Loads don't come much longer, heavier or bulkier than those handled in the tubes and steel industries Luckily, the wide range of capacities and customised features of the Combilift range fit the bill.

Irish 4-way forklift and Straddle Carrier manufacturer Combilift supplies its innovative and customised handling solutions to a wide variety of industry sectors in more than 75 countries. The company's recent presence at the Tube and NASCC events and planned participation at shows such as Euroblech and Fabtech underlines its commitment to and popularity within the tubes, pipes, steel stockholder, structural steel and fabricator sectors.

Combilift's reputation and the quality of its products engender loyalty amongst customers and it enjoys a high level of repeat orders. With over 55 Combilifts in operation at two sites in the UK, leading independent stockholder AJN Steel was an early convert to Combilift and exemplifies the attitude of many Combilift users when it comes to the renewal or replacement of forklift fleets.

The history of AJN Steelstock goes back over 60 years when it was originally established under a different name to service primarily the agricultural market in the East of England. Following decades of considerable growth the company now offers a comprehensive range of facilities for general and structural steel sections. It opened a second base in Somerset in the autumn of 2015.

"We originally changed from counterbalance trucks to Combilifts in 2001 at our original site to ensure safe as well as space saving manoevering of our long products - moving 18m beams with a counterbalance truck is not ideal from many points of view - and we have been very happy with the versatility that the 4-way capability of the trucks offers us," said Joint MD Alan Boyden. The fleet at this site now numbers 35; a mix of 7t and 4t capacity trucks moving 700t of steel a day, making it easily the largest single site user of Combilifts in the UK if not in Europe.

The new 17 acre site in Somerset will play a major role in the company's expansion plans to increase sales capacity up to 150,000 tonnes per year and will hold in excess of 20,000 tonnes of stock at any one time. The offloading, handling and storage of the wide variety of universal beams and columns, flat bars and angles that AJN offers is a therefore a key factor for operational efficiency.

During the planning phase Alan saw no reason to look elsewhere for forklifts and ordered a further 21 Combilifts which currently move 300t of product a day. Once the facility is at full capacity this is expected to rise to a minimum of 1000t a day. "Although space constraints are less of an issue at Henstridge, the Combilifts make a valuable contribution to our aim to establish and maintain the highest standards of health and safety performance within our industry," he said. "And, of course, the trucks are robust and multi-purpose which is very beneficial for the demands we make on them in this tough, busy environment."


The fleet comprises three 7t capacity Combilifts and 18 C5000XL models, all LPG powered. The 7t trucks are mainly used for offloading 4t or 5t bundles of incoming material from HGVs and the C5000XLs, which feature a roomy cab and generous ground clearance, are universally deployed for picking, taking materials to and from the shot blast facility, positioning it at sawing machines and drilling lines as well as putting loads into racking in the two 160,000 sq. ft. warehouses. A compact Combi-CB model has also been acquired for the East of England site where its versatility is a great advantage for moving not just palletised loads but also long products when required.

"Due to the size of the premises, the trucks are constantly on the go and cope excellently with anything we ask of them," adds Alan. "Collaboration between ourselves and Combilift when defining the exact specifications has been excellent and the training offered to some of our key drivers and maintenance staff at Combilift's factory ensures optimum levels of operation and service."

Combilift Ltd,
Monaghan, Ireland, Tel: + 353 47 80500
Germany: 0800 000 5764 Australia: 1300 552 422 North America: 1877 266 2456
Latin America: +507 6502 7275 Spain/Portugal: + 34 947 26 70 70

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