Palfinger Crayler BM

Huddersfield haulage firm Van European has attracted local media attention after taking delivery of its Palfinger Crayler BM truck.

The Huddersfield Daily Examiner reports extensively on the "remote control vehicle that can lift up to two tonnes", pointing out that "it's not a toy".

The report describes how Van European director Mark Senior bought the Palfinger Crayler BM truck "on a whim" after seeing one demonstrated on YouTube.

According to Palfinger, the Crayler is a fully fledged four-wheel forklift with mobile prongs with a lifting height of up to 2.85 m that requires only a very short set-up time before it can begin exchanging loads of palletised, pre-assembled cargo. "With its agile articulated steering system and compact external dimensions, the radio-controlled Crayler can easily handle the tightest of unloading situations," says the product description.

For Van, the machine cuts out much of the tedium of loading and unloading a lorry and is also safer to operate.

Since its delivery, the machine has been attracting some attention from passing pedestrians and motorists, according to the Examiner.

The report details how Senior first saw the machine on YouTube and had a nervous six-month wait for its arrival "but it was worth it".

"One advantage is its size - you can fit it under a lorry and it's safer because you're three metres away from it.

"You can see your forks all the time and you can't do that if you're driving a normal forklift."

The Palfinger Crayler truck-mounted forklift is parked in a compact box mounted beneath the frame of the articulated lorry that keeps the forklift safe from theft and does not block ramp access to the rear portal door.