Sugar factory’s forklifts boost loading efficiency

Each month, up to 4,000 tonnes of loose sugar is transported by sea from the sugar manufacturer's East London dock. Solent Stevedores has to ensure that the sugar is moved quickly and efficiently from warehouse to ship container holds. Long battery changeovers, truck breakdowns and service problems with its previous fleet led Solent Stevedores operations manager Martin Hiscock to put his materials handling supply out to tender. "We had two key aims," he says. "Our new fleet needed to deliver on performance and reliability." Hiscock turned to Bronze Mechanical Handling, his local Mitsubishi dealer, which was able to deliver, he says, "the best products, the best turnarounds as well as the best after sales service". Five 3.0 tonne Grendia LP gas trucks have been supplied, each fitted with double pallet handler attachments. Previously, counterbalance trucks left the product at the quayside and pallet trucks were used to load on to the ship. Now, the new trucks have high-visibility masts, meaning drivers can take the sacks of sugar directly into the holds of the ship. Hiscock reports: "The introduction of Grendia trucks to our Silvertown operations has made an enormous difference – improving loading times by 15%."