Yusen Logistics’ Wellingborough Warehouse

The project

Yusen Logistics required a bespoke powered access solution that could support both routine stock-taking and safe working practices within a high-volume indoor environment at their warehouse site in Wellingborough. Given the valuable and sometimes fragile nature of the stock -- which includes modern electrical goods — and the frequency of access required, a flexible and efficient method for working at height was essential.

Yusen Logistics (UK), which is a division of Yusen Logistics Co. Ltd, is a leading provider of logistics solutions with over 3.4 million square metres of warehousing space. It employs over 25,000 people worldwide at more than 680 locations across 47 countries and regions, and the company is a diversified global market leader in logistics. 

Nationwide Platforms worked closely with Yusen Logistics to identify, adapt, and implement a solution centred around the Dingli 1612PA electric scissor lift, which had been used successfully at Yusen Logistics Northampton facility. One of these tailored modifications focused on enhancing overhead safety by incorporating specially adapted pre-crush sensing technology into the scissor lift. The other modification, an industry first, enabled operators to safely perform digital stock takes on their laptops while at height.

The challenge

Operators at the Wellingborough site routinely access high-level racking to perform manual stock counts. They then must lower themselves back down to ground-level and enter those stock counts onto a laptop.  The activity posed a dual challenge: mitigating the risk of overhead obstructions in a confined warehouse setting, and ensuring laptops and other digital equipment could be stored and accessed securely at height without compromising operator safety.

The solutions

Nationwide Platforms deployed the Dingli 1612PA, a lightweight, narrow electric scissor lift that had previously been deployed by Yusen Logistics at one of their Northampton facilities. There, its compact size and non-marking tyres made it suitable for navigating between densely packed aisles, while its emissions-free, electric operation ensured it functioned quietly and cleanly in an indoor environment. 

While the machine was an appropriate base model, it required custom modifications to fully meet the site’s safety and operational challenges.

1. SkySiren PCS for the 1612PA
The site presented various overhead obstructions — including structural beams and roofing elements — that posed a hazard during vertical movement. Yusen Logistics requested a form of operator protection, and while Nationwide Platforms’ SkySiren PCS (Pre-Crush Sensing) system has existed on boom lifts since 2013, it had not yet been adapted for this specific scissor model.

Working closely with Yusen Logistics, Nationwide Platforms modified the existing PCS system to function on the Dingli 1612PA, marking its first deployment on this product line. The device is an intelligent secondary guarding system that actively scans for overhead obstructions and provides visual and audible warnings, enabling operators to choose between proceeding with caution or repositioning the platform. This secondary guarding technology is unique on the market in that it works in both lift/lower mode and also in drive mode, providing full operational protection.

2. Custom Laptop Tray for Safe Stock-Taking
Another key issue highlighted by Yusen Logistics was the need for operators to take laptops onto the platform to conduct stock takes at height.  They needed a safe and ergonomically sound way to secure the expensive laptops onto the equipment, but existing workarounds were inconsistent and carried risk.

Nationwide Platforms and Dingli worked together to develop a dedicated laptop tray designed for mounting on the platform’s handrails. Following several design iterations, a secure, non-skid tray was approved by the manufacturer and introduced on-site. The tray is large enough to accommodate a standard laptop and additional small items, ensuring the operator can carry out digital tasks safely.

This solution, which is the first of its kind in the sector, is now integrated into Yusen Logistics management process for pre-use checks and is in constant operation. Nationwide Platforms are also working with Yusen Logistics to provide feedback on the use of this system to ensure it is utilised efficiently and safely.

The outcomes

The modifications enabled Yusen Logistics to deploy a single, multi-functional machine that improves safety and supports operational efficiency. Both innovations — the adapted SkySiren PCS system and laptop tray — reflect a dynamic and bespoke response to specific customer needs, developed through direct collaboration between the OEM, the rental provider, and the customer.

Matt Parfitt, Head of Market Development - Aviation at Nationwide Platforms, said: “This project highlights how collaboration is key for enhancing efficiency and safety on a project. It’s important to have pre-established features built into the machinery, but it’s also important to adapt our machinery to the needs of a particular project.

“The result is a more secure and efficient working-at-height process that supports daily operations and offers a model for wider application in the logistics and warehousing sector.”

Krzysztof Bacanski, Warehouse Team Leader at Yusen Logistics, said: “The Dingli 1612PA has been a fantastic addition for our requirements, especially when there are space restrictions such as in a storage facility like this one. With the tailored enhancements, it’s maximised our productivity while enabling us to keep on top of our inventory.

“Sustainability and safety are essential to our strategy at Yusen Logistics, so being able to use a hydraulic-oil-free machine with an intelligent safety system aligns perfectly with our operational values.”