A forklift that has been working for 28 years is not the usual headline, but it makes a strong case for buying handling equipment properly. The first ever Combilift C-Series is still in service at J.G. Kelly Supplies in Monaghan, Ireland, and the story was shared around National Forklift Safety Day.
The right kit for an awkward job
Before the C-Series arrived, the builders' merchant had to move PVC stillages of up to six metres through a doorway only four metres wide, on a site beside a busy main road. Conventional counterbalance trucks could not do the job safely or quickly.
The multidirectional design let operators move long loads sideways, so a lorry could pull straight into the loading bay and be unloaded from either side with minimal disruption to passing traffic. Operator Tony McManus said the integrated platform gives the load real stability, to the point where you can almost relax once it is resting on the rest beds.
Longevity as a quality story
Paul Kelly, managing director of J.G. Kelly Supplies, said he never expected to still be running the same machine nearly three decades later, and put its long life down to robust engineering, preventative maintenance and quick local support. Filters and timing belts have been changed over the years, but it still runs on its original engine, and major repairs have been rare.
The experience led the company to add further Combilift equipment to its fleet, including a pedestrian Combi-CS and an Aisle Master at its Limerick warehouse, with the kit tailored to the mast heights and weight limits the business needed.
Hats off to the team
Credit goes to Martin McVicar and the team at Combilift for engineering equipment that lasts, and to Paul Kelly, Tony McManus and everyone at J.G. Kelly Supplies for putting it to such good use. We wish both teams every success in the years ahead.
What this means for commercial teams
- The same logic applies to commercial hiring in material handling. Define the job, fit the right person to it, and the return compounds over years rather than months.
- Build quality and longevity are powerful sales stories, but they still need commercial people who can translate engineering and reliability into clear customer value.
This summary is based on reporting by Materials Handling & Logistics News. Read the original article.
