Yale Demonstrates Customisation Capabilities

When choosing new materials handling equipment it is vital to purchase a product that meets the application requirements. There are times however when a standard product can not meet the specific requirements and a specially engineered product has to be designed.

Yale consistently demonstrates to its customers its commitment to providing the product they need, often by designing a customised truck. In the case of a major company supplying chipboard to furniture manufacturer production lines, this was the case.

Together with authorised dealer, Stapler Center Pieckert in Empfingen, Germany, Yale has designed a truck based on the Yale MR reach truck. Instead of a standard mast the truck features a new 3,000kg lifting device.

The modification allows the smooth chipboard to be placed on driven roller conveyors, which then passes them to stationary belts in the production facility. The truck, which is now 4,000mm long and 1,700mm wide, has hydraulic clamps that hold the chipboard securely as it is being transported.

Equipped with an 840Ah battery for multiple-shift use the truck can be operated by one operator who also controls and monitors all the truck functions on four different displays.

In addition to having to modify the steelwork, all the functions of the truck, sensors and limit switches in the CANbus control system had to be redesigned. The truck has now been in service for over six months and is expected to operate for around 2,800 hours per year.

Karsten Pieckert, who led the customisation project, said: “Within Yale’s comprehensive equipment portfolio there is often a standard product that can be developed for particularly demanding applications. It’s one of the strengths of the Yale product. Yale trucks are built to last using industrial type components. They are dependable and reliable and that’s why we are a Yale Dealer . . . quality counts.

“And with customers operating in such a wide variety of industries demanding ever increasing customisation, having a product that can be tailored to meet a customer’s needs is so important in today’s marketplace.

“Our work with customers throughout the region means that we have experience of many different applications and we can put this to good use when designing bespoke attachments with the Yale engineers to fulfil specific customer requests.”

For further details on the full range of Yale materials handling equipment or to find your nearest Yale forklift truck dealer to discuss your individual needs, log on to http://www.yale-forklifts.eu/.

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What is most important?

What is most important when chosing a new forklift truck?

• Productivity
• Ergonomics
• Local dealership with fast service response time
• Lifetime cost of ownership
• Initial price

Let us know by voting on the panel on the right.

Taking electric counterbalance trucks to new heights

Yale ERCP22-35VG 80V
Productivity *****
Performance *****
Features *****
Lifetime operating costs *****

After launching the next generation of electric powered forklift trucks, the VT and the VF, Yale has added to the range with the introduction of the VG cushion tyre series offering capacities from 2,200kg to 3,500 kg.

Productivity ***** Choice of HiP or eLo setting offers users the option of high productivity and low energy consumption

Performance ***** Four performance modes allow operators to tailor the truck’s performance to specific applications within the two productivity settings

Features ***** Designed with ergonomics in mind features include:

• Minimised whole body vibrations



• Accutouch mini lever module featuring a cushioned arm and palm rest with fingertip control of levers helping to reduce repetitive strain injuries (RSI)



• Maximised dashboard space for operator convenience and 2 litre capacity dashboard providing space for clipboards, pens, mobile phones and drinks with an optional 12V power socket



• Heads up display offers quick, at a glance updates, freeing up the driver’s field of vision for more productive handling



• Easy operator access with three point entry and anti-slip steel mesh step plate



• The ‘YaleStop’ automatic park brake increases productivity dramatically where the driver is frequently moving on and off the truck and eliminates the need for alarms and buzzers alerting operators that the handbrake has not been set

Lifetime operating costs ***** Increased productivity and uptime, combined with reduced maintenance costs delivers reduced lifetime operating costs

Yale says: *****
Daniel Heap, Electric Truck Senior Product Development Manager for NMHG, says the VG series is part of the next generation of forklift trucks. It has been through the most extensive product development and reliability growth testing ever undertaken by the company. He says: “We have worked exhaustively to develop a range of forklift trucks that meet all the demands of our customers’ businesses as well as their operators.”

Further information: http://www.yale-forklifts.eu/

Yale expands Dealer network in Russia

Yale has strengthened its commitment to the Russian market after concluding negotiations with three new independent Dealers.

NPK Avtomatizatsiya in St Petersburg, LADA DC in Togliatti and Business Machinery Group in Yekaterinburg have become the latest exclusive Authorised Dealers to distribute and service its range of Yale forklift trucks and warehouse equipment.

Senior Management from each dealership attended a successful New Dealer Meeting in St Petersburg in July to discuss the long-term strategy for Yale in Russia and how to build the brand in the country by working together.

Long-term and meaningful relationships

Christophe Maillet, Regional Manager for Yale Europe, commented: “Russia is an extremely important market for Yale and we intend to work closely with our existing and new Dealers to continue to build long-term and meaningful relationships with customers by providing them with the highest levels of customer service, in the delivery of new forklift trucks manufactured in Europe and aftersales support.

“Expanding our Dealer network is key to the future growth of Yale, particularly in expanding economies like Russia. We are excited about the opportunities that working with the new Dealers presents and establishing Yale’s coverage throughout the country to provide customers with the national coverage they need. Local dealerships with excellent service response times combined with products and support from a true global manufacturer is what we believe is required to be successful in the Russian market”

Increase Yale brand recognition

Elena Menshikova, Director of Business Machinery Group in Yekaterinburg, added: “Yale is a known brand globally but not that widely recognised in Russia at present. Being a Yale Dealer will allow us to use our expertise to develop sales and brand recognition in our territory and provide our customers with a great product and take advantage of the highest service levels that our company already provides in other areas of our business.”

Victor Tatarinov, founder of LADA DC, concluded: “Yale brings us the advantage of a complete product range of forklift trucks and warehouse equipment that will provide us a considerable edge over many other manufacturers and allow us to provide customers with a complete materials handling solution. Being a Yale Dealer will allow us to build on our market share through new business development programs.”

Four Authorised Yale Dealers

In Russia, Yale’s comprehensive range of forklift trucks and warehouse equipment is now distributed through a network of four Authorised Dealers including MSB, located in Moscow.

For further details on the full range of Yale forklift trucks and material handling equipment, visit http://www.yale-forklifts.eu/

Plant Visit, Craigavon, Northern Ireland

Earlier this week Richard Czepukojc from Yale Marketing in Fleet, accompanied by colleagues from Yale’s external PR team who are specialising in Digital Communications, visited the NMHG Craigavon manufacturing plant in Northern Ireland.

The purpose of the trip was to develop editorial on the Craigavon facility and the new production line for Yale’s Next Generation of electric forklift trucks.

Already producing the VT and VF counterbalance electric forklift trucks, the plant will soon start to produce the next model in the Yale electric series upgrade programme later this year – the VL, a four wheel electric counterbalance supercushion tyre forklift truck in capacities from 2200kg to 3500kg.

Alan Little, plant manager in Craigavon, explained the history of the site since its foundation in 1979 and how it has changed and evolved to meet the company’s manufacturing requirements as a worldwide organisation.

The efficiency of the production lines was immediately evident. A new frame can be produced every 15 minutes when the plant is operating at full capacity, up to 90 forklift truck masts can be produced each day and with less than 3 per cent of the forklift trucks having exactly the same specification, the production line has been designed to manage this high level of customisation during assembly with the minimum effect on productivity.

Production at the plant is on a demand-led basis so all operators are trained in several areas of assembly and manufacture. As a direct result of this high level of training they can easily move between stations and also gain the maximum levels of personal development.

Information on our new supercushion tyre 80 volt electric forklift truck will be released in the coming months – keep visiting http://www.yale-forklifts.eu/ for further details.

To see our operators in action at the plant, click here to see our videos:

• Wiring the electronics within the seat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PffeiMcpMK8
  

• Testing load capacities: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao9eewuoTJ8
  

• Gradient test: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-LGlC9B8Wg
  

Yale strengthens its distribution channel in the Netherlands

In a move to strengthen the Yale distribution channel in the Netherlands, Wynmalen B.V., the Authorised Dealer in the Netherlands for Yale Europe Materials Handling, has been purchased by Peter Venn, who, through his ownership of Yale SLT Fördertechnik GmbH, is a Yale exclusive Dealer in the east of Germany. The new company will revert to its former name of ‘Yale Nederland B.V.’ with immediate effect.

Despite the challenging economic and market conditions the move demonstrates the commitment by Yale and Peter Venn to customers in the Netherlands and the development of the Yale brand in the Dutch market.

Mr. Venn has extensive industry knowledge and experience in running successful forklift truck dealerships that he will bring to the company. He sees the acquisition of Wynmalen B.V. as an excellent opportunity to build on the reputation of a Yale dealership that has been long-established in Vlaardingen and to increase market share and brand recognition in the Netherlands.

Continuing to run his dealership, Yale SLT Fördertechnik GmbH in Heidenau, the close relationship with Yale will be developed further to support the development of the new dealership and establish long term relationships with customers in the Netherlands.

Commenting on the acquisition he stated that: “Yale Nederland B.V. will focus on expanding the business and providing Yale forklift truck users with the highest possible levels of customer service. I am extremely happy to take over the long-standing business of Yale in the Netherlands. Yale is a well established brand with many significant and long-standing customers in the Netherlands. Our focus will be to further improve service to them.”

Frank Ulbricht, managing director of Yale Europe Materials Handling, continued: “I am very happy to see the Yale business in the capable hands of a well established owner who has a proven track record at Yale SLT Fördertechnik in eastern Germany to successfully run a Yale dealership and develop our footprint further. I am looking forward to a continued and close collaboration with Yale Nederland under his management.”

Yale is committed to developing its extensive independent dealer network and to provide customers throughout the world with a local service backed up by the support and expertise of a global company.

For further details on the full range of Yale forklift trucks and Warehouse equipment, log on to http://www.yale-forklifts.eu/.