Combilift’s Straddle Carrier range (Combi-SC) offers companies handling containers and out of gauge loads an alternative and much more cost effective and efficient option compared to reach stackers and mobile cranes. Even with relatively low throughput, the Combi-SC offers a very quick return on investment, and its operational benefits have won over an increasing number of distribution, shipping and haulage companies around the world.
“We took a critical look at the methods available and realised that we could offer better,” said MD Martin McVicar, “so we designed a more lightweight, manoeuvrable machine with high levels of customisation to offer complete independence when moving containers and loading or offloading them from trailers. A major advantage is the light footprint: An SC with an unladen weight of 18t can lift a 40t load with the resulting total weight being just 58t. Combined with even load distribution and large tyres, this significantly reduces ground pressure and allows for the handling of heavy or bulky loads on compacted surfaces, avoiding costly investments in ground reinforcement.”
Since the first Combi-SC was launched Combilift designers have been busy developing variants to cover more applications. The SCs can lift, transport and set down 20’, 30’40’ and 45’ high cube containers, reefer and flat rack containers, and a two-wide SC model for offloading containers from a rail car onto a trailer has recently been developed.
Forthcoming changes to The International Maritime Organization (IMO) SOLAS legislation will have an impact on the whole containerisation industry and all containers will be required to have a verified weight certificate before being loaded on to a ship.
Combilift has responded to the new regulations due to be enforced from 1st July 2016 by offering a fully compliant weight measurement system fitted to the SC that meets the new IMO requirements. The new system allows the SC to weigh loads in real-time to an accuracy of +/- 1%, effectively making it a mobile weighing system. It is the most cost-effective system available on the market today, and enhances container handling safety.
With stainless steel load measuring pins, an interface module and a cab mounted tablet for data storage, this is very economical and convenient compared to fixed weighing systems which cannot be easily relocated such as weighbridges, which also need to weigh the truck twice.
Based on a business model of just 20 containers per day, 250 days per year – the Combilift solution will reduce the number of weighing procedures from 150,000 to just 5,000 per year. This is based on weighing 30 pallets per container.
See Combilift at Multimodal, Stand 645
Email: info@combilift.com
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