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Travis Perkins added to Tomorrow’s Warehouse Manchester seminar programme
14 September 2024
Fleet Director at the leading builder’s merchant Karl Wilshaw will present on innovative research into audible alarms to boost safety for electric forklifts.
THE PRESENTATION will focus on the importance of acoustic detection when managing decarbonisation.
The conference takes place at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground Manchester on October 2.
Travis Perkins plc is the UK’s largest distributor of building materials and a leading partner to the construction industry, and the Group is making good progress against its Science Based Targets initiative (‘SBTi’) accredited, 1.5 degree-aligned carbon reduction targets.
As part of its decarbonation plans, the Group is switching out diesel forklift trucks with electrics. This is one of the largest change programmes of its kind in the UK with 1200 forklifts across the Group now being electric, and more assets being switched over through the change programme.
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So far around 700 of these have now been fitted with a unique sound alert named SIVAS to address concerns about the electric forklifts’ operational quietness compared to their diesel engine counterparts, and the potential safety risk this could pose. This mirrors how warning sounds have been fitted into electric vehicles to warn off pedestrians and other road users.
The SIVAS sound alert was developed as part of a sound study commissioned by Travis Perkins plc from the University of Salford Manchester’s specialist acoustics testing team. The SIVAS sound alert came out top when tested by the Group’s forklift drivers based on its detectable and unique sound.
Mr Karl Wilshaw FCILT, I Eng, MSOE, MIRTE
Travis Perkins plc - Fleet Director
Karl has 30+ years experience within the transport industry where he has progressed from an engineering apprentice to his current role. Karl's career has also exposed him to a variety of transport sectors.
Karl joined Travis Perkins plc in 2016, his current role is to provide directional leadership, operational capability and fleet related policy across a diverse fleet of delivery vehicles and MHE assets deployed across the Travis Perkins business. More recently Karl has led the Company's fleet decarbonisation initiatives, academic research programmes into driver safety, MHE acoustic detectability and performed a Companywide strategic fleet review.
The University developed three sounds based on our existing psychoacoustic expertise and tested them in highly realistic virtual environments with the Group’s forklift truck drivers. The SIVAS sound was selected based on its high level of detectability and positive reception by forklift operators. This research has provided Travis Perkins plc with some unique learnings, and the business is now exploring the opportunity to share this insight with the wider industry to work in collaboration with other operators to improve safety.
Travis Perkins plc operates market leading businesses, including Travis Perkins Builders’ Merchants, Toolstation and a number of specialists in the civils market (Keyline), heating and ventilation (BSS) and drylining and insulation (CCF), and many more. The Group employs 18,000 colleagues and has a proud heritage that spans over 200 years.
For more information, see www.travisperkinsplc.co.uk
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