FMA brings materials handling expertise to Solecois Florette salad facility.

Lichfield-based project management, design and solutions integration specialists, FMA, has completed a significant materials handling project for Soleco UK's Florette pre-packed salads production facility.

For this challenging task, FMA worked with Florette in developing the way they handled its raw materials crates and, at the same time, helped Soleco to reduce Health & Safety issues previously associated with the working height of pallets.

Fulfilling the role of project manager, FMA installed four new lifts and horizontal conveying systems to maximise operator lines and enable trimming staff to access full salad crates at a safe height in a new mezzanine level.

The project was a turnkey approach to evacuate empty crates from the Florette salad trimming department to the raw materials department. FMA was responsible for all installations including white walling and electrical.

The other key aspect for which FMA had responsibility was the Health and Safety management with FMA acting as Principal Contractor under CDM 2007 regulations. This covered in addition the specialist conveyor installation that Soleco were implementing concurrently to the project.

To ensure there would be absolutely no contamination of, or disruption to, food production, the majority of work was carried out overnight and at weekends. With no allowance for additional disruption following commissioning, it was also stipulated that the finished solution must work first time, which was achieved.

FMA sales and marketing director, Paul Bunyan said: "It was especially rewarding to be recognised by Soleco for our management and design capabilities and to be awarded this important materials handling contract at Florette.

"As an organisation that places great emphasis on raising general levels of Health & Safety awareness and one with both BSC Health and Safety at Work examiner status and a ROSPA silver award.

"We were also able to assist Soleco in the creation of a much safer working environment, specifically where operator working heights were involved."

As an example of the emphasis placed on safer working by FMA and Soleco at the Florette facility, a newly installed pallet lift was designed to allow manual loading of salad crates at ground floor level by operators using electric pallet trucks. The lift features an automatic stop facility when raised pallets reach the correct working height on the mezzanine level.

Once the first layer of crates is used on the pallet, the operator then presses the "up" button in order for the lift to bring the next layer to the right working height. This process continues until the pallet is empty. At this point, the empty pallet is sent back down to the ground floor for loading again.

Contact FMA Process Engineering on tel 01543 255152 or visit www.fma.uk.com