Trucks on the right track
October 1st 2010 Despite dust, high temperatures and
heavy loads,new trucks bring comfort to
a demanding foundry application
Balfour Beatty Rail has swapped its century-old foundry
for new facilities at South Queensferry in Scotland. The
modern greenfield site houses a complex involved in the
manufacture of railway crossing points.With the move
looming, managers were keen to review and modernise every
aspect of operations – including materials handling.
Looking for expert guidance, the company turned to its longterm
supplier, Douglas Gillespie Plant, a Mitsubishi forklift
trucks authorised dealer, which has worked with Balfour Beatty
since 1989.
"Balfour Beatty relies heavily upon its trucks – and its
drivers. So the customer's top priorities were reliability and
ergonomic features," says Douglas Gillespie Plant's sales
manager, Ronnie Judge. "By working with the customer, we
were able to put together a package of Mitsubishi trucks to
meet the needs of the business, the site's operations and the
drivers."
The new fleet consists of three Mitsubishi 2 tonne diesel
FD20Ns, a 4 tonne diesel FD40K and a 5 tonne diesel FD50K.
With low noise levels and emissions, the trucks are ideal for
working both indoors and out. To keep drivers comfortable –
whatever the weather – each IC engine truck has been fitted
with a weatherproof cabin.
Car comfort delivered
"The trucks are packed with ergonomic features," says Judge.
"The small 2 tonne diesels deliver car-comfort – complete with
an automotive-style pedal layout. The fully floating powertrain
has been designed for reduced driver stress: keeping vibration
and noise levels exceptionally low."
The three FD20N trucks work in stores, the pattern shop and
the maintenance department. To assist the operator while
working on pallet movements in the racking, a sideshift
attachment was fitted to the stores' truck.
The two largest trucks support activities in the foundry areas.
The 4 tonne truck is based in the moulding section, while the
five-tonne transports castings weighing up to 2 tonnes within
the after cast department.
"Working in a foundry can soon take its toll on a truck,"
Judge emphasises. "Combining high temperatures and dust
with heavy loads makes maintenance a real issue. Thankfully
the innovative design and high quality of engineering in these
Mitsubishi trucks ensures a long life, utter reliability and low
handling costs."
Trucks are fitted with an enhanced anti-clogging cooling
system to ensure optimal engine temperature for a long life and
low maintenance costs. High air intakes, incorporated into the
overhead guard, also contribute to avoiding unnecessary
downtime.
Alasdair McDonald from Balfour Beatty is delighted with the
new fleet: "The trucks have performed very well – especially
when compared to our previous trucks. I have been particularly
impressed with the increased reliability and minimal downtime
we've seen since swapping over.What's more, our drivers are
very happy with the new trucks. It's definitely made a difference
to their working environment."
On behalf of Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks UK, regional
manager Martyn Davies adds: "Douglas Gillespie Plant has
built an excellent reputation for maintaining high customer
standards and developing close working relationships. Like all
of the dealers in our authorised dealer network, the team there
offers customers the best of both worlds: the famously reliable
Mitsubishi range backed by
exceptional product support." More articles from Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks UK: | 
