Delivering the goods
April 1st 2007 Performance under intense conditions and recommendations from drivers, were just two factors in Walkers Transport’s decision to work with Toyota Industrial Equipment at its new distribution centre in Manchester
An affiliate of the Palletways Group, Walkers Transport is a leading express distributor of palletised goods in the UK. The company has sites in Leeds and Manchester, with around 6,000 pallets travelling inbound and outbound per week from the Leeds site alone. Reliability was therefore a key consideration when choosing a materials handling supplier.
Walkers Transport has selected four Generation 7 gas trucks for Manchester and also uses two Generation 7 gas powered forklifts at the Leeds distribution centre. Operating on a 24-hour basis, a key role for the Toyota forklifts at the Manchester site is loading palletised goods into the company's heavy goods vehicles, before transportation to a central distribution site in the Midlands.
“The forklifts really need to be up to the job which is one of the reasons we went with Toyota as the reliability of their trucks makes a clear contribution to our productivity,” explains Ady Waddington, Warehouse Manager at Walkers Transport. Another deciding factor for Walkers Transport was comfort. Ady Waddington added: “Our long-term drivers speak very highly of Toyota forklifts. We believe that drivers who are comfortable and find the trucks easy to use are more productive. Their feedback has been extremely positive; they really appreciate the added comfort and enhanced ergonomics of the Toyota trucks.”
Walkers Transport has also appreciated the ongoing support and advice provided by regional dealer Toyota Northern. “We’ve been extremely happy with the level of service and support from Toyota Northern who has come up with solutions to make our forklifts even more productive and safe, commented Ady Waddington.
“For example, the forklifts have been customised with the new Tyre Saver system which, as well as preventing damage to the transmission, forces drivers to come to a complete standstill before changing direction. As well as reducing wear and tear, this is proving to be a great safety feature,” adds Ady.
“The environment at Walkers Transport is extremely fast-moving,” explains Tony Colbert, Sales Executive at Toyota Northern. “With large amounts of goods being transported through the Manchester site 24 hours a day. Toyota forklifts can be relied upon to deliver in the most intense conditions as well as providing optimum safety and comfort for drivers. “ More articles from Toyota Material Handling (UK) Ltd: | 
