’ doors can complete thousands of cycles without any maintenance and so should be seen as a long-term investment.”