Safer Long Load Handling With Combilift Working Indoor & Outdoor

Handling long loads can be a headache – and a potentially dangerous one.

Manoeuvring long packs of steel, timber or aluminium for example in busy manufacturing facilities, through access doors and around obstacles can pose all sorts of risks. Trying to solve this by using a couple of counterbalance forklifts at either end of a load is definite no-no from a health and safety point of view and travelling with elevated loads to avoid obstacles in the yard or warehouse is deemed to be hazardous practice too.

So instead of relying on trucks with limited manoeuvrability, specialist solutions in the form of Combilift’s multidirectional models are the solution. Designed specifically for the challenges of long and bulky loads, they combine the advantages of a counterbalance forklift, sideloader and narrow aisle truck in one machine to ensure safe as well as space saving and efficient handling.

The very low centre of gravity and integrated platform provides a stable, low level base for resting loads on during transportation and with the cab mounted to the side of the mast, the operator has a clear view of the load. 4-way ability enables quick change of the wheel direction to enable sideways travel in confined spaces or though doorways.

Thousands of companies have ditched their conventional counterbalance fleets and replaced these with multidirectional C-Series trucks, and Combi-CB compact 4-way counterbalance design models. Whatever you need to lift and move, you can reduce the risks with a Combilift truck – designed first and foremost with safety in mind.

But don’t just take our word for it, let’s hear from our customers.

Ben O’Hanlon, MD of Todds Leap in Northern Ireland is impressed with the advantages of his Combilift: “Before we had the multidirectional Combi-CB we had to juggle with reach trucks and pallet trucks and deploy a number of personnel to safely guide loads of up to 10m long racking through the door into the warehouse. What used to take up to 45 minutes for one load is now done in three or four minutes – with just one driver. As fewer people and fewer forklift movements are involved this is a much safer process all round.”

Alan Boyden, Joint MD of AJN Steel: “We switched from counterbalance trucks to Combilifts to ensure the safer handling of our long and heavy products – moving 18m beams with a counterbalance truck is not ideal from a number of points of view. Our C-Series models move around 300T of steel every day and have made a valuable contribution to our aim to establish and maintain the highest standards of health and safety performance within our industry.”

Malcolm Wright, Director of Edward Howell Galvanizers Ltd: “Efficient handling which also conforms to the highest levels of health and safety is a key part of our operations. Inch by inch manoeuvring of long and heavy loads through a narrow side door with counterbalance trucks is now a thing of the past with our Combilift. Resting the loads on the truck is much more secure and increases the speed with which we can transport goods from the galvanizing bays to the storage yard.”

Stefan Tenwinkel, MD of Tenwinkel GmbH & Co. KG: “The combination of a counterbalance forklift and an indoor crane wasn’t up to the job of handling our concrete ballasts and counterweights which weigh from 10kg to around 30t. The Combi-MG mobile gantry is a flexible and mobile solution and thanks to its design, manoeuvrability and its multidirectional steering we can move our loads in a safer manner as well as ensuring space saving storage in the yard.”