UK heavy-duty forklift supplier Big Fork Truck (BFT) has successfully completed the relocation of 35 textile looms from Lancashire to India and Pakistan.

Eric Cooper, owner of Big Fork Truck, says the equipment came from a defunct mill in Nelson.

"The mill had closed down," he explains. "But in countries such as India, the equipment still has significant value where the vibrant economy and long textile industry history create a lively second-hand market."

Cooper says the biggest logistical challenge was in managing the traffic outside the building. "However, there was also the economic factor," he says. "To make substantial savings in transportation costs, we were able to double stack and bolt the looms together.

"So, instead of getting three looms into a 12-metre (39 foot) container, BFT were able to get six looms in, saving containers and money." The final weight of each container was 8 tons.

A Hoist 8-ton, 4.5-ton compact forklift and 25-ton all-terrain crane were all used to move the equipment out of the mill and into the containers.

Cooper says BFT also used in-house designed and manufactured skates, which were bolted to the equipment. "The skates can change direction without having to jack up the machines and redirect (them), so the machine can be pushed manually and/or pulled with a small forklift."