Putting service first
September 1st 2011

Keyne Express Deliveries, a member of the Palletways network, has boosted productivity by taking delivery of a fleet of lift trucks from Tailift

Keyne Express Deliveries is a family run business and a member of the Palletways network with over 100 other logistics organisations.

In a bid to boost its productivity, Keyne recently invested in a new fleet of forklifts from Industrial Truck Distribution (ITD), the exclusive distributor for Taiwanese lift truck manufacturer Tailift, through a local dealer.

Edward Jarvis, managing director of Keyne Express Deliveries identified a number of factors that swayed the decision towards ITD. "We are a true 24/7 operation," he explains. "This makes service an absolutely critical matter for us and we were most comfortable with a strong local provider that we have a face-to-face relationship with." The ethos of ITD is selling through dealers who are responsible for servicing in their local area. This area is normally within a 30 mile radius.

"This local focus appealed to us," continues Jarvis. "We feel service levels could be slipping in the UK with companies trying to make more profit by selling direct.Most forklifts are becoming over complicated, making it hard for the local, reliable forklift companies to repair. Laptop maintenance can also leave you with no options if levels of service deteriorate.

We feel a local forklift company needs to look after you, as you are a flagship to them and help them to gain more business locally." ITD has three ranges of lift truck and Keynes opted for the Z series, which is Tailift's premium brand. The Z series offers features including oil-immersed brakes and suspended transmission. This factor appealed to Keynes, which counts uptime as a key business need. "We can't afford for the machines to be off the road. The Z series has oil-immersed brakes, which offers reduced maintenance and lower maintenance bills thus longer working times.

"We have tried various brands over the years but the fully suspended power train the Z series offers is arguably the smoothest ride available," says Jarvis.

Tailift is also confident about ergonomics saying it is a lowvibration truck that drivers will feel safe and comfortable in.

Steve Murray, sales director at ITD adds: "The Z series has strong health and safety features including a specially designed mast configuration and low set counterweight, giving the best visibility on the market." ITD has stock in its Milton Keynes distribution centre, with trucks available for test drive.

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