Product type, price,fuel, service...Your

guide to picking thebest forklift trucks

20 June 2013 www.worksmanagement.co.uk

Unlike many of its European counterparts, the UK forklift

truck market is still largely dependent on contract hire

deals. Once typically agreed over three to five years, the

recession has changed all that and now these are being

extended to seven or even 10 years.

At last month’s AGM of the British Industrial Truck

Association (BITA) – the trade body representing forklift truck

manufacturers and prominent suppliers – Jeremy Leonard of

Oxford Economics told the audience that there was a

positive outlook for UK forklift sales this year, with demand

for warehouse trucks having returned to pre-recession levels

and counterbalance expected to follow suit in the next 12-24

months. The findings come in a report commissioned by BITA

to analyse UK market forecasts.

However, this market news is of little consequence to

purchasers of forklift and warehouse trucks, all of whom are

focused only on getting the right equipment at the right price

for their operation.

So, here are some of the key points from an ever-growing

list that today’s forklift buyers are considering:

Fuel type

It’s true that, until recently, the diesel-powered

counterbalance forklift was the unchallenged workhorse of

the factory. But technical advances in the product itself – as

well as major developments in alternative power sources –

have meant that, today, you are just as likely to walk into any

factory and see an electric or a gas-powered truck.

CNG (compressed natural gas) was trumpeted as the new

kid on the block a few years ago – mainly by Nacco, the

manufacturer of Yale and Hyster trucks – and, while this has

won many admirers and can boast some serious sized fleets,

few can deny the top billing that LPG holds in the gas stakes.

Suppliers such as Calor have divisions dedicated to forklift

truck users, supplying fuel in bottles or in bulk tanks.

But electric trucks have also surged to a dominant

position – once the doyenne of clean environments such as

retail, food and beverage plants, etc, they are now

sufficiently robust to withstand eight-hour shifts in a

demanding factory or warehouse. Battery charging

technology has moved on apace and is now faster than

before and, just as importantly, demands less floorspace for

the charging area.

A new addition and one that’s certain to feature more

prominently is lithium-ion battery technology. Among the

suppliers offering this are Jungheinrich and Toyota – and

doubtless more will follow.

And, as with cars, hybrid fuel technology is jostling for

position. While still early days in the industrial market, truck

designers are finessing the technology. This may be one to

watch for future fleet renewals.

Truck type

Counterbalance trucks will undoubtedly remain the

favourite of factory buyers, but equipment design

developments mean that there is an increasingly large

number of options, some of which depend on the

environment and others on the product being moved.

Certain warehouse trucks are no longer restricted to the

aisles. And versatility is the flag hoisted by articulated truck

makers such as Flexi Narrow Aisle and Translift Bendi, and

other specialist truck manufacturers such as Combilift.

Purchasing new equipment may involve some box-

ticking at the outset, but there are some criteria that

should never be thought of as a formality. Compliance with

legislation, such as the Machinery Directive, is one of them.

BITA’s James Clark says CE marking is a fundamental part

of ‘safety by design’ measures, providing basic assurances.

“If there’s no compliance mark, users have no guarantee

that a truck design meets the minimum standards required

for safety, as laid down by the EU,” he cautions. Selecting

non-compliant equipment may be tempting based on initial

cost savings, but could expose you and your operators to

“tremendous unnecessary risk”, he adds. “BITA’s standpoint

on this is clear: ‘buyer beware’. Make sure your equipment

complies with legislation at all times,” says Clark.

Hire or purchase?

For smaller sites needing one or two forklifts for

occasional use, outright purchase could still be the best

option. But the slicker service options being wrapped around

the product may mean this is old hat. Indeed, for some

Uplift inequipment choiceFor buyers of forklift trucks, there are complex considerations –

and price is just one factor in a burgeoning list of criteria, as

Laura Cork discovers

» What’s your main

consideration when

investing in a new

forklift?

Email Laura Cork on

lcork@findlay.co.uk

www.worksmanagement.co.uk June 2013 21

industrial sites, the smaller the fleet, the more crucial uptime

becomes – and contract hire deals can be struck with

service and maintenance offers rolled in (see below) that

were once the preserve of the larger customers.

In contract to our European neighbours, contract hire

tops the list for UK buyers – around 80% of new truck sales

are made this way – and five-year contract hires have been

the prevalent deal here for many years. But, since the 2008

recession, these are often now being strung out to seven or

even 10 years – arguably, not only for financial reasons but

also because the trucks are sufficiently robust to allow it.

Martin McVicar, a founder of Combilift (the company that

makes the eponymous four-way/multi-directional truck),

echoes the views of many suppliers when he points to total

cost of ownership being a key consideration these days. And,

he adds, residual values are important, too: “The tendency

for most UK companies is to contract hire their equipment

over five years and, to make the rates as attractive as

possible, Combilift has started to offer its dealers fixed buy-

back agreements after five years.”

Site/environment

A seemingly low-tech consideration like a floor can

make a big difference to your forklift truck selection. A sleek

surface means greater choice when it comes to trucks –

including some of the reach trucks which were previously

only considered for use in aisles but now have the capability

to perform multiple roles. Robust truck models, with equally

hard-wearing tyres, will be needed for yard work or for

outdoor duties where potholes and uneven surfaces reign.

When your fleet comes up for renewal, don’t waste the

opportunity for a free site evaluation to see if your materials

handling processes are up to speed. Many of the truck

suppliers have simulation software which can map

movement of goods in and around the site. It may add more

time to the selection process, but it will reap dividends if you

find that an alteration to racking type or layout makes for

faster picking and fewer trucks.

Service and maintenance

Whether it’s from a reliable small local dealer or a

nationwide supplier, every forklift user needs the assurance

of a fast response on breakdowns. A supplier with a solid

service infrastructure will give the most comprehensive

cover and Briggs Equipment (UK distributor for Yale and

Hyster trucks) has one of the largest in the market. Briggs’

sales director Bill Goodwin urges buyers to consider supplier

credibility when selecting new equipment – particularly with

the trend towards longer contracts: “Look to the long term

and see if your provider will support you over the full length

of the contract,” he says.

“Will your provider still be in the forklift truck market in 10

years’ time? What evidence is there to support this in terms

of investment in technology, products and services? And

how financially stable are they?” From its national support

centre in Cannock, Briggs manages a large fleet of engineers

and offers a guaranteed three-hour response to call-outs.

Similarly, Toyota has the scope to meet demanding

service requirements. With more than 500 service engineers

in the UK, it boasts a response time of under four hours and

a 95%-plus fix rate by engineers on their first visit. Ask

potential suppliers for evidence of their service claims.

Unplanned costs and downtime

Accidents will happen and, difficult as it may be,

unplanned costs should be borne in mind from the outset. As

Toyota’s Tony Wallis says: “Uncontrolled equipment damage

can have a considerable impact on the level of costs, not just

the repair of the equipment, but also on the infrastructure –

buildings, racking, product, clean up, downtime, lost sales,

and more.” As Wallis points out, most sites have no idea of

the actual costs of one incident: “It can run into a 10:1 ratio,

so if you consider your £500 invoice for the truck repair

represents a £5,000 overall cost, then a small investment in

time or managed solutions would be worthwhile.”

Fleet management

You can’t manage what you can’t measure, goes the

management mantra. And this is certainly the case

with forklift trucks. Whereas customers with fleets of 20-30

trucks or more were once the only sites blessed with fleet

management services, today most of the suppliers have a

fleet data offering of varying technical standing.

Some offer full web-based reporting capabilities for users;

others offer add-on devices to monitor truck use and log

impacts. As well as the truck suppliers, there are other

companies offering to fit telemetry devices to equipment,

such as Davis Derby and Transmon.

Operator choice

‘They’ll drive what they’re given’ is an attitude that

belongs in the past. Many forward-thinking managers

have realised that the more involvement the operator has in

the selection of new trucks, the more pride he or she will

have in the equipment – not to be sniffed at when you

consider that some forklifts cost the same as a small family

car.

The result? Trucks are kept clean, pre-use checks are

performed religiously and damage is minimised or even

eliminated. A happy driver is a productive driver. ■

Now you have a snapshot of some of the key criteria

for finding a new forklift, it’s time to start talking to

suppliers. On the following pages, you’ll find profiles of

some of the leading providers of materials handling

equipment. They have lifted the lid on their business,

their service capability and their products:

Atlet 23

Briggs Equipment UK 25

Toyota Material Handling UK 27

Yale Europe Materials Handling 29

Contents

Forklift Truck Buyers’ GuideOverview

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www.worksmanagement.co.uk June 2013 23

Forklift Truck Buyers’ Guide

Company Profile

Parent company: UniCarriers Group, a global

materials handling equipment manufacturer

Headquarters, production, R&D: Mölnlycke,

outside Gothenburg, Sweden

Number of employees: 1,000

Turnover: €190m

International presence: 47 markets

Subsidiaries: Atlet has nine subsidiaries in

Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany,

Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, UK and USA

UK offices: Thame, Oxfordshire

Manufacturing site: Sweden

Sales: A direct sales operation with a sales

force covering national, major and territory

accounts.

Applications

Manufacturing, distribution, cold store and

warehousing.

User References

Waitrose, Boughey, Bidvest, Kiddicare, Ann

Summers, BTC Activewear, Chesapeake, and

many others.

Battery change: A complete solution, from

design, manufacture to installation. Design

can be adapted to fit the most unusual of

situations.

Finance: The Atlet Purchase and Leaseback

Contract is a superb form of forklift truck rental.

Atlet buys your present forklift fleet and you

rent it back with an all-in undertaking from us.

Replacement and renewal of the fleet takes

place according to plan and in response to

current operating needs.

Other finance options include rental, which

is usually for 3-5 years with full service and

uptime guarantee included. Also available is

lease purchase, a practical rental form with

many advantages. The period varies between

one and five years, and you can choose the

level of maintenance to be included in the

contract, allowing you to spread the purchase

of the forklift(s) over a given period of time.

Products

Warehouse trucks, reach trucks, low lifters,

stackers, pickers (high and low), telereach ,

fourway, very narrow aisle (VNA) and

counterbalance trucks (battery, diesel and gas).

Service/Maintenance

First-visit-fix rate of 95% and lifetime after-sales

support. Flexible service agreements are

customisable and include:

● Fully inclusive maintenance: fleet is serviced

and maintained for a fixed monthly cost.

● Preventative maintenance: routine

inspections, ideal for those sites where trucks

are not in constant use.

● Emergency service: as well as our main

service agreements, Atlet offers various types

of emergency service contracts. You can even

have an Atlet service engineer on permanent

standby or during limited time periods.

Other Services

Short-term hire: A wide range of forklift trucks

available for short-term hire, from low lifters

and stackers to high level pickers and

counterbalance forklift trucks. Equipment is

available almost immediately, enabling a quick

response to all your business needs.

Warehouse design: Atlet’s Logistics Analyser

creates 3D layouts to simulate truck

movements and warehouse layouts, and

optimise handling operations.

To us, business is personal. Everyone at Atlet is personally committed to the success of your

material handling. From our sales team, analysing and diagnosing your logistics situation, to our

service engineers, making sure your forklift truck fleet is fit for action at all times.

Atlet is one of Europe’s leading forklift truck manufacturers and material handling experts.

We are committed to improving the profitability of your material handling. This is done by

providing warehouse and counterbalance trucks of exceptional technical and ergonomic

qualities, as well as after-sales support and related consultancy services, based on your unique

application.

Atlet forklift trucks are produced at our headquarters and

production plant outside Gothenburg, Sweden.

Jane Morbey RoadThame, Oxon OX9 3RRTel: 01844 215501 Email: info@atlet.co.uk

Bidvest Logistics, a logistics distributor that

works with many well-known high street

retailers, had always relied on the major

national materials handling equipment (MHE)

suppliers to service its five UK sites. In 2010,

when the opportunity arose to engage a new

MHE supplier, its operations team went in

search of a company that would deliver a

more personalised and proactive service,

improved call-out and service times, and lower

rates.

“In the past, we’d always engaged the

major national names in MHE, but we felt we

could improve on a number of aspects of the

contract, such as out-of-contract cost control,

account management, service support, battery

changeover and energy management,” said a

spokesperson for Bidvest Logistics.

“We hoped that Atlet would deliver on all

of these, and they haven’t disappointed us – in

fact they’ve exceeded our expectations.”

case study

Atlet Tergo reach

truck

Atlet

www.atlet.co.uk

Our people are our assets. Individuals who work alongside our customers

to achieve powerful solutions; with instantly accessible management

reporting and intelligence. All possible through combining technology and

innovation with a workforce committed to delivering unrivalled customer service.

Over 600 mobile engineers give you greater coverage and faster response, plus

our skilled engineering workforce also delivers service solutions to a wide range

of plant and ancillary equipment.

It’s all part of our strategy to deliver expert fleet management with true

customer focus.

This is how Briggs will transform the industry.

Get in touch

service at your fingertips

www.briggsequipment.co.uk Tel: 03301 23 98 14

www.worksmanagement.co.uk June 2013 25

Forklift Truck Buyers’ Guide

Company Profile

Employees: 1,400

Turnover: £200m (UK)

UK offices: Head office in Cannock. Additional

13 depots nationwide

UK/EU manufacturing sites: Craigavon,

N Ireland; Nijmegen, Holland; Masate, Italy

Sales: Briggs Equipment is the UK arm of

Briggs International, the world’s largest global

distributor of Nacco Materials Handling

equipment. Our parent, Sammons Enterprises

Inc, is a diversified conglomerate with assets of

$51.8bn and is wholly owned by its employees.

Applications

From food manufacturing, automotive, logistics

and pharmaceutical, through to environments

such as ports and terminals, heavy

manufacturing, industrial engineering, chemical,

steel/metal, trucking, paper and packaging.

User References

Travis Perkins, Homebase, Brake Brothers,

CEVA Group, Nestle UK, Aggregate Industries,

Honda, Wickes, Polestar, Freightliner, PD Ports.

approaches to be tried and gives accurate

costs for operational budget forecasting

(manpower and machinery).

Fleet management: From standard and

customised KPI reports to Speedshield, a

telemetry device for any make or type of

equipment, which transmits vehicle use,

incident and maintenance data to a secure

online portal.

Products

From a simple pallet truck to high capacity

forklifts capable of handling loads up to 48

tonnes, we have the answer.

● Counterbalanced forklifts: lifting capacities

ranging from 1.6 tonne to 9 tonne, with a

choice of electric, diesel and LPG.

● Warehouse trucks: from order pickers, pallet

trucks and stackers, to high capacity reach

trucks and very narrow aisle (VNA) equipment.

● Big trucks: including container handlers

and reach stackers handling capacities from

8 to 48 tonnes.

● Parts and tyres: thousands of parts

available for overnight delivery.

● Quality used equipment: largest fleet range

in UK.

Service/Maintenance

Briggs Equipment has 600 engineers based all

over the UK, offering 24/7 emergency call out

service and industry-leading response times.

Our aim is to ‘repair before failure’ but in the

event of an unexpected failure, our national

service centre will despatch a local engineer

to site within three hours, guaranteed. We

offer a range of service options to suit all

requirements, from our fixed service

agreement, Truckcare, through to ad hoc parts

and service support.

Other Services

Driver training: Fully qualified (RTITB and

ITSAAR) instructors train over 12,000 operators

each year on all makes of forklift from novice

level to instructor standard. Training can be

delivered on site or at one of our six

accredited, purpose-built training centres.

Finance: With Briggs Finance, customers deal

direct with us, not through banks or third

parties. We offer stable and innovative finance

options to suit any circumstances.

Site/warehouse layout design: The

warehouse simulator enables different

Briggs Equipment UK is a leading materials handling service provider and sole distributor of Yale

Europe Materials Handling in Great Britain and Hyster products in the UK. Our products give you

outstanding quality, productivity and reliability to ensure maximum uptime for your business;

from a global manufacturer.

We are customer driven, not manufacturer led. By taking this approach, Briggs can offer the

flexibility to meet customer needs. So whether the customer wants an outright purchase on a new

piece of equipment, secure a lease or short-term rental deal, purchase from a stock of quality used

equipment, or even a mixture of these offerings, Briggs is best positioned to tailor a package that

suits. With over 1,400 employees, Briggs manages its national service

and commercial operation from its HQ in Cannock, Staffordshire.

Orbital Way, Cannock Staffordshire WS11 8XW Tel: 03301 239814Email: info@briggsequipment.co.uk

JDR Cable Systems manufactures bespoke

cables for challenging subsea environments

and its processes are extremely complex. With

products ranging anywhere from 100 metres

to 25 kilometres, weighing up to hundreds of

tonnes, it turned to Briggs Equipment for a

bespoke materials handling solution.

It was important to secure the optimal

number and mix of trucks to minimise costs

and, after exploring all avenues, Briggs

supplied 12 machines ranging from 2.5 to 40

tonnes. With JDR’s operations working in peaks

and troughs, Briggs also constructed a new

long-term flexible hours contract consisting of

six-monthly reviews of equipment use.

Greg Brown, JDR’s supply chain director,

said: “We are really impressed with the fleet

from Briggs. The variation of lifting heights and

forklift sizes enables the trucks to perform

multiple tasks, helping to minimise our costs

and safeguard maximum uptime.”

case study

The MTC turret truck

for very narrow aisles

Briggs Equipment UK

www.briggsequipment.co.uk

Toyota

electric

powered

forklifts

Load

capacities

from

1.0 - 8.5 tonne

Helping

you to drive

down costs

World-class

safety with

Toyota SAS

Improved

speeds for

increased

productivity

Toyota built-in

quality for

greater

durability

High energy

HI¿FLHQF\�

leads to longer

working

Up to 99%

recyclable

High levels of

comfort leads to

greater

performance

Call Toyota

0870 850 1409

or visit

www.toyota-forklifts.co.uk

YOUR NEXT MOVE

to greater productivity

** THE N

EW** **

NEW **

@ToyotaMH_UK /toyota-material-

handling-uk /ToyotaMHUK

www.worksmanagement.co.uk June 2013 27

Forklift Truck Buyers’ Guide

Company Profile

Employees: 950

Turnover: £168m (UK); €1.6bn (Europe)

UK offices: Main depots: Slough, Warrington,

Castleford and Leicester. Fleet management

centre: Old Dalby. Network offices: Glasgow,

Sittingbourne, Gloucester and Wolverhampton.

UK/EU manufacturing sites: Ancenis

(France), Mjolby (Sweden) and Bologna (Italy).

Sales: Direct sales and service team in the UK,

supplemented by a dedicated, strategically-

positioned dealer network including Carryduff

Forklifts in Northern Ireland, GM Leitch and

Groundwater Lift Trucks in Scotland.

Applications

The comprehensive range of Toyota

counterbalance forklifts and BT warehouse

equipment meets the needs of every

application including loading/unloading,

horizontal transport, stacking and order picking.

User References

Ricoh, Telford; Rieter Automotive, West

Midlands; Greenvale; Noble Foods, London.

centre and delivered within 24 hours. Parts

availability is in excess of 96%. All Toyota

parts are fully warranted. For customers with

mixed fleets, we supply all makes of parts.

Fleet management: Toyota I_Site combines

GPRS technology, a user-friendly interface and

ongoing advice to help increase productivity

and drive down costs. Dashboard gives real-

time information, pre-operational checks,

number of shocks. Multi-site functionality.

Products

Quality new and used forklifts and warehouse

equipment including: hand pallet trucks,

powered pallet trucks, reach trucks, stackers,

order pickers, VNA trucks, tow tractors and

counterbalance forklifts.

● Engine and electric powered forklifts from

1.0-8.5 tonne capacity – featuring the Toyota

System of Active Stability

● Wide range of hand pallet trucks, including

the BT Pro Lifter which requires up to 67% less

effort to get a load moving

● Used equipment is refurbished in the UK and

to a choice of three finish levels.

Service/Maintenance

All makes of equipment repaired and flexible

service plans available from full service

inspections, preventative maintenance to safety

inspections, including Thorough Examinations.

Out of hours cover, 450 service technicians

across the UK, four-hour guaranteed response

time, and first-time-fix rate 95% or higher.

Other Services

Toyota Training Academy: Courses from

novice to refresher, advanced to train-the-

trainer. Product courses for all materials

handling equipment. Safety courses on manual

handling and safety for supervisors course.

Training is provided at customer premises or at

Toyota depots. With Toyota Training+, instructors

will show operators the equipment features

that will help them work most productively.

Flexible rental: From one day to several years,

rental and lease options for long-term material

handling needs, plus flexible short-term

options. More than 3,500 trucks on the short-

term hire fleet and a dedicated support team.

Parts: Genuine Toyota and BT parts are

ordered direct from our UK distribution

Toyota Material Handling is the world’s leading name in materials handling solutions. With

nationwide presence in the UK and a reputation for technical and service excellence, our

industry-leading range of products sets ever new standards. All Toyota and BT equipment is

manufactured in Europe using the world-renowned Toyota Production System.

Toyota offers a comprehensive range of quality new and used Toyota forklifts and BT

warehouse equipment, national service support, short and long-term rental solutions, fleet

management, genuine parts, as well as tailored product and safety operator training.

Toyota customers benefit from an extensive product range – from pallet trucks to tow

tractors, counterbalance forklifts and more – and access to global

resources, national coverage and local support.

706 Stirling Road, Slough Trading EstateSlough, Berkshire SL1 4SY Tel: 0870 850 1409 Email: we.deliver@uk.toyota-industries.eu

At office equipment manufacturer Ricoh’s

sites in Telford and Wellingborough, there are

more than 45 items of material handling

equipment in operation, including

counterbalance electric forklifts, powered

pallet trucks, hand pallet trucks, order pickers,

VNA and tow tractors.

Toyota Material Handling UK provides

dedicated after-sales support for manual

and powered equipment. To reduce costs,

Ricoh moved from having an on-site

engineer to a dedicated service technician

who visits the site daily to address any

issues and carry out preventative

maintenance. In addition, hand pallet trucks

on site are serviced and maintained by

Toyota to extend their operational life.

Both Toyota and Ricoh have kaizen at the

heart of their operations and worked together

to look at ways to make cost savings and

deliver both productivity and safety benefits.

case study

Toyota and BT lifting

equipment

Toyota Material Handling UK

www.toyota-forklifts.co.uk

www.worksmanagement.co.uk June 2013 29

Forklift Truck Buyers’ Guide

Company Profile

Employees: 5,300 worldwide (parent

company Nacco Materials Handling)

UK/EU manufacturing sites: Craigavon,

Northern Ireland – counterbalance

equipment, 1.5-5.5 tonne; Masate, Italy –

warehouse equipment; Nijmegen, The

Netherlands – counterbalance equipment, 6-

16 tonne

Sales: Great Britain: Briggs Equipment UK,

Orbital Way, Cannock, Staffordshire, WS11

8XW, T: 01543 430928

www.briggsequipment.co.uk

Northern Ireland: NM Forktrucks, Rathdown

Road, Lissue Industrial Estate, Lisburn, BT28

2RE NI, T: 028 9262 1922

www.nmforktrucks.com

Applications

All materials handling applications with

particular focus on: logistics, automotive,

retail, chemical, paper, construction, wood,

metals, beverage, food.

Fleet management: Provided through the

Yale major accounts team, Briggs Equipment

national accounts team and the Yale Vision

asset management solution.

Products

Yale has one of the most comprehensive

ranges of electric and engine powered

materials handling equipment in lifting

capacities from 1 tonne to 16 tonnes, with lift

heights up to 17 metres. The range includes:

● Warehouse equipment including pallet

handlers, order pickers, reach trucks, stackers

and very narrow aisle equipment

● The innovative and versatile range V series

of AC-technology counterbalance forklift

trucks designed to optimise productivity

● The Veracitor VX series which delivers

outstanding productivity and the lowest

lifetime cost of ownership

● The streamlined LX range which

incorporates the best of the Veracitor range,

without the complex systems and features.

User References

Available on request.

Service/Maintenance

Provided through our independent dealer

network, which is the largest UK materials

handling service organisation.

Other Services

Driver training: Provided through our

independent dealer network, which is the

largest UK materials handling service

organisation.

Finance: Yale Financial Services offers a

range of flexible materials handling

equipment financing solutions from a single

counterbalance forklift truck to a fleet of

order pickers, from outright purchase to a

number of tailored financial purchase plans.

Site/warehouse layout design

Provided through warehouse specialists and

the unique Yale Warehouse Simulator

Program.

Yale Materials Handling has a 90-year unrivalled heritage in materials handling.

Globally, Yale provides solutions for prestigious businesses in some of the most intensive

applications, and prides itself on its long-lasting customer relationships. This has resulted in an

understanding of customers’ applications and the ability to provide solutions to meet their changing

business needs. All products undergo in-depth research and evaluation, and are designed with two

key goals in mind: to create the most comfortable working environment for the operator, and to

create features and performance to increase throughput and productivity. Ergonomic advances

come from a focused approach and understanding customers’ specific needs. This knowledge is

gained through ongoing customer evaluation and observing operators to

understand how to improve efficiency, comfort and operational productivity.

Flagship House, Reading Road North Fleet, Hampshire GU51 4WDTel: 01252 770700 Email: info@yale.com

Hövelmann-Ahr Getränke Logistik, based in

Oberhausen, Germany, warehouses and

distributes various types of beer, soft drinks

and mineral water and is one of the leading

beverage logistics firms in Germany.

With an existing fleet of 110 Yale trucks,

Hövelmann was part of the test programme

for the new Yale MO25 low level order picker

last year. Impressed with performance, it

placed an order for the first MO25 to be sold

and delivered in Europe.

Yale tailored the trucks to suit the

company’s needs, including adapting the

design of front rollers to allow easier entry

into pallets and changing the battery

compartment to accommodate a 620

amp/hour battery for eight-hour shifts.

The modifications Yale made provide a

more comfortable working environment for

operators, making the process of loading and

unloading large pallets easier and more

efficient. This increased productivity has

resulted in Hövelmann placing another order

for 11 additional units.

case study

A Yale very narrowaisle (VNA) truck

Yale Europe Materials Handling

www.yale.com