Mitsubishi forklifts replace WER's old forklift fleet in tough application.

Corrugated cardboard manufacturer WE Roberts Group (WER) has bought new forklifts after its punishing triple-shift application took its toll on its previous forklift fleet.

Financial director Richard Puffette explains that WER had grown by 150% over the past three years. As a result, the company's fleet of four trucks worked 24 hours a day, six days a week. "But our old trucks just couldn't meet the challenge. In their last three months on site, there wasn't a day that all of our trucks were in action."

The four trucks were responsible for handling loads in the 100,000 sqft. (9,290 sqm) facility, from loading raw materials into manufacturing machinery to loading finished goods into lorries.

"We felt that we needed a more substantial fleet - something robust enough to cope with the amount of hours and the physical challenges of the environment," Puffette says.

WER turned to Bronze Mechanical Handling, the Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks dealer for Kent and the south-east of the UK, for advice.

After a thorough assessment of WER's application at its production plant in Northfleet, Kent, Bronze sales director Chris Slater recommended four 2 T Grendia diesel counterbalance forklifts.

Slater explains that the dust and particles generated by the manufacture of corrugated cardboard are potentially lethal to a forklift. "We had special filters and covers fitted to safeguard the engine and other systems. A universal joint cover, for example, has been fitted to protect the transmission from costly damage by debris and objects on the floor."

WER's drivers were impressed by the new forklifts, while Puffette was struck by its results on-site. He says efficiency and throughput have increased since the new trucks were introduced. "And when we've had any issues, Chris and his team at Bronze ensure they are quickly resolved so our trucks and our business keep performing at their best."