Doncaster based CEFCO, the distribution arm of electrical wholesale network CEF, has been able to increase storage density by 30 per cent at its 37,000ft² footprint warehouse by bringing in an Aisle-Master articulated forklift as a replacement for reach trucks. This has allowed it to cope with an increase in the volume of goods at the warehouse.
“The upsurge in business coincided with our fleet of reach trucks nearing the end of its working life,” explains warehouse manager Neil Dillon. “The Aisle-Master’s ability to work in narrow aisles has enabled us to drastically reduce the widths between racking and increase the pallet count from 1,300 to 2,000. This has also avoided the need for additional outlay on extra warehousing facilities.”
Aisle-Masters have a reputation for build quality and reliable operation, and Dillon was struck by this when he looked at the various articulated brands on the market. “You could tell just by its appearance that it stood out from the rest – we all liked the fact that it is a sturdy piece of well engineered kit with a high end finish, made of solid steel with no flimsy fibre glass panels.” In practice the truck has proved to be as reliable as it is good looking: it has a 100 per cent operational record in its 18 months of service and has had no need of any attention from service engineers.
An AC electric powered Aisle-Master model was chosen from the range, and its versatility enables it to work as a reach truck for outside offloading and loading, before taking the pallets to the interior racking. With lift capacities of up to 12.5m it easily copes with CEFCO’s top racking height of 8m.
Aisle-Masters can work in aisles of just 1.75m, have capacities of up to 2.5 tonnes, lift heights of up to 12.5 metres, with a choice of AC electric or LPG power. It comes with a parts warranty of five years or 5,000 hours.
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