Reach stacker arrives at “the end of the world”

Dirección Provincial de Puertos – Argentina (DPP) recently accepted delivery of a Konecranes Liftace reach stacker for its operations in Ushuaia, at the southern tip of South America. Arriving in July 2021, it joined one other Konecranes reach stacker already on-site.

The DPP oversees port activities in the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, including the port of Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. A multipurpose port serving cargo, fishing and cruise ships, it is also a base for Antarctic expeditions. It has had one 45-tonne Konecranes reach stacker in service since 2015, but due to a recent increase in container traffic, it felt it was time for a second lift truck to provide support.

“We held a public tender to decide on our next reach stacker,” says Daniel Carracedo, General Services Director at Ushuaia Port. “Konecranes really stood out from the rest, and the performance of our first Konecranes truck has been very impressive. So we decided to order a second machine from them. Would you believe, a Konecranes technician came all the way to our remote port to help assemble it? The new lift truck was ready for operation within a week. It was a simple, fast and efficient process.”

“This new order from DPP demonstrates their satisfaction with the high quality of products and services that we consistently deliver to all our customers, no matter where they are located,” says Andrés Ramirez, Sales Manager Latin America for Konecranes Lift Trucks. “Local agent Secco has played a crucial role in helping us to build a solid relationship from the very start, always providing excellent local support, including spare parts and maintenance. We look forward to continuing our work with both DPP and Secco for many years to come.”

The new reach stacker that arrived in Ushuaia in July was a Konecranes Liftace 4532 TCE5, a sturdy 45-tonne machine able to stack up to five containers high. It features the OPTIMA cabin for comfort and visibility, a strong box-type chassis and a wide drive axle with a long wheelbase for high stability and safe handling, and a central greasing system to minimize mechanical wear and tear.

The truck uses a Tier 3 engine to maintain productivity while minimising fuel consumption and emissions. As the new generation of the earlier lift truck, most of the spare parts are compatible with both reach stackers, which adds convenience and reduces waste. Smart systems integrate with TRUCONNECT Basic, allowing a remote and almost real-time view of truck usage and easier maintenance planning.