Combilift Ltd, the Irish specialist manufacturer of the Combilift 4-way forklift range, demonstrated its talent for problem solving and creative thinking when it redesigned the cabs on a sideloader model to accommodate an extra door, suiting the specific requirements of leading timber supplier Brooks Bros UK Ltd’s Northern branch.
Brooks Bros UK Ltd operates four sites across the country, and this 4.5 acre Northern outlet specialises in hardwoods and softwoods and also has a department dedicated to bespoke timber machining. The offloading and handling of these materials used to be the job of four conventional, 4-wheel sideloaders, but General Manager Darren McCarthy could see room for improvement: “They were particularly greedy on space, and needed large areas in which to manoeuvre. As space is money, we were keen to find a more economical solution.”
By replacing the old trucks with three 4-way Combilift C5000SL’s, the Northern site has increased storage capacity by 25%. In order to keep aisle widths to a minimum, a Combilift guided aisle system was also installed, and this was so effective in improving efficiency and safe operations that guide rails have been fitted not only in the storage areas but also around doorways and into the machining facility.
Brooks Bros use a free stacking method for timber packs rather than racking, which presented quite a challenge for Combilift’s design engineers, as Darren explains: “Drivers need to be able to get in and out of the cab on a regular basis when working in the narrow aisles to place wooden bearers on the packs. The standard sliding SL side door is then too close to the packs to allow the driver exit and access.” Collaboration between Brooks Bros, Combilift’s Rod Mattock and engineers at the company HQ in Ireland resulted in a cab designed with an extra door at the front of the cab which the driver can use when in the aisles.
The LPG powered Combilifts are on the go all the time according to Darren, and work a 7am to 7pm shift. They handle all products around the site, as well as offloading and reloading delivery vehicles. The 5t capacity copes easily with the 3 or 4 metre long packs of timber which can weigh 2 or 3 tonnes apiece. In all, the Combilifts have made a valuable contribution to improved handling and storage. Having been initially asked to evaluate the performance of the trucks, Darren will be recommending that other Brooks Bros sites adopt this system.
All Combilifts are manufactured by Combilift Ltd in Monaghan Ireland. The current range now encompasses fifteen base models with capacities ranging from 2.5 – 14 tonnes, with LPG, diesel or electric power available. The trucks are designed to work both inside and out, on semi-rough terrain and in all weather conditions. A team of design engineers at the Monaghan factory in Ireland will also draw up warehouse layouts, free of charge, to illustrate the best possible use of available storage space using the Combilift system.
Combilift Ltd.
Tel UK: 07815 314 990
Email: info@combilift.com
www.combilift.com
Comments are closed.