Rocla is a Finnish company that manufactures forklifts and develops automated forklift systems. Its manufacturing operations are based in Järvenpää, where it employs nearly 500 people. Rocla is owned by the international Mitsubishi Logisnext corporation.
Alfaroc has acted as Rocla’s logistics partner since 2013, when Rocla outsourced its in-house logistics operations of its warehouse in Suutarila in Helsinki to Alfaroc. Before 2013, Rocla ran its warehouse operations independently.
As the company grew, its warehouse no longer had sufficient space and outsourcing the operations seemed like a good solution. Now the company can focus on its core business activities. “The main benefit of outsourcing is that it allows both companies to focus on what they do best. We make forklifts, while Alfaroc takes care of logistics,” explains Rocla’s warehouse manager, Olli Välimäki.
Alfaroc manages in-house logistics of Rocla’s external warehouse independently. It is responsible for the reception, stocking, retrieval and dispatching of products.
Between 13 and 17 people employed by Alfaroc work at the warehouse. Their shifts are planned in line with fluctuations in Rocla’s business volumes. As Rocla’s business has grown, the warehouse operations have adopted a two-shift system and work is also carried out on weekends, when necessary.
“Alfaroc’s strength is definitely that their operations scale to our needs. Peaks in demand occur, for example, when a new product is launched and that’s when we need more hands on deck on short notice,” Välimäki adds.
Recently, the collaboration between the companies has been particularly close because Rocla’s warehouse operations are being transferred to Järvenpää, next to the company’s forklift factory.
With Alfaroc managing in-house logistics in the new location too, the companies have worked together to plan the operations to ensure continued cost-efficiency.
“Collaboration with Alfaroc is seamless. We are in contact on a weekly basis and matters are easy to agree on with the shop floor level as well as with the management,” explains Välimäki.