Flexi forklift shows its mettle for steel producer

The company undertook a detailed evaluation of the Flexi trucks over the course of a year at its production plant near Liege, Belgium, and has now switched the fleet to Flexis. The articulated trucks can lift loads of 2 tonnes to heights of 8 m. They are being used to transport finished components destined for the automotive sector between ArcelorMittal's production line and the on-site storage facility. ArcelorMittal found the sideloaders slow and hard to manoeuvre, and poor operator visibility had resulted in unacceptably high levels of damage to both loads and warehouse racking. In contrast, the Flexi trucks are mobile and easy to manoeuvre, even in tight aisleways ArcelorMittal's truck drivers underwent an easy on-site conversion training course to ensure that they were familiar with the Flexi truck's operation and, since switching to Flexis, ArcelorMittal has reported a significant drop in handling damage as well as notably higher throughput rates. Visibility was an important factor, because of differing load dimensions – the Flexi's HiVis overhead guard affords a clear view of the load at all heights. John Maguire, Flexi Narrow Aisle's sales and marketing director, comments: "Flexi articulated trucks are perhaps best known for their space-saving characteristics, but for applications where awkwardly shaped loads are handled, their manoeuvrability within the aisle can result in significant throughput