 Long loads no longer a problem Combilift – the versatile solution
October 25th 2006 There is no such thing as a 'standard' application for the versatile range of Combilift 4-way forklifts. Customers with totally different products and requirements are all benefiting from the 'Combilift treatment'.
GL events Owen Brown is the leading European supplier of marquees and temporary structures for corporate hospitality, exhibitions and sporting events, offering a bespoke service for high profile events occasions such as Wimbledon and Royal Ascot. The wide variety of materials stored at Owen Brown’s base in Castle Donington in central England required a much more flexible and space saving forklift than its old counterbalance truck – a classic case of a Combilift to the rescue!
The diesel powered 4-tonne Combilift has increased available storage space by 50% in the area which houses the 6m long stillages and pallets of PVC roof and side skins as well as glass window panels. Outside, excellent manoeuvrability and good driver visibility from the Combilift cab has speeded up the loading of 13.5m aluminium roof rafters. With the need to work to tight deadlines, the absolute reliability of the truck has also been of major benefit.
The northernmost Combilift in the UK is based in Lerwick in the Shetland Isles, 200 miles north of Aberdeen, and 200 miles West of Bergen, Norway. Leslie Irvine, MD of Lerwick Building Centre Ltd, was looking for a replacement sideloader when he saw the Combilift at a trade show. He was immediately struck by its space saving potential which would enable him to install more racking in the outside storage area. The C4000 diesel Combilift offloads and handles all manner of goods such as timber, pipes, flooring and roofing products. It is particularly beneficial for handling the large 3.5 – 4tonne packs of timber which can be up to 6m in length. Thanks to the Combilift’s manoeuvrability, storage space has been increased by 30%. The truck’s ability to work in counterbalance and sideways mode has also allowed for more efficient use of manpower when offloading from delivery trucks. Lerwick Building Centre prides itself on its extensive range and quick service and the Combilift has enabled it to deliver the goods in this respect.
“A unique operation requiring a unique handling system” is how Mark Lord, Contracts Director at Hardstaff Group, describes the reason for the company’s acquisition of a 5 tonne diesel Combilift, which is used to handle the concrete barriers the company manufactures. The company’s two major products are 2.5t Multibloc, and the heavier 4.5t Maxibloc.
Hardstaff needed a forklift capable of lifting the heavier product whilst being manoeuvrable enough to work in the limited spaces encountered when installing the barriers on motorways. A trial run demonstrated Combilift’s “flexibility to handle almost every situation” according to Mark. The truck’s ability to travel sideways allows the Combilift to operate in a space measuring little more than its overall length. 4-way capability also avoids elevated travel with what is potentially a very hazardous load. At the manufacturing site the Combilift’s robust build is of great benefit in this harsh environment. Its ability to work on semi-rough terrain and in all weathers guarantees uninterrupted operation to keep pace with Hardstaff’s round the clock schedules.
For further information, just  click here. More articles from Combilift Limited: | 
