After a busy year setting up its second warehouse, a dedicated fulfilment centre in Tebay, Cumbria, Trans Haul set its sights on maximising pallet space at its new Leighton Buzzard distribution centre. Compared with its previous reach truck handling operation, Trans Haul has gained 30% more pallet positions by leasing two Bendi forklifts. But as Trans Haul's managjng director, Nigel Machado explained, the benefits don't stop there.

'Apart from wanting to improve our warehouse capacity within our current 75,000ft2 footprint, we were also looking for trucks that were versatile.

Previously, we were using two types of forklift, counterbalanced for lorry loading/unloading in the yard and reach trucks inside the warehouse.' Established in 1987 as a haulier, Trans Haul progressed into warehousing by 1992 owing to customer demand, since when sales have steadily risen year on year.

'We find that fewer people want to operate their own warehouses nowadays,' said Machado.

Today, it has three warehouses, with a fourth in its sights.

Part of its strength lies in its shared user storage capacity and willingness to offer full 3PL fulfilment services, including repacking and labelling and a choice of timed delivery services for mixed pallet loads throughout the UK and abroad.

It operates its own small fleet of lorries and uses TNT for small consignments, but it has just joined the pallet network exchange, Pallet-Track, for developing the smaller side of its business.

Like many other distribution companies, Trans Haul has found that the Bendi's suitability for indoor and outdoor work on the roughest of yards dispenses with the need for two different types of forklift, one for lorry loading in yards and the other for internal work.

Such suitability stems from the Bendi's large, soft rubber tyres, articulated wheel axles and relatively high chassis ground clearance, which combined with its articulating fork mast means no reach truck or counterbalance forklift (cb) can remotely match the Bendi's versatility and productivity.

This dual functionality delivers profound cost savings, not least because of the productivity factor.

Many mixed forklift fleet operators find that unless they are operating an intensive 24h a day, forklifts are left lying idle for too long.

In Trans Haul's case, Bendis unload and load lorries in the yard and sometimes move directly from lorries to the designated storage locations within the racking, thus cutting out any double handling associated with a mixed truck fleet.

Many operators find that this makes the Bendi typically 20% faster than reach trucks.

Given the Bendi's ability to store up to 30% and 50% more pallets than a reach truck and cb truck respectively, it may be possible to achieve instant truck payback when renting Bendis.

When pressed hard for more storage space, for example, some warehouse operators have the option to reduce their existing aisle widths from 3.6m or 2.

6m to 1.6m, the minimum a Bendi needs.

That is far cheaper than building an extension or renting off-site premises and can lead to closure of remote storage locations.

Having first heard of the Bendi through a trade journal editorial, Machado was careful to discuss and see the trucks working at two sites in northern England, including one operated by Eddie Stobart, before coming to any decision.

This entirely positive user feedback convinced him that there was no need to go out to tender as the two leased Bendis were well within his budget.

Operating a 10h shift, Trans Haul finds the Bendi can easily cope on a single battery charge, so there is no need for standby batteries.

Top racking beam height is 5m, to which the Bendis will lift 1,450kg, or 1,800kg to 3.5m.

Pallet loads very between 1.5m and 2m high and comprise diverse products like tea, packaging, toys and medical products.

Ground level bays are packing faces, replenished from bulk positions above.

On safety issues, Machado agrees that the Bendi is safer than other truck types.

'They tend to feel sturdier; you do not notice any instability in the truck whatsoever,' he said.

'It is certainly easier looking at the load because there is no neck stretching that you get with reach trucks and no visual impairment when loading or removing pallets from racking beams.' There is also no rear end swing that typically mars reach truck performance, which can lead to so much rack damage.

Drivers received two days on site training from Translift, and after some initial trepidation, they now prefer them to other trucks.

'As far as I am concerned, the Bendi will be our way forward for our expansion.

We will not go back to reach trucks,' said Machado.


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