Geotechnical construction company Bachy Soletanche has replaced its fleet of diesel forklifts with Mitsubishi EDiA electric counterbalance forklifts.

“We wanted to switch from diesel to electric as part of a company-wide drive to reduce emissions by 40% before the end of the decade” says Steve Egan, maintenance supervisor at the Bachy Soletanche’s Burscough site. 

“The only issue was whether electric forklifts could match the go-anywhere performance of the diesel models we had relied on for many years.”

Bachy Soletanche manufacturs tools for the geotechnical industry at its 9 acre Burscough site, which includes some rough terrain. 

After consulting with the Jofson Limited dealership from Trafford Park, Manchester, Bachy Soletanche acquired two Mitsubishi 3 T EDiA EX forklifts, which are used to carry loads in and out of a service workshop on site, as well as a Mitsubishi 5 T EDiA XL used in the yard to unload lorries.

“Having carefully assessed the site, we recommended that accumulators be fitted to the masts on all the trucks to compensate uneven ground in some areas of the site,” explains Kevin Gorman, sales director at Jofson Limited. 

“The accumulators absorb potential jolts and vibrations,?minimising the risk of lost loads. “Weight indicators were also added to better inform the operators and prevent trucks being overloaded. 

“At the same time sideshifts ensure pin-point positioning of every load.”

Egan notes the transition from diesel to electric has been seamless. 

“The charging process has been easier and much less intrusive than we expected” he says.

“Even though the trucks are used pretty much every day, we only need to charge them about once a week. 

“We quickly found that using the eco power mode makes a significant difference when it comes to saving on energy consumption and extending shift life.”