Goscor has been named SPAR's 2015 Equipment Supplier of the Year.

Leading warehouse equipment supplier Goscor Lift Truck Company (GLTC) has been named SPAR's 2015 Equipment Supplier of the Year.

SPAR Group logistics executive Trevor Currie says that the award was well deserved. "It's not just the quality of the product or of the after-sales support that makes the difference with Goscor, it's the complete package. They are prepared to go the extra mile not only to help ensure excellence in our logistics division but also its cost effectiveness in the long-term. They are a partner in our business in the truest sense of the word," he says.

GLTC MD Darryl Shafto says the selection is the most important accolade ever received by his company. "SPAR obviously has many suppliers, with many of them much bigger than we are. It is therefore a monumental privilege for us to have been singled out in this manner," he says.

Currie says that although the capital price of Goscor' equipment is usually higher than their competitors, Goscor has consistently delivered on the promise of achieving the lowest total cost of ownership over the life of the equipment. "In SPAR's business, this boils down to the cost of moving a pallet over the lifetime of an individual materials handling machine and, in this regard, the SPAR-Goscor partnership has managed to create an enviable level of efficiency in the warehouse through constant and consistent operational cost reduction," he says.

GLTC sales director Patrick Barber says that from the outset GLTC's relationship with SPAR was unique. "The capital investment for SPAR was certainly higher with us than it would have been with most of our competitors. But we learned very quickly that they completely understood the lifetime-cost concept," Barber says.

He adds that operational cost reduction has been achieved through focusing on a cluster of activities like driver assessment, intrinsic fleet management and, of course, the highest levels of service and maintenance.

According to Shafto, the relationship between SPAR and Goscor is based on mutual respect. "We've been true to our promise in delivering the lowest cost of ownership across the fleet of our MHE and they have, in turn, allowed us to do what has to be done to achieve this. Often nit-picking micromanagement can destroy potential and, fortunately, this type of management is just not part of the visionary company that is SPAR.

"It is a thoroughly professional organisation and this award is hugely meaningful for each and every one of us at Goscor Lift Truck Company. We are deeply grateful for it," he adds.