Cooper SH supplies Pentalver Transport Ltd with container handling equipment for operations in three of the UK's major ports.

Cooper Specialised Handling Ltd has won a contract to supply 15 reach stackers and container handlers to one of the UK's largest users of container handling equipment.

The fleet for Pentalver Transport Ltd's Felixstowe, Southampton and Tilbury operations consists of 10 Konecranes SMV ECB 100 double stacking empty container handlers and five Konecranes 4531 reach stackers.

Chris Lawrenson, Pentalver Transport's managing director, says the company operates 46 machines in its container operations and has "the largest fleet of mobile front-loading container handlers in the UK".

"Our trucks work up to 3,000 hours a year and with fuel prices continuing to increase, we needed to ensure that our running costs and our total cost of ownership were kept to an absolute minimum," Lawrenson says.

He says Pentalver Transport was impressed with the high specification and engineering content of the Konecranes machines. "The ECO Drive is of particular interest to us as it means we can reward and promote best practice to save fuel costs."

Cooper SH estimates that the application of ECO Drive, an award-winning fuel measurement tool, will save over GBP20,000 (USD33,013) a year for Pentalver's new fleet.

The empty container handlers have also been specified with a "high-rear" cab position, which will place the driver's seat 1,200mm higher over the rear ballast than the standard "low-rear" position.

Cooper SH sales manager Chris Barnes says it is the first time the company has supplied empty container handlers with that specification in the UK. "They allow optimum all-round visibility, which is very important in a busy container operation and enables operators to work safely and productively."

The specification of each truck has been carefully selected in consultation with Pentalver's engineers.

Pentalver Transport is one of the UK's leading container logistics companies operating in three of the UK's major ports and an inland port facility in Cannock, Staffordshire.

Both parties have agreed not to disclose the contract's value.