Subscribe

Tag: Materials Handling

Briggs acquires long-established UK forklift dealer

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Briggs Equipment has completed the acquisition of materials handling dealer, Forkway Group.

Operating from three UK sites in Amersham, Dewsbury and Southampton, Forkway has supplied industrial equipment and expert engineering services to customers since 1961 with a philosophy and commitment that perfectly complements the Briggs Proposition. The company, which has been a sub-dealer of Briggs for 10 years, is well respected within the industry for its commitment to customer service and has a loyal and diverse customer portfolio that covers key geographical areas.

Briggs Equipment says this acquisition further strengthens its position as the UK & Ireland’s leading asset management and engineering services specialists, whilst ensuring Forkway customers benefit from access to a wider range of high-quality products and supporting services. The two companies already have an established and valuable working partnership through the sub-dealer arrangement that has existed successfully for 10 years.

Pete Jones, Briggs Equipment’s Group Managing Director, commented: “With the acquisition of Forkway, we are delighted to have brought a strong and long-standing business partner fully within the Briggs Group. Their skilled employees, extensive customer portfolio and synergy with our own customer base means they are a further valuable addition to the Briggs Equipment Group.

“We continue to build on our recent acquisition activity and this latest deal underlines our ambition and focus to grow the Group and ultimately provide unrivalled service and coverage to our customers. Forkway has a proven track record of success that’s been built over a number of decades and whilst we will expand the overall capability of the business, we also recognise the importance of nurturing and protecting those unique and long-lasting customer partnerships.”

“As with all our acquisitions, we want to work with businesses that share the same values and culture as ourselves and through our experience of working with the team at Forkway, we’re confident that they will be quickly become an integral part of the Briggs Equipment Group.

“We look forward to welcoming the Forkway team into our business, working closely with them and providing the appropriate investment and support to ensure the company can continue to prosper and fulfil its huge potential.

Richard Greaves, Forkway’s Group Director, commented: “This acquisition will allow our business to accelerate its development as part of a values orientated, industry recognised and highly successful organisation. The positive culture and ambition that runs throughout Briggs will help our people thrive in their roles, whilst delivering key improvements to our product and service offering.

“I’d like to thank everyone involved with the acquisition for their hard-work and we’re now looking forward to settling in and establishing Forkway as a key part of the Briggs Equipment Group.”

UniCarriers completes MX series with compact trucks

Posted on by David Priestman

With the MXS3 and MXS4, UniCarriers is expanding its successful MX series of electric counterbalanced trucks with new models that it says set benchmarks in agility, performance and intelligence.

All the new models are characterised by their compact and robust design, excellent manoeuvrability and intelligent control systems. This makes them ideal for dynamic handling tasks in demanding, confined environments.

The MXS3 line is made up of 3-wheel forklifts with capacities from 1.4 to 2 tonnes, while the 4-wheel forklifts from the MXS4 line have capacities of 1.6 to 2 tonnes. With this expansion, the MX series now covers all categories of logistical tasks, from the MXS all the way to the heavy-duty MXL range. It means that warehouse operators can find a one-stop solution for every application, from a single supplier.

The MXS3 and MSX4 combine the heritage of their award-winning predecessors, the TX3 and TX4, with the advanced technology of the MX series. All systems and components are specified for robustness, ease of maintenance and high operating efficiency, as well as excellent ergonomics.

With their compact design, amazing manoeuvrability and intelligent control systems, UniCarriers says the MXS3 and MXS4 are ideal for handling tasks in cramped, fast-paced environments. The latest steering technology maximises agility and productivity in tight spaces.

Four-wheel steering with +100° rear turning axle provides the MXS4 with smooth and agile manoeuvring, including instant side turns with no pushback. The MXS3 features 360° steering that allows the truck to turn 180° without stopping. The unique UniCarriers S3 – Stability Support System – adapts rapidly to pedal operation, and ensures all movements are smooth. Advanced curve control enables the fastest safe cornering speed in every situation. To ensure safe operation whatever the lift height or load, advanced hydraulics keep load handling steady and precisely controlled.

The system performance of a truck is defined by the interaction between vehicle and operator, and the MSX3 and MSX4 are both optimally tuned to their driver. Among their most outstanding features is a set of intelligent assistive technologies that ensure maximum driver comfort and safety.

Advanced safety features, ergonomic controls and comfortable working conditions enhance driver confidence, performance and satisfaction. The ProVision design with its unique transparent front panel gives the driver excellent vision in all directions, ensuring safe handling. An advanced full-colour display visualises data to ensure that the driver always has the most important information available at a glance. Spacious operator compartments offer comfort and easy access features for drivers of all sizes, in any of the perfect-fit cabin solutions – including optional cold store modification.

Built to cope with the harshest conditions, this truck range is suitable for deployment in food and beverage manufacturing and wholesale, fishing and fish processing, chemicals, textiles or general and refrigerated warehousing and storage, just to name a few examples – or wherever a powerful, intelligent and agile handling solution is required.

The MXS3 and MXS4 are available now from the manufacturer and all UniCarriers dealers.

Nerak Wiese strengthens UK team

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Vertical elevation specialist, Nerak Wiese Ltd, has promoted three members of its team to enhance its capabilities as demand for its solutions continues to grow.

Scott Amber, Josh Williams and Josh Kerr are all stepping up to more senior roles in the UK division of the global material handling company. “With a healthy order book and a high number of enquiries as businesses increasingly seek to automate their logistics and production processes,” commented John Oakley, Managing Director, “we are making these promotions to strengthen our technical, design and project management capabilities.”

Scott Amber has been promoted to the Board as a Director. He joined Nerak in 2013 as a Project Engineer, was promoted to Senior Project Engineer in 2018 and became Head of Design & Development last year. With a degree in Industrial and Product Design, he brings considerable engineering insight to Board decision-making.

A Design Engineer with Nerak since 2017, Josh Williams is being promoted to the role of Project Manager. Josh is a Product Design and Innovation graduate with proven skills in both engineering design and customer relationship management.

Also moving up to the role of Project Manager is Josh Kerr. With a degree in Mechanical Engineering, he joined Nerak earlier this year as a Solutions Design Engineer but has already demonstrated a clear ability to progress.

Nerak designs, manufactures and installs automated lifting and conveying solutions for both bulk goods and unit loads, with key products including continuous platform elevators, pallet lifts, bucket conveyors and reciprocating hoists. The company has supplied vertical elevation systems for clients in diverse sectors including GlaxoSmithKline, JD Sports, John Lewis, Unilever and XPO Logistics.

Pictured (left-right): Josh Kerr, Scott Amber and Josh Williams

LogiMAT postponed until May

Posted on by Keith McKinley

LogiMAT, the International Trade Show for Intralogistics Solutions and Process Management scheduled for March 8–10, 2022, in Stuttgart, has been postponed due to the renewed challenges associated with Covid-19. The organiser, EUROEXPO Messe und Kongress-GmbH, has worked closely with exhibitors in making the decision to push back the event to May 31–June 2, 2022.

“The current high level of case incidences is unsettling to everyone, including our exhibitors,” explained Michael Ruchty, Exhibition Director of LogiMAT Stuttgart. “This is understandable and cannot simply be ignored. That’s why we are compelled once more to respond to the situation at hand. Our exhibitors need certainty for their planning, and that’s difficult right now.

“From today’s perspective, it isn’t clear whether it will be possible to host the full on-site event in March. The exhibitors would like to see an in-person event, but if vaccination rates remain too low and the resulting strain on hospital capacities leads once more to the introduction of stricter measures, then that’s not in the interests of everyone involved. We must do everything we can to ensure that the event lives up to the understandable expectations of on-site exhibitors and visitors. That’s why it’s not surprising that many exhibitors explicitly support this postponement.”

The LogiMAT.digital platform will be extended for all participants to the end of June 2022 to bridge the time until the trade show in May 2022.

Waitrose expands warehouse with AR Racking

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The renowned supermarket chain brand Waitrose & Partners has increased its storage capacity with the extension of its facilities in Magna Park (Milton Keynes, UK) to consolidate its position as a leader in its sector in the British market. To do so, it has relied on AR Racking, a European benchmark in storage systems.

The new extension consists of an intralogistics solution with AR Racking’s adjustable pallet racking that achieved an added storage capacity for 13,604 UK pallets. It is a storage system that will provide the warehouse with great agility in loading and unloading operations, with direct and immediate access to the goods. A solution perfectly adapted to the increase in demand for consumer goods and the demand on delivery times.

Waitrose is owned by the John Lewis Partnership retail group, the largest example of an employee-owned business in the UK with over 80,000 members. “Our aim is for Waitrose to remain the supermarket chain most valued by the British people and to do that we need a logistics infrastructure that allows us to hold more stock of products that can be delivered in less time,” explained Lawrence Ireson, Project Manager of the John Lewis Partnership. “We knew that AR Racking would meet their promises on this strategic extension.”

“This is a project that is tailored to the client’s needs and characteristics,” said Mike Smyth, UK Key Account Manager at AR Racking. “The racks have a paint finish in Waitrose’s corporate green colour.”

“We have strictly adhered to the delivery and installation schedules agreed with Waitrose, whose standards are exacting,” added Jim Albans, AR Racking’s UK Project Manager.

AR Racking, based in Maidenhead, has a well-established presence in the UK thanks to a service tailored to customers’ needs and the ability to deliver large projects to tight deadlines.

Briggs enhances safety at Port of Liverpool

Posted on by David Priestman

As part of the ongoing partnership between Briggs Equipment and Peel Ports Group (PPG), a new JCB machine equipped with innovative safety technology and telemetry has recently been delivered to the Port of Liverpool. The new truck is having an immediate impact with positive feedback from operators and management teams alike.

The machine has been fitted with a unique telemetry system, developed in conjunction with FTC, including an artificial intelligence-powered reversing camera that intuitively picks up whether a person is in the vicinity and alerts the driver in real-time.

Peel is also trialling a real-time, secure cloud portal that provides operational and safety data that can be viewed and interpreted much quicker and with greater accuracy. To highlight the effectiveness of the partnership between the two companies, and the joint focus on safety, Peel were benchmarked as the number one port in the UK for safety, as judged by Port Skills and Safety. They also recorded the lowest rate of significant injuries measured by lost time incidents (LTIs) in 2020/21.

Tony Worrall, Briggs Equipment’s National Account Manager, said: “The new JCB truck will help deliver real benefits to Peel’s efficiency, productivity and of course on-site safety. This investment in cutting edge technology and telemetry underlines Peel’s business wide safety focus and a clear ambition to remain at the forefront of the industry. It also demonstrates the strength of our Contract Management support.

“We’ve worked closely with our partners at FTC to deliver a telemetry solution that meets the demands of a modern work environment. The system is fully integrated with cloud-based technology and artificial intelligence to help provide real time data and instant safety alerts.

“We have an extremely strong partnership with Peel Ports and they remain committed to implementing a safety first culture across their business with our expert assistance and guidance.”

Phil Hall, Port Director – Mersey Division at Peel Ports, said: “We are delighted to be working with Briggs, a key strategic partner. This supports Peel Ports objective to stay at the forefront of innovation and our joined up approach contributes to delivering industry leading safety management systems.”

UK government changes red diesel consent

Posted on by David Priestman

The UK Material Handling Association (UKMHA), the trade body representing all aspects of the UK’s material handling industry, has alerted lift truck operators to important changes in the permitted use of rebated fuels, such as red diesel.

The association said the government had announced restrictions on the use of red diesel in a move which Westminster claims more fairly reflects the harmful impact of diesel emissions. The changes are intended to incentivise users to improve the energy efficiency of their operations. The government said it also hoped the changes would encourage operators to invest in cleaner alternatives or more fuel-efficient machines.

Under the changes, the permitted uses for rebated fuels, of which red diesel is one, will be significantly reduced from 1 April 2022. It will then be illegal to put rebated fuel into a machine for uses which fall outside the scope of the new rules. Operators using red diesel will need to ensure that red diesel in their current machine – or storage – tanks are used up by the April deadline.

Those no longer permitted to use rebated fuel will need to use fuels (diesels or biofuels) upon which full excise duty is paid, such as white diesel.

David Goss (pictured), Technical Director, UKMHA, said: “These changes will have a major bearing on the use of certain types of trucks and it is important that operators and hire companies are aware of their obligations ahead of the rule change.

“Likewise, Registered Dealers in Controlled Oil (RDCO) will also need to ensure they are aware of who they supply to and that excessive quantities of red diesel are not sold to users not permitted to use them prior to the deadline.

“Anyone needing further clarification can contact the UKMHA for help, while full details of the new requirements can be FOUND HERE on the government’s own website.”

Changes to rebated fuels entitlement from 1 April 2022

The permitted uses for red diesel will be restricted to certain equipment used for:

  • Accepted purposes in agriculture, horticulture, fish farming and forestry
  • Rail transport
  • Fuel used for non-commercial purposes – heating and power generation
  • Community amateur sports clubs (CASC) and golf courses
  • Sailing, boating and marine transport (excluding private pleasure craft in Northern Ireland)
  • Travelling fairs and circuses
  • Within agriculture, the equipment allowed to use rebated fuels for permissible purposes includes:
  • Tractors
  • Non-road mobile machinery (NRMM), for example, unlicenced forklifts
  • Work trucks, for example, road licensed forklifts

Accepted purposes are specified in Excise Notice 75, clause 9, and include:

  • Growing and harvesting crops, ornamental plants, timber and others
  • Rearing of animals for production of food, wool and others

Excluded from permissible uses are:

  • Construction of structures/buildings for purposes relating to agriculture
  • Purposes relating to sport or recreation
  • Transportation of produce, inputs or waste, except in specified circumstances

However, exemptions apply in certain cases. Such as:

  • Equipment using rebated fuel used for permitted purposes for agriculture, horticulture, fish farming or forestry, can be used for any other purpose on the Private land where it is ordinarily kept, and,
  • Rebated fuel can be used to travel to and from the place where the vehicle is used, including on the public highway (so long as the vehicle is licensed).

The UKMHA said HMRC had confirmed to it that the use of red diesel would be permitted when a hire truck was moving from Farm A to Farm B via the hire company depot, so long as these journeys do not include any non-qualifying work.

For applications no longer permitted to use rebated fuel, the fuel in a vehicle/machine and in any storage tanks, should be used up before 1 April 2022. However, vehicle/machine fuel tanks do not need to be flushed, except where the equipment is switching between permitted and non-permitted uses.

Storage tanks will only require flushing if they are owned/operated by an RDCO (Registered Dealer in Controlled Oil). However, stocks in storage tanks that cannot be used up prior to 1 April 2022 cannot be used for non-allowed purposes, although they can be sold to an RDCO or disposed of through an approved waste oil company.

Where a vehicle or machine is to be used for both allowed and non-allowed purposes, the requirement is to either:

  • flush out the tank to remove all traces of rebated fuel when switching uses, or,
  • use fully duty-paid diesel or biofuels for everything.

Equipment fuelled with red diesel whilst abroad and in a jurisdiction where this is allowed, can use up the remaining fuel in the tank when returned to the UK. It is not necessary to flush the tank so long as documentary evidence can be produced demonstrating that the vehicle has not been refilled unlawfully in the UK.

Further Government advice on this can be FOUND HERE.

For hire equipment, from 1 April 2022, rebated fuel must not be put into a vehicle, machine or appliance for a use that is no longer allowed and any fuel in the equipment should be used up before the deadline. However, it is not required to flush the fuel tank except where the equipment is moving between permitted and non-permitted uses.

The hire company (owner of the vehicle/machine) is responsible for their own equipment, and it is their responsibility to make clear to users of the said equipment, which type of fuel can be used and for what purpose. In this way, the burden of responsibility is on the owner (hire company) to confirm that the tank has been either flushed to remove all traces of rebated fuel when switching uses or, instead, to ensure that only fully duty-paid fuel is used for all purposes.

The owner must ensure the correct fuel is put in the tank prior to hiring out their equipment and they must also take all reasonable steps to ensure the correct fuel is used in the machines when they are hired out, for example, when refuelled by the user. If the owner (hire company) finds red diesel in a tank once a machine has been returned, they will need to flush this out.

Therefore, the UKMHA’s advice to hire companies is to review their contract terms and to consider amending contracts to show that charges could be incurred by the user if they are found to be in breach of requirements.

“However, we have been informed by HMRC that they understand that the owner cannot always control what fuel any given user may put into the tanks and so will consider each case on its own merit,” said Goss. “If traces of red diesel are detected in the tank for a non-permitted use, the hire company will be asked to prove with receipts/invoices that they had put the correct fuel in the tank, as will the fuel user, in order to determine who was in the wrong.”

In the case of Registered Dealers in Controlled Oil (RDCO), ahead of the April 2022 deadline, RDCOs have a responsibility not to supply customers affected by the changes with more rebated fuel than they can realistically use before the rule change. An RDCO that repurposes a storage tank from red to white diesel is required to drain and flush the storage tank. Anyone wishing  to stop being an RDCO needs to de-register and keep records to show how stocks of rebated fuel were disposed of.

There is further Government advice for RDCOs here.

Linde launches safety app for ATEX vehicles

Posted on by David Priestman

The EX Monitoring App from Linde Material Handling notifies drivers of explosion-protected industrial trucks about the status of safety-relevant parameters and supports service technicians in diagnostics and repairs. The advantages for operators include a higher level of comfort, increased transparency, time savings and even better availability of vehicles during operations.

In order to avoid ignition sources that could lead to explosions in a potentially explosive atmosphere, the ATEX directive requires the consistent monitoring of defined, safety-relevant parameters when operating industrial trucks. Linde MH has developed its EX Monitoring App to enable the continuous monitoring of such values: It ensures maximum vehicle availability by displaying safety-relevant values and errors and providing concrete recommendations for action.

The app supports forklift drivers and fleet managers in operating the vehicle as safe and failure-free as possible. At the same time, it simplifies maintenance, diagnosis and repair.

“This makes the operation of explosion-protected vehicles in sensitive areas even more productive,” summarizes Elke Karnarski, the product manager responsible for explosion-protected Linde industrial trucks and solutions.

Many areas of the chemical, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, food and beverage industries, as well as logistics, are vulnerable to explosions because hazardous materials are manufactured, processed, transported and stored in such areas. Here, it is essential to eliminate any ignition sources that could cause an explosion with devastating consequences.

Industrial trucks are found in ATEX zones 1/21 and 2/22 – these include, for example, areas of production where hazardous materials are openly mixed or transferred into other containers, as well as areas where hazardous materials are stored and transported in closed containers and can be released in the event of an accident or collision. When gases or dusts combine with oxygen in ambient air, this can create an explosive atmosphere. Ignition sources on vehicles can be avoided by means of appropriate explosion-proof equipment as well as the consistent monitoring of safety-relevant parameters – which encompass up to 50 values in an explosion-protected vehicle, primarily temperature-relevant parameters, resistance values, voltages and wear.

These include the temperature of the housings of electronic control units and power modules, brake shoes, magnetic brakes and the traction motor. Up to now, it has been common practice to inform the driver of safety-critical faults by means of a flash code on the vehicle display. In everyday operation, however, the identification and handling of faults is not always carried out as it should be. With varying consequences – sometimes the vehicle remains out of service longer than necessary. Often the fault is not checked thoroughly enough. And sometimes even a visit by a service technician is inefficient because it could not be adequately prepared.

Linde’s EX Monitoring App offers a solution. It provides drivers and fleet managers in ATEX zones 1/21 or 2/22 with comprehensive condition monitoring information. The app checks the explosion-protected vehicle on the spot and shows what needs to be done in each specific case. It explains the meaning of the flash code and identifies the specific error.

The integrated two-stage traffic light system lays out the next steps simply and unambiguously: A yellow indicator signifies that the vehicle should be cooled down and a maintenance appointment made. If the light is red, it’s time to stop immediately and call a service technician! Additional assistance is provided by means of the detailed diagnostic function which indicates all values of the monitored components and parameters.

The app also displays the error history and provides specific recommendations for action. Thus, all details regarding the wear of safety-critical components and the remaining operating hours are recorded.

The EX Monitoring App from Linde MH is a USP. Already available for five series, it will be part of all future explosion-protected Linde industrial truck models.

Pets at Home outsources automation maintenance

Posted on by David Priestman

When lockdown triggered a huge surge in ecommerce orders, Pets at Home recognised the importance of upgrading the maintenance and support of its automated warehouse systems by outsourcing to Invar Integration. Maintaining uptime was critical to ensuring customers received their orders on time.

Pets at Home is the UK’s leading pet care business with over 450 stores and a growing ecommerce channel.

To keep pace with the increase of online sales, in 2019 the business took the decision to introduce an automated zone-picking operation at its Northampton DC, where miles of powered conveyor and a series of carton elevators smoothly transfer order-cartons over three floors of a mezzanine system.

Auto-carton erection and sealing machines work in unison with pickers in a 24/7 operation to complete some 15,000 parcels a day, comprising orders across a diverse 10,000-SKU product range, from 25kg bags of pet food to a plethora of accessories, right down to a collar for a kitten. In addition, a further 8-9,000 daily orders for prescription medications are processed within a dedicated order assembly area.

Keeping such a highly mechanised fulfilment process running smoothly, with minimal failures or glitches, is absolutely critical to maintaining optimal performance and ultimately, ensuring customer satisfaction. Reliable on-site engineering support is, of course, essential.

When the pandemic hit, online demand surged due to lockdowns and travel restrictions, meaning there was a greater emphasis than ever to maintain performance.

Simon Phillips, General Manager at Pets at Home, explains: “Towards the end of 2019 we implemented our automated solution for ecommerce orders and then in early 2020 the pandemic suddenly struck, resulting in a huge shift to online sales.

“It was really fortuitous that we had made the decision to invest in automation when we did,” he says. “That decision wasn’t driven by capacity issues at the time, but subsequently it has allowed us to meet the phenomenal surge in demand resulting from lockdown.”

He adds: “We have seen volumes through our online channel more than double over the last year, whilst at the same time the business is going through significant double-digit growth.

As a consequence, we soon realised that we needed to increase our engineering support rapidly to maintain performance.”

To address these challenges, Pets at Home turned to warehouse automation specialists, Invar Integration, for an outsourced maintenance solution. In the spring of 2020 Invar was engaged to provide a professional team of four on-site engineers with a remit to manage a 24/7, 364 day a year service, offering a planned preventative maintenance programme, immediate failure resolution, spare parts inventory management and further back-up support – tapping into the full technical capabilities and resources of the Invar Group. As online sales boomed, it wasn’t long before Invar Integration expanded the team to five by bringing on board a full-time onsite manager to co-ordinate resources.

Invar Integration was tasked with ensuring maximum uptime with little room for failure.

A strict set of SLAs was put in place to track performance month by month:

  • Overall availability of the system has a KPI target of 96%
  • scanner read rates 98%
  • recommended spares held vs recorded spares 98%
  • planned maintenance vs completed maintenance 97%
  • and engineering shifts completed and fulfilled 99.8%

Alex Moore, Maintenance Contract Manager at Invar Integration, says: “It’s an extremely busy warehouse. We have a full preventative maintenance schedule in place spanning 52 weeks of the year, involving in-depth checks across the system, identifying and replacing components close to failure, such as drive motors, rollers or worn drive bands. And this extends right across the entire system, including the carton erectors and packing machines.

“An important aspect of our work is the provision of spares – we plan what parts to hold in stock and manage the inventory, which is vital for ensuring maximum uptime of the system,” he says.

Invar Integration’s IT systems are used to manage parts holding, directly linking into the planned preventative maintenance schedule.

Phillips explains how this has delivered significant benefits: “Invar has been really great at helping us determine what the planned preventative schedule needs to look like under this increased pressure, what spare parts we need to hold, and when we need to take the equipment down to provide a window of opportunity for planned maintenance – this has probably been the biggest learning curve for us, and has allowed us to significantly increase the reliability of the system.”

Of course, system performance is particularly critical at peak periods. “We have the retail Christmas peak,” he says. “During this period we see a good 30-50% uplift in volume and I’m happy to say that the modelled and planned maintenance and support structure put in place by Invar copes well.”

Phillips points out: “The last 12 months has seen a really big shake-down of what we would describe as a new system, so there have been some challenges to overcome. However, we have been able to utilise Invar’s industry expertise and network to resolve these pretty quickly. For instance, we had a failure on a carousel that lifts cartons up from the ground floor to the mezzanine floors, but Invar had it back up and running within a matter of hours.”

A full understanding of the many varied forms of warehouse automation is essential for any business offering a comprehensive maintenance and support service. Being a well-established systems integrator helps. “Invar has been very supportive in bringing new ideas to the table, says Simon Phillips. “They have been great at listening to us, and in trying to understand our business. We have a fantastic working relationship with them and importantly, they deliver what they said they will deliver – and that has stood them in very good stead.”

UK forklift orders soaring

Posted on by David Priestman

Rising confidence as business looks for a swift recovery from a succession of pandemic-induced lockdowns is generating unprecedented demand for new lift trucks across nearly all sectors of the market. However, as new data from the UK Material Handling Association (UKMHA) shows, manufacturers are struggling to keep pace with demand due to the ongoing shortage of critical components.

Following a 24% decline in bookings during 2020, orders have surged this year, with latest estimates predicting a 38% increase by year-end. Such a figure represents a 5.7% increase on the figures for pre-pandemic 2019 levels.

With industry demand expected to stay strong into next year, experts at Oxford Economics have predicted in their Autumn Economic Forecast, which has been produced for UKMHA constituent, BITA, a further 6.5% growth in bookings for 2022.

However, while deliveries have also recovered – currently hovering around levels seen in 2016, the economists have predicted supply issues could continue to disrupt delivery schedules well into next year before eventually subsiding.

“While shipments have staged a strong recovery, they are lagging well behind the growth in bookings,” states the new report. “This is natural due to lead times between bookings and shipping, but it likely also reflects wider supply chain issues that are affecting industries this year. We expect supply chain issues to persist well into next year, but they will eventually improve, and companies will continue to adapt. Therefore, the backlog will continue to rise into next year.”

The situation is by no means unique to lift trucks; virtually all aspects of the manufacturing industry are currently being disrupted due to the shortage of critical components. The situation is compounded by labour shortages, escalating fuel and energy costs, and raw material costs.

Nevertheless, surging consumer demand continues to drive the market and this is expected to remain the case during 2022, despite inflationary pressures.

One of the primary beneficiaries of the current situation has been the Counterbalance sector, which has witnessed a startling recovery. Prior to the pandemic, counterbalance bookings were in decline, falling more than 5% in 2019, with the weakness most pronounced in Class 4/5. The pandemic exacerbated the trend, with Classes 1 and 4/5 subsiding by 21% and 34% respectively last year, with the decline most prominent in the first half of the year.

Bookings staged a strong recovery throughout 2021 as pandemic restrictions eased. All classes were up well above 100% in the second quarter, while bookings for Class 1 continued to grow in Q3 but pulled back for Class 4/5 from the levels seen in the previous three months.

With industrial production predicted to rise by 5.6% this year, driven by strong consumer demand – a trend anticipated to continue into 2022, demand for the trucks is expected to remain high.

“Overall, we expect counterbalance orders to rise 33% this year. In 2022 we expect bookings to exceed 2019 levels after rising 17%,” adds the forecast.

If anything, the picture within the warehouse sector is even more positive, as growing consumer demand again influenced the market. The Oxford Economics report predicts e-commerce sales are likely to remain high going into 2022, relative to pre-Covid levels, despite shops reopening.

“We expect bookings will rise 42.5% in 2021 which will bring the sector 15% above 2019 levels,” states the report.

Tim Waples (pictured), CEO of UKMHA, said: “While these results reflect the continuous growth trend for 2021, they will make pleasant reading for our manufacturers and dealers, who have endured a torrid 18 months due to the pandemic.

“If the predictions are correct and growth can be maintained into next year, then the UK material handling sector is looking at a very prosperous 2022. It is all the more disappointing therefore, that supply issues are disrupting shipment of new trucks. Let us hope the situation can be resolved sooner rather than later – for everyone’s benefit.”

Subscribe

Get notified about New Episodes of our Podcast, New Magazine Issues and stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter.