en.Wedoany.com Reported - UK cereal manufacturer Life Health Foods has recently completed a major upgrade of material handling equipment at its Peterborough facility, introducing 22 new forklifts, 7 Aisle Masters, and the Toyota I_Site fleet management system from Toyota Material Handling, while simultaneously transitioning indoor equipment from lead-acid to lithium-ion batteries to enhance safety and operational efficiency.
Life Health Foods, which owns well-known brands such as Lizi's Granola, Nutri-Brex, and Up&Go, operates in Peterborough and Wellingborough, producing, packaging, and exporting various cereals and healthy snacks to customers in the UK and overseas. The company was acquired by its parent company Sanitarium in 2023. In 2024, as business continued to grow and significant investments were made in production, the company turned its attention to the material handling equipment supporting the Peterborough facility. Bryan Portway, Head of Supply Chain and Logistics, stated that the existing fleet was outdated and inefficient, with older equipment potentially leading to poor operator habits in safety and battery management. The company aimed to revitalize its health and safety approach by investing in equipment the team could trust and be proud of.
In the search for a long-term partner, Toyota Material Handling was invited to assess the material handling setup. Gytis Barzdelis, Warehouse Manager at Life Health Foods, noted that Toyota Material Handling's consultative, solution-led approach immediately impressed them, and Toyota's values—respect, teamwork, and continuous improvement—closely aligned with those of parent company Sanitarium. After multiple iterations of potential fleet configurations, the two parties finalized the appropriate equipment and technology mix: 17 LWI160 lithium-ion powered pallet trucks, 2 LPE200 ride-on electric pallet trucks, 2 9FBM30 lithium-ion counterbalance forklifts, 1 02-8FGF20 gas counterbalance forklift, along with the Toyota I_Site fleet management system and 7 Aisle Masters.
Integrating the I_Site fleet management system was a key factor in the collaboration. For operators, I_Site simplifies daily pre-operation checks, eliminating paper-based processes, saving time, and improving accountability. For the management team, I_Site provides real-time insights into forklift utilization, impacts, and battery status, ensuring effective oversight of operator behavior and identifying ways to improve operations. Toyota Material Handling also designed and installed a new, separate battery room where operators can immediately identify the next battery to use based on charge status and usage history, ensuring safer access, reducing downtime, and extending battery life. As part of the fleet renewal, Life Health Foods transitioned its indoor equipment from lead-acid to lithium-ion batteries, a move that significantly reduced charging times, improved energy efficiency, and eliminated many maintenance challenges associated with lead-acid technology.
