Easy access with Combilift

Moving, stacking and locating stock at Access Technologies Ltd has become a whole lot easier, and safer, since the company took delivery of a Combilift forklift for its manufacturing facility in Shropshire. The Combilift's 4-way capability has also enabled an impressive 50% increase in internal storage capacity to be achieved.

The company produces a range of open steel flooring and safety access products for clients across a wide range of sectors, including major contractors in the structural industry. Operations Director Tony Baldassarra had been looking to improve the handling of the main raw material, steel, for some time, as he explains: "We knew we had a problem, and were looking for a solution. Trying to get 6m long packs of panels and 7.5m long tubes up a gradient and through a 4.8m wide doorway with counterbalance trucks was a trial, and potentially dangerous, not to mention time consuming. Inside we were wasting storage space as we needed aisles widths of 3m for the trucks to manoeuvre."

The solution came in the form of a Combilift C3000 3-tonne capacity multi-directional forklift supplied by Abex Ltd, a material handling specialist located not far from Access Technologies' headquarters in Shifnal. "All of Tony's concerns could be answered with the one versatile Combilift," says Abex's Paul Raymond. "It is designed to work both as a counterbalance and sideloader, inside and out. It can offload incoming deliveries in the yard in forward mode, initiate sideways mode by the push of a button to carry long lengths through the doors, and block stack in narrow aisles once in the building. It also copes effortlessly with the relatively steep incline to the warehouse." Abex recommended an LPG powered Combilift, fitted with hydraulic fork positioners due to the varying sizes of loads to be carried.

Once the Combilift was in place, the benefits to Tony and his team of drivers were immediate. The multi-tasking ability of the truck cuts out double handling and considerably speeds up operations. 4-way capability eliminates tricky manoeuvering to get product inside, which has also improved safety procedures - a crucial issue from Tony's point of view. The narrowing down of aisles to not much more than the width of the Combilift itself has increased storage capacity and enabled most stock to be stored under cover, resulting in turn in a much tidier yard.

According to Tony: "The increased operational efficiency, reduced risk of product damage, improved use of storage space and safer handling more than justify the investment in the Combilift". He also adds that the drivers are so keen on the truck that they would be at a loss if it were taken away.

All Combilifts are manufactured by Combilift Ltd in Monaghan Ireland. The current range now encompasses over a dozen 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 free warehouse layouts to illustrate the best possible use of available storage space using the Combilift system.

Combilift Ltd
Tel UK: 07968 490051
www.combilift.com