Product category:
Lifts and Stairlifts
News Release from: Britannia Lift | Subject: Goods and access lift industry
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 12 January 2005
Integration in the goods and access lift
industry
Britannia Lift's John Patey examines the advantages that fully integrated lift suppliers can bring to their customers.
A relative decline in UK manufacturing over the last decade has resulted in many of the country's larger lift suppliers outsourcing the design and production of their lifts Of the many companies that supply goods, platform and disabled access lifts, there are very few that are fully integrated, carrying out application assessment, design, manufacture and installation themselves
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 18 Jul 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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Here, Britannia Lift's John Patey examines the advantages that fully integrated lift suppliers can bring to their customers in quality, cost and customer service at every stage of the supply process.
The key difference between fully integrated suppliers and suppliers that outsource the design and/or manufacture of their lifts is flexibility.
By working closely with their customers to decide the most appropriate solution for a specific application, fully integrated suppliers are able to offer their customers a wider range of choices, including bespoke designs for unique applications.
Further reading
Storage problems eased at London wine store
Britannia Lift has installed a 2-tonne capacity mast-type goods lift into Majestic Wine's store near Portman Square in central London.
Britannia gives workers a lift
Britannia has installed four large access platform lifts for Bombardier Transportation at their Litchurch Lane site in Derby.
Lift durability shows Britannia's quality
A scissor type goods lift installed by Britannia Lift for Dutch Maid Co is still going strong after nearly 25 years of service.
In the case of Britannia Lift, sales engineers will carry out a detailed site survey to assess the most appropriate lifting solution and to anticipate any problems that may need to be overcome during the design, manufacture and installation process.
This helps to ensure that the right solution is chosen for each application.
An in-house design team can then tailor a lift for the specific application so that it can be easily integrated into existing premises or manufacturing processes.
This is particularly beneficial for industrial applications where lifts often need to be integrated into existing production lines.
It also helps to minimise any building work that may be needed on installation and any disruption to the operation of the factory.
Installation of an off-the-shelf lift may require significant alteration to the layout of premises and can also result in potential health and safety concerns due to the creation of trapping hazards.
Factory and facilities managers don't always take these factors into account when sourcing a lifting solution.
The benefits of bespoke designs are equally relevant when supplying disabled access lifts.
With the recent introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) Part III, those who are considered "Service Providers" are required by law to have made reasonable changes to their premises in order provide disabled access.
(Service providers include many types of businesses and public services such as restaurants, libraries, museums, hotels, public houses, theatres and shops).
By installing an access lift that is tailored to the specific building instead of a standard off-the-shelf model, any building costs associated with the installation can be minimised.
This is particularly pertinent for historic buildings as they are often listed, and as such, cannot be significantly altered to cater for an access lift.
In this instance a bespoke design is the only option.
Whilst many companies reduce production costs by importing lifts from abroad, there are significant advantages for suppliers that manufacture their own products.
Firstly, it eliminates any potential supply chain problems that could arise from importing lifts from overseas.
Secondly, the manufacturer can guarantee the quality of the lift and can easily trace all of the materials and components used in its construction.
It is often the case that contractors are used to install goods and access lifts, particularly if the lift installation is part of wider building work.
However, outside contractors are not always fully trained in the operation and installation of goods lifts which can have serious implications from both a health and safety and cost perspective.
An incorrectly installed lift is more likely to malfunction or suffer from premature wear, both of which will increase the total cost to the user as well as potentially posing a risk to the personnel that will be operating it.
By using a directly employed installation team of qualified engineers, any potential health and safety risks relating to the installation, operation and maintenance of the lift can be eliminated at source.
In cases where outside contractors are required to install a lift, the installation team can both supervise the installation and train the contractors and customer staff how to operate it both correctly and safely.
Most companies offer an after sales service to their customers, including regular service visits to ensure the smooth operation and maintenance of the lift.
Smaller companies often have an advantage in the level of after sales support they are able to offer their customers.
Where appropriate, and especially in more complex situations, Britannia will send a service engineer to site to undertake a full survey.
Normally this will be undertaken by the same engineer who ultimately takes charge of the installation thus ensuring the lift is installed with the minimum of disruption to the clients business.
Overall, there are many advantages in sourcing a goods, platform or disabled access lift from a fully integrated supplier.
The choice and flexibility of products, lower installation costs and longer operational life are all potential benefits that such suppliers are able to offer their customers.
Whilst the larger lift suppliers may be able to offer the product at a lower initial price, the potential savings on installation and longer service life that can be achieved from integrated suppliers drives down the whole life cost of the lift.
By offering a flexible service with highly qualified, well-trained engineers to work closely with contractors and customers, Britannia Lift feels it can offer customers a comprehensive and cost-effective service.
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