Food firm Baxters chooses LPG forklifts from Still

Based in Glasgow, and with clients all over Scotland, Northern Forklift was shortlisted to tender along with four other suppliers. The first stage of the tender process was to hold extended trials of the LPG counterbalance truck, the ‘workhorses’ of the site, being responsible for all goods in and out. It was here that the Still forklifts were found to be better.

The Still RX70 IC Counterbalance Truck is powered by the hybrid drive technology, which among other benefits results in considerably less fuel consumption and produces fewer harmful emissions compared to standard forklifts, both key factors for Baxters Food Group according to stores and warehouse manager John Pease.

“Baxters Food Group has an enviable reputation as an environmentally conscious organisation and we expect our supply partners to follow suit.

“Under a controlled trial it was found that the Still RX70 used over 30% less fuel than our existing machines, so when you consider that we have eleven of these forklifts working almost around the clock the potential savings, together with the reduction in our carbon footprint, were significant factors in our decision to award Northern Forklift the contract.”

Safety on-site

With an impressive factory consisting of various buildings over different levels and with inclines to negotiate, site safety is paramount. The Still RX70 gas range comes with automatic braking and speed control as standard, which means all trucks on site can have identical drive characteristics and have been set to the maximum site speed of 10mph. The automatic braking prevents the trucks from ‘free-wheeling’ on the gradients to further enhance safety.

As part of the contract, the trucks have been fitted with Still Fleet Manager, a full recording system that helps improve Health & Safety and further reduces cost by monitoring and controlling the activity of each machine. An ID system controls which drivers can use each truck and the GPRS accident recorder sends an immediate email to management in the event of a collision. It also offers Baxters a comprehensive record of forklift utilisation throughout the fleet, all updated automatically every hour using the GPS link.

Operating within the main factory and warehouse areas are the Still Electric Counterbalance and Warehousing Trucks. These include the RX60, the first four-wheel counterbalance truck to include lateral battery change for multi-shift operation, a range of EXU Powered Pallet Trucks, FMX Reach Trucks and a MX-X Man Up Narrow Aisle Truck. Battery change facilities have been supplied for each truck to cater for the multi-shift operation.

Local service

“Service support is provided in partnership with Highland Forklifts, who for over 10 years have been working with Northern Forklift in the Highlands area of Scotland to support existing Still customers and to promote new sales of Still equipment,” says Andy Sirel, Managing Director of Northern Forklift (Scotland).

“With Highland Forklifts having invested in the latest Still laptop diagnostic technology and benefiting from the same overnight parts delivery system as the rest of the Still network, they can together with Northern Forklift ensure Baxters enjoy the highest standard of service back-up which, due to the geography and climate in that area, can only be provided by a company that has proper representation in the Highlands region. Baxters is a world class company and deserves a world class materials handling solution. We hope that with Still equipment and the local support of Highland Forklifts and ourselves, that is what we are now providing!”

With the new fleet from Northern Forklift now in full operation, productivity and performance of the Still trucks has been impressive concluded John Pease.

“We are have recently taken on the production of Fray Bentos pies which has increased the factory’s throughput by nearly 30% yet we still only have the same number of forklifts operating, and with reduced fuel costs, so we are confident that our partnership with Northern Forklift will ensure that we can meet any rising demand both now and in the future.”