The British winters were taking their toll on the company's fleet and workforce.

Pecan Deluxe Candy (Europe) Ltd has ordered a fleet of new forklifts from Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks dealer Rushlift Ltd to boost its staff morale.

The West Yorkshire-based company produces candy and flavours for ice-cream suppliers and its team of forklift operators spend up to 90% of their time shuttling goods outside. The British winters were taking their toll on the company's fleet and workforce.

Logistics manager Ernie Smithey says it is uncomfortable for the forklift operators to be working in exposed trucks in the rain and snow and so the company looked to Rushlift for a solution to lift the operators' spirits and productivity.

"The team there understood what was needed straight away," Smithey says. "They were very responsive and quickly delivered exactly what we were looking for."

Rushlift business manager Tony Potocki says he identified his cutsomer's top three priorities for the new fleet as machine reliability, operator comfort and good service support.

"The trucks needed to be robust in every type of weather while keeping their operators comfortable, warm and dry," Potocki explains.

The new fleet includes a 1,600kg (3,527lb) pedestrian pallet truck, which is suitable for transporting loads over distances of up to 20 metres (66 feet). Another four two-tonne electric counterbalance forklifts ensure the operators are protected from the elements when working outdoors. The counterbalance forklifts are fitted with a high-specification heated cabin.

"The electrics benefit from proven AC technology ... Crucially, these workhorses deliver the same performance as an IC engine without any of the polluting exhaust gases," Potocki adds.

Smithey says he has noticed a positive change in his forklift drivers since the new fleet was introduced.
"Our drivers are delighted with the new trucks, which are as comfortable as any armchair. They particularly love the ease of using ergonomic fingertip controls rather than leaning forward to move big, clunky levers."

Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks UK regional manager Martyn Davies boasts that the forklifts can be used anywhere in the world and in any type of climate. "Although UK weather isn't quite so extreme (as sub-zero Siberian Tundra), our customers benefit from the all-weather reliability built into each and every model."

The value of the order was not disclosed.