Combilift Ltd

If there were a prize on offer for a company operating the widest variety of Combilift models under one roof, it would probably go to leading timber supplier Timbmet’s site at Stanford in the Vale in Oxfordshire, where 19 Combilifts are in operation.

The 200,000ft2 depot opened at the beginning of 2008, and as Operations Director Philip Trueman had had experience of Combilifts working at other Timbmet sites across the country, he knew that these 4-way forklifts would be ideal for handling the wide range of hardwoods, timber, sheet materials, flooring and other assorted products stored in the warehousing areas. The more specific choices facing him were which types of Combilift to choose for optimum handling of the very diverse nature and sizes of loads and their respective storage systems.

The fleet comprises eleven five-tonne trucks, ten of which were built with a raised cab, three Combi-CB’s, three C3500 models, and two TeleCombis, fitted with a telescopic boom. Common to all of these according to Philip is their flexibility, speed of operation and the ability to allow Timbmet to maximise stock density by operating in narrow aisles.

Timbmet was one of the first companies to use Combilift’s latest product, the Combi-CB, which is a very compact 4-way counterbalance design truck, developed for customers who deal with both palletised and longer materials. Fitted with integrated side shift, they come into their own when handling Timbmet’s short width packs of timber as well as longer length flooring. They also work inside containers, unloading around 10 of these on a daily basis, before taking goods to cantilever racking or the bulk store area. “The Combi-CB’s have made all aspects of the offloading, storing and reloading procedure much quicker and easier,“ comments Philip.

Due to the volume of product passing through the site, Philip was keen to find a way of speeding up the transportation of large packs of timber without compromising on safety. Combilift engineers developed a specially designed C5000 with a higher than standard cab, enabling drivers to have a clear line of vision over a load of two packs of timber. With 35 HGV’s to be loaded every day, this has been of major benefit. Two of the  high cab trucks are also fitted with telescopic forks for more stable handling of sheet  materials with a depth of 2.1m. The 4-way ability of the Combilifts also allows block stacking, which would not be possible with a conventional sideloader.

The 3.5t capacity C3500 Combilifts work in the picking area, and the TeleCombi models are used primarily for offloading continental tilt trailers. As the truck’s boom can reach across the bed of the truck, it can offload the complete consignment  from one side, again speeding up operations and reducing waiting time for delivery drivers.

All Combilifts are LPG powered – there is a gas source on site, and refilling takes just a few minutes. There is no issue with fumes, as the closed loop exhaust keeps emissions to an absolute minimum in spite of a 24/5 working schedule mainly indoors. “Considering the hours the Combilifts put in, they have proved to be extremely robust and reliable,” says Philip.

The range of trucks at Timbmet exemplifies Combilift’s willingness to take feedback from customers on board for product development. Philip sums up: “The nature of the products we handle is changing – getting longer for example, and  Combilift’s customised approach, the company’s attention to finer detail  and the ability to supply an extremely wide  range of attachments means that we have a fleet perfectly equipped for the task in hand.”

Combilift 4-way forklifts are all designed and built in Monaghan Ireland, where the company also has its HQ and R&D facility. The current Combilift range now encompasses at least fifteen base models with capacities ranging from 2.5 – 14 tonnes, with LPG, diesel or AC electric power available. Combilift has won numerous awards for its products since the company was established in 1998, and there are now over 10,000 units in operation around the world.

Combilift Ltd.   Tel UK: 07815 314 990   email: info@combilift.com www.combilift.com