Forklifts tough it out

Operating from Cumbernauld and Elgin respectively, they provide these services to a wide range of customers for all kinds of steel fabrication and metalwork. 

Having tried out “pretty much every brand of counterbalance forklift plus sideloaders, none of which were practical,” according to MD Geoff Crowley, the company has put its faith in Combilift 4-way trucks, which are tough operators in what Geoff believes is one of the harshest operating environments imaginable. 

Two C5000 models at Elgin and a C3000 at Cumbernauld have clocked up 23,000 hours in 10 years. At this site a newer C5000XL model has already seen 7,000 hours of operation in just two years. Around 50t of products are treated on a daily basis and the trucks work 24 hours a day for 5 days a week plus 16 hours across the weekend. 

“As a jobbing galvanizer the Combilifts are unbeatable as they keep the production running smoothly,” said Geoff. “Their robust build, solid engineering and lack of over sensitive electronic parts enables them to run and run in very adverse conditions where there are issues with acid vapour and corrosion.”       

The C5000XL is used to position jigs for handling by overhead crane before and after the galvanizing process. These are 7m long and need to be transported from one end of the facility to another for every job on a 15 minute basis. Without the 4-way capability it would also be much more awkward and dangerous to move the jig along the edge of the building. The truck is a “galvanizing spec” model which includes features such as timber clad platforms to avoid metal on metal contact and protection bars in front of the hydraulic tank, cab and rear wheel.