Nexens at work for Sovereign Design Play Systems.

Two Nexen forklifts are handling about 600 tonnes of imported softwood each year for an Essex play equipment company.

Sovereign Design Play Systems' installations manager, Ricki Taylor, says the Nexen forklifts are "better than most I've come across in my career".

"And what I particularly like is how easy they are to drive - like a car really, which enables the operators to concentrate on the job in hand," she says.

Local dealer Meadows Forklifts of Basildon supplied the forklifts on five-year, full-maintenance contracts.

The 2.5 tonne Nexen FD25 and 3 tonne FD30 unload incoming raw materials or load palletised finished products onto Sovereign's fleet of eight 3.5 tonne flatbed delivery vehicles, over two shifts from 3.30am to 7.30pm.

Yard manager Daniel Hutsby says the forklifts are "brilliant and ideal" for Sovereign Design's application.

"Even though they are now both a few years old and work extremely long hours, they have never let us down," Hutsby says.

Sovereign Design Play Systems of Shoeburyness is a manufacturer of timber-based activity equipment that is installed in primary schools and infant play areas.