Bendi walks the walk
September 1st 2010 Translift Bendi's new pedestrian forklift,
the Mini Bendi, combines 220 degree load
rotation and nimble handheld oper
Translift Bendi has released a VNA pedestrian-controlled
articulated forklift truck. The Mini Bendi BP312 is said to
offer superior levels of safety, and functionality previously
considered unattainable in the warehousing and logistics sector.
Bendi adds that it expects the new truck to challenge existing
thinking.
"There is a very real need for a smaller, lighter machine that is
not required to have the speed or the reach of a normal Bendi
but can still accommodate the UK-style perimeter based pallets,"
explains Bendi managing director Simon Brown.
"The traditional equipment offerings range from pedestrian
counterbalance, pedestrian reach and a variety of other ride-on
options, all of which require 2.5-3m aisle, which often represents
over 70% of these smaller warehouses."
The standard 220 degree load rotation of the Mini Bendi is
said to give operators unrivalled, unobstructed visibility of the
forks and load at all times offering a much safer operation than
conventional solutions.
The operator's position, twice as far away from the pallet
compared to a traditional pedestrian truck and intuitive feedback
from the truck's steering system enables pallets, including Euro
style and UK perimeter based (Chep) variations, to be nimbly
and safely placed.
The large, soft wheels of the Mini Bendi allow safe travel over
yards or roads, enabling deliveries to be easily unloaded and
placed straight into storage. Traditional machines in this sector
with smaller wheels can struggle with these surfaces and either
get stuck or spill their loads.
The firm adds that trials and subsequent modifications have
been completed and that the Mini Bendi has been well received,
particularly by leading lights in the retail industry. Orders for
more than 65 trucks have already been placed.
"The dynamics of the Mini Bendi are such that we knew it
would be incredibly popular," continues Brown. "Its versatility
and intuitive handling, coupled with health and safety
improvements, means it is likely to be a firm favourite in the
Bendi portfolio."
Translift Bendi is set to formally launch the Mini Bendi at
IMHX in November. Four other new machines are also
scheduled to be unveiled which will bring the total Bendi
product range to 17.
"We aim to launch five new machines at the show and, as you
can imagine, it is a very exciting time for us. Each one is a radical
departure from where we are now and, without giving too much
away, three of the new trucks will open up new market sectors to
us including food and retail, in addition to opportunities in
European markets - all of these have great potential in terms of
additional volume and income streams for Bendi," adds Brown.
"One product in particular, which is currently out on test, has
already produced an order for 50 machines with another sizeable
order possible, subject to further trials. Our intention is to secure
the patent for the European truck prior to the show. This truck
offers users 1.8m aisles and a whole host of other unique
features, for a European machine at 50% of the present cost.
These new additions reflect our focus on innovation and
determination not only to provide solutions for customers but to
base our development on customer feedback in tandem with
substantial investment and
research," he concludes. More articles from Bendi: | 
