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Customer Success Stories
“As a company based on speed and service, we have come to rely on the heightened work pace our Jungheinrich® products encourage,” said John Schuler, senior vice president and general manager, Kuna Foodservice.
One of the most successful foodservice companies in the Midwest, Kuna Foodservice (Kuna) has been providing quality service to clients, such as restaurants and country clubs, for over 90 years. Originally founded as a family-owned butcher shop, Kuna has developed into the largest independent, privately-owned foodservice company and steak processor in the St. Louis, Missouri area.The products and delivery system have changed, as well as their customers’ needs, but they remain true to the core values launched in a tiny butcher shop and honed through nearly a century of experience.
A New Warehouse Emerges
Kuna’s mounting business success recently led to a growth in product volume and the need for more space, causing the company to expand into a 98,000 sq. ft. distribution center that includes a refrigerated receiving dock, freezer and storage area for paper and canned foods. Faced with the challenge of a new larger facility and operating in a range of environments, Kuna needed lift trucks designed to meet the productivity and throughput needs of a high velocity warehouse. After extensive research, Kuna turned to Jungheinrich® for help in redefining their material handling operation.
Jungheinrich: An Ergonomic, Efficient Truck
Kuna’s management and warehouse staff were initially hesitant to try the German brand. The Jungheinrich product lineup offered a sit-down moving mast reach truck in addition to the stand-up style of reach truck the operators had been using for more than 15 years. Despite the initial skepticism, Kuna agreed to a trial of the ETV 214 forklift, part of Jungheinrich’s moving mast reach truck series.
Kuna and its operators quickly noticed an almost immediate difference in productivity, efficiency and operator comfort. Equipped with 3-phase AC technology, the ETV 214 lift truck had significantly faster travel speeds than Kuna’s previous material handling equipment, allowing operators to more efficiently move through their facility. “The Jungheinrich reach trucks move quicker up, down, and front and back than any truck I’ve worked with in my 11 years here,” said Rich Garavaglia, a warehouse employee at Kuna Foodservice.
Sold On Customer Service
After the initial trial phase, Kuna purchased three ETV 214 moving mast reach trucks and seven ECR 336 walkie end-rider pallet trucks to replace their existing fleet. A 24- hour operation, Kuna now relies on the moving mast reach trucks during the day to stock warehouse materials and the walkies at night to fill and load product orders into trucks.
As part of the proactive strategy to keep the forklifts performing at optimal levels, Kuna secured a planned maintenance schedule for the fleet. A maintenance representative from the local Jungheinrich dealership routinely visits Kuna to service and maintain the equipment. Doing so ensures that potential issues can be resolved quickly and without interfering with Kuna’s productivity. “Jungheinrich has fulfilled all of our service needs quickly and efficiently,” said Garavaglia.
The value and efficiency needed for this fast-paced food distribution company is there. The Jungheinrich product’s efficient movements, combined with a range of productivity enhancing features and options, are appreciated by the Kuna workforce — allowing them to complete their tasks and meet their bonus targets in record time. “We look forward to continuing to work with them as a partner for years to come,” said Schuler.
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