Controlling personnel flow at Shoprite distribution centre
The completion of the Shoprite Group’s new Cilmor distribution centre in Brackenfell, Cape Town, sees the consolidation of five different Cape Town distribution centres into one facility. The massive 123 000 m² operation has been described by the group as one of the most technologically advanced distribution centres on the African continent. It is anticipated that about 20 000 products will be stored at the facility.
With 3 500 full-time employees and a further 500 suppliers using the distribution centre daily, the influx of pedestrian traffic at Shoprite Cilmor distribution centre is immense.
The Shoprite Group says that it was important to carefully consider the flow from suppliers to the centre and from the centre to its stores when designing the distribution centre. Emphasis is placed on anticipating what its customers need without the stores having to store stock. This inventory management continues through to the expected high levels of productivity, a goal which is assisted in great part by the introduction of physical access control mechanisms.
Craig Sacks, MD of Turnstar, says that the Shoprite Group approached Turnstar to find a solution that would provide acceptable levels of security, while simultaneously allowing for the relatively unhindered flow of employees and suppliers in and out of the facilities.
Turnstar provided three Triumph full height double turnstiles and two Titan half height double industrial turnstiles to Cilmor. The full height turnstiles are located at the entrance to the warehouse facilities and are hot dip galvanised to provide ample resistance to corrosion in this outdoor environment. The half height double industrial turnstiles are located in the entrance to the canteen and are manufactured from stainless steel for both aesthetic appeal as well as for corrosion resistance and durability.
Used extensively in the demanding sports stadium environment, the Triumph turnstiles are acknowledged as the biggest selling turnstile in Africa. Their choice for the Cilmor installation provides for a perfect match of reliability, longevity and practicality. Designed by engineers and with a tried and tested history spanning over 20 years, these turnstiles provide Cilmor with the requisite levels of security, whilst simultaneously ensuring that bottlenecks do not occur.
Turnstar’s Titan half height turnstiles are able to easily handle the large volumes of traffic experienced at Cilmor’s canteen and the turnstiles can be readily integrated with all well-known access control card and biometric readers for time and attendance (T&A) functions . The suspended rotor technology allows for elimination of stress on the base bearing, and together with the shock absorbing rubber coupling system, ensures extended operation over many years.