Cold store specialist is maximising uptime thanks to new fleet from Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks
Industry expert Cold Move has over 65 years of experience in temperature-controlled storage solutions. The family-owned organisation has grown from humble beginnings selling frozen produce from a garage, to serving food manufacturers and exporters worldwide from its dedicated cold store site in Oswestry.
But fast-paced operations require reliable materials handling equipment. So, when incumbent contracts ended, Cold Move turned to its local Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks distributor to design a dedicated, fit-for-purpose fleet.
Cold Move faced significant challenges as it has a small site with no room for spare equipment, so trucks need to be working at all times. Plus, operational temperatures reach as low as -22°C in the cold store, which can affect truck performance over time.
For Cold Move, it was important to involve the drivers and operational team in the decision-making process. Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks offered open dialogue, flexibility, and trial options to ensure everyone was happy before they committed, and all feedback was accounted for.
Simon Williams, Site Director for Cold Move said: “We are not a large retail distribution centre, and do not have room for contingency equipment, so downtime is not an option. We had already been using Mitsubishi counterbalance and reach trucks for some time, and were impressed with them, so we were keen to see other equipment. But just as importantly, we wanted to build a solid partnership with our supplier. Which is exactly what we got.”
In total, Cold Move now has 17 units from Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks. Four SENSiA reach trucks, which work predominantly in the cold store racking, have heated cabs to enable the drivers to work comfortably over long hours. Three electric EDiA EM counterbalance trucks are used for a variety of tasks throughout the site, such as loading containers and moving pallets. For these trucks, Cold Move chose blue lights for added safety and a mini steering wheel for better ergonomics.
“Operator safety is the most important thing for us, and it was great that we could add features to the trucks where needed,” said Simon. “We have a lot of machines working in a confined area but we’re proud to say we have an exceptional safety record.”
For unloading and loading vehicles, Cold Move has eight ride-on PREMiA EM platform power pallet trucks with fixed platforms and long forks, as well as two PREMiA ES pedestrian power pallet trucks.
Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks also advised on the most efficient battery system for a cold environment to ensure there was minimal downtime during battery changes.
Andrew Murray, National Accounts Manager for the Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks distributor said: “Creating a good working relationship is fundamental. We worked closely with Simon and his team at Cold Move and invested time to establish what the drivers needed. From looking at the chassis size to discussing fixed platforms, we wanted to create a fleet that accurately reflected the site’s constraints.”
Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks manages a full-service package, including monthly reports and account management. This service support will help Cold Move make informed decisions about its fleet and control what happens to each truck throughout its lifetime.
Summing up, Simon said: “The drivers are very pleased with the trucks, and the service package will be helpful now we have a larger fleet. We’re also grateful for the amazing input we’ve had from the engineers. They go above and beyond every time we put a call in. Overall, Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks made the process as seamless as possible. Andrew and his team took every detail into account to get the right spec. They went to the effort to solve the problems we faced. It feels like we have a partner we can trust.”
To find out more about the award-winning Mitsubishi Forklift Truck range, call the Greenline on 0845 3713048, or visit www.mitsubishi-forklift.co.uk/