Forklift damage limitation for portable building manufacturer

Bunkabin's cabins and toilet and shower facilities are rented by customers ranging from event organisers to construction site managers. The units are built at its factory in Oldham and hire stock is held at a 10-acre yard at the same site. Another storage facility near Luton serves customers south of the Midlands. The cabins weigh around two tonnes and are made from steel, which is laminate coated. They are handled by forklift trucks and feature 'pockets' near the base into which the truck forks slide. But the truck forks often dented or scratched the units, meaning they had to be repaired or cleaned up before being rehired. "Our cabins are delivered directly to customer site by wagon and are loaded on to vehicles by forklifts," explains transport manager Andy Seddon. "We had a problem with damage caused by the lift trucks... The damage is only cosmetic but the scratches look unsightly and the units have to go back to the factory to be made good before they can be rehired." Now, says Seddon, Bunkabin has "all but eliminated" the problem by fitting Jayline Products' load cushions to the carriages of the forklift trucks. Made in the UK from heavy duty moulded rubber, the patented load cushions fit to the rear face of the forks and provide a protective barrier between the load and the forks. "We are delighted with the results and the return on our investment – which was only a few hundred pounds – was almost instant," says Seddon. "Apart from the expense of having to put the cabins back in to the factory to repair damage which was caused by ourselves, we risk upsetting our customers if a unit arrives at a client's site already showing signs of wear and tear. Since fitting the Jayline load cushions, the number of repairs has fallen noticeably and customer satisfaction has increased."