When you think of Manchester, two things come to mind: water and bricks. The city’s frequent rain gives it that water reputation, while the iconic bricks symbolize its rise during the 19th century as a cotton manufacturing powerhouse. Even today, as Manchester transforms into a tech hub, those old factories still serve as vibrant office spaces and innovative businesses. One such company, Kingsland Drinks, has made its mark as the UK’s go-to independent supplier of bulk wine and spirits.
Kingsland Drinks has come a long way since starting production in 1955. It has pushed the boundaries in the wine industry, being the first to pack bulk wine in flexi-tanks and introduce environmentally friendly lightweight glass bottles. Now, the company stands as an employee-owned firm with over 400 staff, relying on a robust IT infrastructure for day-to-day operations.
The heart of Kingsland’s facility? Those sturdy, old brick buildings. Some date back to 1895, and they’ve certainly been through Manchester’s turbulent weather. Add to that the challenge of managing over 100 wireless access points crammed in high, and you can see the hurdles they face in keeping operations running smoothly.
Three years ago, they installed a new Wi-Fi network to support their SAP business system. Forklift drivers were supposed to use handheld scanners to efficiently track stock movement. But the reality was different: the Wi-Fi struggled with dead spots, and the system often failed, forcing drivers to manually input data back at the office, wasting crucial time.
Brian Polkinghorne, the IT manager at Kingsland Drinks, has seen the impact firsthand. “The Wi-Fi failed us. It hurt productivity and cost us money,” he says. “Drivers had to leave their trucks to enter info manually, and that wasted hours.”
The previous setup didn’t cut it, so Polkinghorne turned to Holker IT for help. Holker dug into the specific wireless challenges at Kingsland Drinks. They understood the fast-paced environment where trucks and operations change constantly, and they needed a reliable network. A new strategy emerged, focusing on dependable connections rather than sheer speed.
Holker suggested using Allied Telesis technology. The proposed Channel Blanket solution would create a vast, reliable Wi-Fi network, minimizing interference and allowing devices to move smoothly between access points. This is crucial in Kingsland’s bustling setting, where trucks and workers constantly shift.
Implementing the new system was no walk in the park. Kingsland operates around the clock, and the team had to work around three main shutdown windows throughout the year—Easter, the August Bank Holiday, and Christmas. The deployment took about three months and involved careful planning to ensure minimal disruption.
As they installed the new technology, challenges arose: the variety of cables required, the fluctuating Manchester weather, and ensuring everything lined up with the production team’s needs. Learning from the installation experience was key. Polkinghorne and Holker found that engaging with production managers directly helped identify issues more quickly than focusing solely on technical specs.
Now, with the new Wi-Fi in place, Polkinghorne is seeing the fruits of their labor. “We’ve regained a day each month for every forklift driver,” he notes. That’s a significant boost to efficiency. They’re sticking with Allied Telesis for future tech advancements, eyeing new devices to streamline processes further.
With a reliable WLAN in place, Kingsland Drinks is ready to innovate. They’re considering adding tablets for drivers and expanding their tech, all while maintaining the backbone that now supports their daily operations smoothly and effectively. The smile on Polkinghorne’s face says it all: they’re finally on track.