Garnalex has made substantial investments in its new extrusion factory in Nether Heage, Derbyshire to revolutionise the way aluminium windows and doors are fabricated, installed and sold. It has also invested in a fleet of Combilift multidirectional forklifts which play an integral role in maximising efficiency.
Chief executive Roger Hartshorn had no hesitation in choosing Combilift, stating that “the trucks are now a standard in the industry, crucial to high levels of safety and operational flexibility”.
The scale of production in the 100,000ft² factory, which can extrude 4t of aluminium an hour, requires a coordinated approach. As well as doing the heavy lifting, the Combilifts are fitted with weighing scales, bar code scanners, QR code readers and PCs. These feed information into a bespoke management and tracking system, enabling the precise location of all products to be identified at any time.
Garnalex initially took delivery of two 4t C4000 trucks and a Combi-CB with 2.5t lift capacity, all with LPG power, 4-way capability and painted in a special Garnalex livery. Two more C4000 models are on order.
They offload incoming 800kg packs of logs which are taken to storage and then to one of the two extrusion presses. The trucks bring 7m long baskets of extrusions – identified by QR codes – to the ovens, and back to storage areas once the cooking process has been completed.
Their 5.5m triplex masts enable them to pass under low doorways, and lift goods to high storage bays when extended. They also handle and load boxes of scrap that are sent for recycling.
The Combi-CB is the first truck of its kind to combine compact counterbalance design with multidirectional capability, and can carry pallets as well as longer loads. “This truck’s clever design and versatility is a great asset,” said Hartshorn.