Toyota equipment in use at Unitrans

The distribution centre servicing some of Australia's best-known retail furniture brands has increased its all-Toyota Material Handling forklift fleet with the delivery of 21 order pickers and seven reach forklifts at its busy warehouse in western Sydney.

Unitrans Asia Pacific is part of the Steinhoff Asia Pacific group and specialises in the warehousing and distribution of all bulky goods. The latest batch of Toyota Material Handling equipment has been deployed at its 50,000 sqm distribution centre in Kings Park, NSW.

The reach forklifts and order pickers joined a 50-strong all-Toyota fleet that also includes turret trucks and counterbalance forklifts.

Unitrans Asia Pacific distribution centre manager Zanko Kotevski is particularly impressed with Toyota's order picker and reach forklifts which "are lighter and more agile than similar equipment from other brands, making them much easier to manoeuver in the confines of the warehouse".

He also values the safety features offered on the Toyota equipment: "We appreciate the standard safety features on offer, like the auto slow-down function on our high-reach forklifts that slows them down to 2 km/h when travelling with a load at height ensuring operator safety."

"Toyota is also able to add the specific safety features we need. For example, half of the new batch of forklifts have been specially fitted with weight scales so that if the forks are overloaded, a flashing light and siren warns the driver and the machine cuts out."

Another benefit for Unitrans is a full-time on-site Toyota mechanic with his own workshop "so regular servicing and maintenance is taken care of quickly and efficiently", according to TMHA corporate account customer manager Mike Andress.

Unitrans Asia Pacific has been a Toyota Material Handling Australia (TMHA) customer for over 10 years and is in the process of upgrading to a 100% TMHA fleet at all its warehouses across Australia.