Alwayse Ball Unit Solutions has supplied over 3,000 ball transfer units to be used as part of baggage and cargo handling at Heathrow Terminal 5.
The units have been supplied to the terminal’s strategic baggage partner, Vanderlande. They will replace a number of existing ball units also supplied by Alwayse, many of which have been in constant operation for over 24 hours a day since Terminal 5 opened in 2008.
Terminal 5 handles a significant portion of Heathrow’s overall cargo volume, which equated to over 1.43m tonnes in 20231. The upgraded Vanderlande systems will use units from Alwayse’s Heavy Duty 8053015 series, which comprise a Ø30mm stainless steel bearing housed within a low-profile unit formed from a single steel body.
With a maximum load of 350kg per ball transfer unit, ground operations and cargo handling teams can easily manoeuvre heavy items of cargo and unit load devices (ULDs) safely and efficiently, without the need for additional power sources.
Graham Clarke, Buyer at Vanderlande, commented: “At Vanderlande, our commitment to delivering exceptional automated material handling solutions requires components that exemplify reliability and durability. That’s why we rely on Alwayse Ball Unit Solutions.
“In particular, the 805 units from Alwayse have consistently demonstrated superior performance and a long service life, making them a vital part of our operations. These units are specified in the International Air Transport Association (IATA) guidelines, further validating their exceptional quality and widespread industry acceptance.
