Yale extends its search for the oldest forklift truck

As Yale’s campaign to find the oldest operating Yale forklift truck continues to receive entries from across Europe, the Middle East and Africa to celebrate the company’s 90th anniversary, Yale has extended the competition to the end of the year following the appointment of new exclusive dealers within the company’s Europe, Middle East and Africa network.

Widely recognised as introducing the very first electric powered low lift platform truck to the European marketing in 1920, Yale is offering a trip to New York in return for information on the oldest operating Yale forklift truck or pallet truck still in operation today (*click here for terms and conditions).

Yale’s competition to find the Oldest Yale forklift truck has received interest from all over Europe and, following the appointment of Universal Spetstechnica LLC (UST) as the exclusive authorised Yale Dealer for the Russian Federation, the competition has been extended to the end of 2010 to allow Russia’s largest forklift truck distributor and the rest of the Yale Dealer network to submit more entries.

Open to all operators of Yale forklift trucks or pallet trucks that are at least 20 years old still being used today across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the competition showcases the reliability and longevity of Yale forklift trucks as well as a long heritage of innovative forklift innovation and design for over ninety years.

Still going strong
Richard Czepukojc, Yale Europe’s Advertising and PR executive, explains: “We regularly receive feedback from our customers saying they are still using a Yale forklift truck or pallet truck purchased in the 1960s and we know of one operator that up until a few years ago was using a platform truck that was well over 40 years old.

“Entries have been received from across Europe including Switzerland, France, Germany and the UK, and, despite the fact that the competition is only open to operators across the EMEA region, we have even received an entry from Canada demonstrating the global distribution and reach of our forklift brand.”

French company Micro Meca is a specialist in precision and mechanical engineering. Its 1970 Yale forklift truck has served the company every day for the past 40 years transporting pallets of iron, mechanical parts and other industrial equipment.

Meanwhile, Gebrüder Münzert in Germany has been producing fabrics and clothing material since 1925. Its Yale forklift has been used in the warehouse to lift bales and cartons with its special attachment daily, despite being 37 years old whilst Swiss firm M. Knoepfli AG, a leader in power shift transmission, torque converters, marine gearboxes and gears for locomotives, construction equipment and industrial vehicles, operates a 36 year old Yale K51 electric forklift truck which is still used daily on site.

How to Enter
If you think you have one of the oldest Yale forklift trucks still in operation, you could win a trip to New York courtesy of Yale. A gallery of entries is being hosted on the Forkliftaction web site: www.forkliftaction.com/yaleoldesttruck where new entries can be easily uploaded. Alternatively, entries can be submitted via email by sending an image, together with your name, company and age of the truck, to yaleeurope@yale.com.

All entries into the Yale Oldest Truck competition will receive a die cast scale model of the latest Yale lift truck. One overall winner will receive a trip to New York (click here for terms and conditions ).

ERGONOMICS, MANOEUVRABILITY AND SAFETY PERFECTED IN INDEPENDENT FORKLIFT TEST

Leading French materials handling publication, Manutech, put Yale’s four wheel VF electric counterbalance forklift through an uncompromising series of tests with some impressive results.

Yale’s new VF electric forklift truck “highlights the undisputed advances that NACCO Materials Handling Group has made in its new generation of electric trucks,” reported Mr. Patrick Harribey and Mr. Jean-Louis Rabeux in the January/February 2010 issue after their examination of the 1,800kg capacity model.

Steve Ridgway, Yale Brand Manager, said: “Yale understands that ergonomics and productivity are inexorably linked and the introduction of the VF series marked an unprecedented step forward in ergonomic design and operating performance for four wheel electric counterbalance trucks, something that was highlighted by the test.”

According to the professional test team the operator module is central to the success of Yale’s VF series. Mr. Harribey commented that “the ergonomic tilt of the armrest built into the seat combines comfort with convenience” whilst “the headroom between the seat and the overhead guard makes for comfortable driving when wearing a hard hat.”

The VF model tested was fitted with Yale’s AccuTouch mini lever module which features cushioned arm and palm rest with fingertip control of levers. The test team reported that “the levers were big enough to be operated with handling gloves on. They are smooth, extremely precise and simultaneously manoeuvrable single handed.”

Particular praise was given to the new Yale full suspension seat and its ability to absorb vibrations A weight adjustment thumbwheel function allows the seat to be easily customised to the operator’s specific requirements resulting in improved comfort, increasing the length of time an operator can work at optimum productivity.

Manutech reported that the turning circle on the VF model was “outstanding” with smooth manoeuvring at all times. The armrest and rear-driving position were also praised for offering good support during manoeuvring.

The test team described “excellent visibility from the ‘Clearview’ mast enabling the operator to pick up or put down pallets high up on shelving in total safety.”

Manutech were keen to comment that the VF model tested allowed the supervisor to select between two performance modes. The 'eLo' (Energy Saving) setting offers the lowest possible energy consumption in each class (2.02Ah per VDI 2198 test cycle) whilst the 'HiP' (High Productivity) setting can be selected for a heavy duty performance cycle or where high productivity is important.
Responding to the Manutech verdict, Steve Ridgway concluded: “We are delighted with the test results. Mr. Rabeux and his team have provided an excellent, independent and experienced endorsement of the new VF series confirming that Yale continues to lead the market with a range of products that have the best overall energy efficiency, productivity and lowest lifetime cost of ownership for applications where electric forklift trucks are demanded.”

- ends -