Raising the Bar with Combilift and Howard Tenens
June 27th 2011 One of the largest family-owned logistics companies in the UK, Howard Tenens, has been able to pass on substantial cost savings to a major client by replacing counterbalance trucks with a bespoke combination of a Combilift 4-way forklift and cantilever racking at its facility in Gloucestershire.
The new system was introduced as part of Howard Tenens’ ongoing commitment to provide added value for customers, and has enabled the company to reduce the amount of space needed to store steel bars for a major concern in the on and offshore drilling sector by more than a half - from 70,000 ft² to just 30,000 ft². This has not only resulted in lower costs but has also speeded up handling and storage procedures and enhanced health and safety on site.
The LPG powered 4 tonne capacity Combilift has been fitted with a number of features to make the handling of the long cylindrical product safer and easier for operators: the tapered platform design gives extra stability to the loose bars when they are being offloaded and transferred to the racking and a 7m removable spreader bar prevents any flexing of the longest lengths.
The Combilift’s 6.8m mast height enables full exploitation of vertical space. “We decided to go upward with racking rather than bulk store, which has made a key contribution to the space rationalisation,” says Mike Jones. ““Payback on the investment in the racking will be quickly achieved as a result of cost savings made from the reduced space. Our Combilift has given us greater flexibility, so this upgraded facility has been a resounding success for all concerned.”
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