Shoreham Port, the only stevedoring operation in Shoreham, required a new forklift truck fleet in Brighton to handle the unloading of cargo from ships docking from Sweden, Finland and other Baltic states including ports in Estonia and Latvia.
The Materials Handling Requirement
The company needed a fleet of forklifts that could competently handle the discharge of loads of timber – up to 30,000 cubic metres per month – which measure up to 7.2 metres in length as well as 60,000 cubic metres of timber stock on the quays and in the warehouses, before being despatched to a whole host of regional timber merchants in the UK.
Shoreham Port also handles the import of gravel and road salt from as far afield as Spain which is then supplied to four local authorities on the South Coast along with the export of grain and wood chip. Interestingly, the company is currently supplying 6mm, 10mm and 14mm chippings to a major UK airport for the construction of a new runway.
The Solution
Familiar with the Yale® product range, David Bunker, terminal manager at Shoreham Port, requested Dave Portway, sales manager at Forkway, develop a materials handling solution that would not only meet the company materials handling requirements but also its strict environmental conditions. The recommended Yale product was trialled by operators for a four-week period, alongside several other competitor models.
The outcome has been the delivery of 17, 5.5 tonne Yale VX diesel trucks that are fitted with engines to the new Tier 4 European environmental standards, which as well as being more energy efficient, are helping Shoreham Port reduce its carbon footprint.
Commenting, Mr Bunker said: “Many years ago, I worked as a fork lift truck operator so I recognise the importance of driver comfort, especially as our workers can be transporting 1,400 packs of timber over the course of a 12-hour shift.”
“The staff are the heart of the Shoreham Port business and we pride ourselves on protecting their well-being. This is why we specified additional features to add greater comfort and a more appealing work environment including heaters, fans, FM radios with a CD player and USB connection. Other options, such as cloth covered swivel seats and fingertip controls will also aid their day-to-day comfort, whilst offering obvious health and safety benefits.”
Forkway’s Dave Portway added: “Shoreham Port is a community-minded business and staff work hard with local residents regarding business activities. Consequently they work only with businesses that demonstrate the same level of commitment to care, which is why we are so pleased to be on board.
“We believe that the new Yale trucks further demonstrate their respect for the local community with the new fleet having lower noise levels and cleaner engines which will have minimal environmental impact.”
David concludes: “The investment in our new materials handling fleet has been really well received. Not only does the deal make commercial sense but the trucks have more sophisticated designs than our previous fleet. Many operators have recognised this and said that the Yale trucks are the best they have ever driven.
“Overall we couldn’t be happier with our decision to work with Forkway and Yale and we look forward to a successful relationship with them for many years to come.”
Forkway, which will be providing Shoreham Port with ongoing maintenance for the entire contract, works with Yale’s exclusive UK dealer Briggs.
