The Grab-o-Matic drum handler has increased efficiency for Sea Sands Shipping of Dubai.

A Middle Eastern shipping company will see at least a 30% boost in the efficiency of its operations after UK firm B&B Attachments provided Grab-o-Matic handlers that resulted in the depalletisation of the company's facility.

Sea Sands Shipping of Dubai turned to B&B after visiting the British attachment supplier's stand at IMHX 2013 in Birmingham. Sea Sands, which runs a private container terminal in Dubai, needed assistance in handling the drums that were a core part of its business.

B&B has delivered the new attachments within a month of the exhibition.

Managing director of B&B Mike Barton has 47 years of experience in the forklift industry and also manages the export side of the business. He says Sea Sands managing director Osamah Meshir approached him at IMHX with a very clear idea of his company's needs.

"They deal in the loading and transportation of drums of all sizes, by receiving drums onto pallets, loading them into single containers and also moving drums from one container to another as a part of their operation carried out in their container terminal in Dubai.

"After my discussions with Osamah, it was clear that they required mechanical drum handling equipment to allow them to complete their work more efficiently."

Sea Sands purchased two Grab-o-Matic double-drum handlers and four single-drum handlers from B&B. Prior to this, all of the company's drum work was palletised, so the attachment has removed the need for pallets.

"This story is a testament to IMHX and the opportunities it brings, both for the customers and the exhibiting companies, as all parts of the supply chain are together in one room. I'm very pleased to have worked with Sea Sands Shipping, and to have provided them with an attachment that suits their business, and enhances it even further," Barton says.

IMHX is held at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham every three years. It is attended by about 20,000 logistics professionals, and over 400 companies exhibit innovative products and services over the four-day event.