When Cats Protection, the UK’s leading feline welfare charity, built its warehouse on the site of its National Cat Centre in Chelwood Gate, Sussex it was the year of the charity’s eightieth anniversary.

Formed by a number of cat clubs in 1927, the charity now helps 142,000 cats and kittens each year through a national network of 256 volunteer-run branches and 29 adoption centers.

As the new warehouse at the NCC neared completion, Cats Protection asked existing supplier Stanley Handling to suggest a replacement for a ROBUR powered stacker that had served the charity well for ten years. During discussions, Stanley also put forward proposals to fully equip the new facility and these were accepted.

Receiving, storing, sorting and despatching the wide range of products available through Cats Protection’s branch network as well as internal stationery, documentation and substantial volumes of promotional material both for the branches and for use at a considerable number of outside events, the site required space for up to 300 pallets as well as loose cartons and totes and some bagged items. Additionally, shelving was to be installed on a mezzanine floor to accommodate over 1,000 boxes of archive files.

With a requirement to handle loads of up to 1000kg in a new pallet racking system designed to use every inch of available space, Stanley Handling supplied a ROBUR SBC 4512 Counterbalance Pedestrian Stacker with a 1200kg capacity and a 4.5 metre lift height. This met fully all client criteria including vehicle loading and unloading outside at a fraction of the cost of a driver-operated forklift.

With temporary warehouse accommodation already in use nearby, Stanley Handling liaised with the main contractor and then with the client during installation, which was carried out on time and to plan, with minimal disruption.

As Dennis Norris, facilities manager at the NCC, commented; “We’ve always had a good relationship with Stanley and were delighted to have them equip the warehouse. Some aspects of the job did require fine-tuning and they always seemed keen to ensure we got what exactly what we wanted.”

More information about the work of Cats Protection can be found at www.cats.org.uk