Case Study: Falken Tire
Falken Tire needed a way to make their distribution center operations move more effectively and efficiently. Enter Southwest ToyotaLift.
Make the Most of Your Space
Finding the right equipment, machinery, and vehicles for your space can make a massive impact—if they’re properly procured, installed, and maintained. Your needs are unique to your own operation, which is why it’s so important that the equipment you use makes sense for your specific environment. And when Falken Tire came to Southwest ToyotaLift with a problem, we were more than game to deliver them a customized solution that made their workflow more manageable and helped their facility operate more effectively than ever before.
The Problem
A 218,000 square foot warehouse space sounds like a lot—and it is, depending on how you use it. When Falken Tire’s distribution center in Robbinsville, New Jersey, was looking for ways to maximize their space, they were running into hurdle after hurdle. They needed a solution that would allow them to modify their workflow and core processes so they could move more efficiently from station to station without compromising quality or productivity. Simple, flowing movement throughout a facility is the easiest way to make sure all orders are fulfilled in a safe, timely manner. And Southwest ToyotaLift was more than up to the task.
The Solution
With 450,000 roadworthy products stored within Falken Tire’s facility, there was no margin for error when it came to their warehouse solution. They needed something that would accommodate all of their products and actively declutter their space. That’s why Southwest ToyotaLift worked with Falken’s team to implement 13 Toyota forklifts (10 electric and three propane vehicles) to do all the heavy lifting. The racks that hold the tires and other products can weigh over one ton each when filled with tires; with their 5,000-pound capacity, our forklifts can lift two racks simultaneously.
The Result
The needs of one space are never going to be an exact match for other warehouses within the same industry. “We want the fork trucks to be able to go anyplace that we need to position them,” explains facility manager Jimmy Oxx. “We are stacking six high in this building, which is unlike almost anywhere in the United States.”
That’s why the Toyota forklifts deployed in the Robbinsville facility feature quad masts that can reach up to 260 inches. At their absolute fullest extension, the trucks can efficiently place two racks, already stacked together, on top of four previously stacked racks to reach the height required by their production needs.
“That allowed us to shrink the size of the building,” adds Oxx. “The Toyota forklifts have been here for about a year, and I can tell you it’s really been a no-worry piece of equipment. From the purchase, to the men being able to acclimate themselves to it, to the support staff that we have from Toyota, it’s been a very rewarding experience,” he says.
For more information on how our team can revolutionize your workspace the way we did for Falken Tire, reach out to Southwest ToyotaLift today.
