Narrow Aisle has delivered two G4 articulated forklifts to Addax Petroleum.

Narrow Aisle has delivered two of its G4 articulated forklifts to West Africa's largest independent oil producer's warehouse in Nigeria.

Addax Petroleum acquired the forklifts to handle spare parts and consumables used in the oil and gas exploration work undertaken by the company throughout Nigeria.

Space is limited in the warehouse and currently all palletised loads at the site are block-stacked, mainly because Addax faced difficulty in finding a local heavy-duty racking supplier.

Addax spokesperson Colin Mead says that the company finally found a local fabricator to produce the racking but it will cost more than an imported racking system.

"But we know it will fit," Mead says. "Other local businesses previously quoted for racks constructed from old production tubing but the extensive welding involved makes them costly, so for the moment we have no option but to block stack."

The Flexi trucks were chosen because they allow pallets to be block-stacked more closely together in the Addax warehouse than the traditional counterbalance forklifts the company was using.

According to Mead, using the articulated forklifts has saved Addax floor space and it will be able to store even more product once its heavy duty racks are installed.

Addax required forklifts that were quick and easy to maintain. The Flexi forklift, powered by a 48-volt battery, is designed to be low maintenance. No chains or slings are needed during battery change-over operations. The battery is removed at low level from the rear using a hand pallet truck, eliminating the risk of the battery being dropped from height.

The Flexi's rugged construction and rubber tyres make it suitable for the facility's harsh conditions. Compared to Western facilities, the yard conditions at Addax's Nigerian facility are particularly difficult and the warehouse floor is "less than perfect", Mead says.

John Maguire, Narrow Aisle's marketing director, says the company is promoting the Flexi in the oil services as a viable alternative to counterbalance forklifts and reach trucks.

"The high cost and restricted space available in land- or platform-based storage areas make the Flexi a very attractive option. We have a number of significant installations globally where the Flexi has demonstrated cost savings and handling improvements," Maguire says.

Flexi articulated forklifts are designed and manufactured at the company's UK manufacturing plant and distributed through a global distributor network. Narrow Aisle has also outsourced manufacturing to a technology partner in Taiwan for the supply of Flexi trucks to the Asia Pacific and American markets.