Impact has boosted its hire fleet with a Konecranes order.

Konecranes' UK and Ireland distributor, Impact, has invested more than GBP1 million (USD1.43 million) in five heavy-duty forklifts from the manufacturer for its hire fleet.

Based at Impact's centre of heavy-duty truck excellence in Doncaster, the five new arrivals - two reach-stackers, a pair of heavy-duty forklifts and a truck outfitted for specialist applications - will be available at short notice to meet Impact customers' immediate needs.

Impact managing director Terry Kendrew says the investment in Konecranes equipment demonstrates a commitment to meeting Impact customers' materials handling needs.

"Expanding our stock of new heavy lift trucks - vehicles kept ready to work the second they roll off the delivery low-loader - could make all the difference to our customers' busy schedules."

The five-strong Konecranes fleet consists of two container reachstackers which boast a 45 T lifting capacity (SMV 4531TC5), a pair of 12 T heavy-duty forklift trucks (SMV 12-600 C), and a single 33 T forklift (SMV 33-1200 C) designed for specialist applications including handling steel, concrete and other heavy industrial items, with fittings for customers' bespoke attachments.

As official distribution partner for the company, Impact also has full access to Konecranes Lift Trucks' European parts stockholding, for delivery on a next-day basis.

This supply line is supplemented by the company's technical support team, who have been maintaining heavy-duty trucks supplied to Impact customers for decades. To supplement this knowledge, Impact's own team of technical trainers was flown to Sweden for direct training from factory staff at the start of the distributorship.

Impact was appointed as a distributor for Konecranes Lift Trucks in 2014, extending its materials handling portfolio from the smallest pallet trucks to specialist port-based trucks with lifting capacities of up to 100 T.