Hyster® makes impact at Mpact in Nelspruit
December 2018 – Excellent customer support from southern African Hyster® dealer BHBW has seen Mpact place an order for three new Hyster® counterbalanced lift trucks to maintain materials handling efficiencies at its corrugated box plant in Nelspruit.
The Mpact plant at Nelspruit manufactures a range of corrugated products from standard boxes to die-cut self-locking trays, mainly for fruit producers in the Lowveld. Most of the packaging is custom made, with the structural design of the corrugated cardboard adapted to the type of fresh produce to be transported, and printed on site.
It is a busy operation, making the reliability of materials handling equipment essential, says SHEQ manager Ernst Deichmann, who also manages the lift truck fleet at the plant. “We require high levels of uptime to meet our commitments to customers.”
The new lift trucks are a Hyster® Fortens® 5.0FT and two Hyster® Fortens® 2.5FT units. The machines were acquired on outright purchase with maintenance contracts. A Bolzoni Auramo attachment capable of handling paper rolls of 250mm to 2 440mm in diameter was also acquired.
The plant operates a fleet of eight Hyster® Fortens® machines, comprising two 5t and six 2.5t units, with another 2.5t unit on short-term rental added during peak season.
The two 5t units are fitted with paper roll attachments and used for the off-loading and storage of 3t paper rolls received from paper mills, and also to supply the corrugator at the heart of the plant. The smaller units transport palletised board and boxes throughout the facility, including to and from the curing, printing, storage and despatch areas.
Mpact in Nelspruit standardised on Hyster more than 10 years ago, a move that has paid off in terms of both machine performance and the value add delivered by BHBW, says Deichmann. The oldest 2.5t units on site have clocked up to 15 000 hours with 100% engine reliability.
“Our Hyster® Fortens® lift trucks have proven tough and fuel efficient, delivering a low cost of ownership over their lifetime,” says Deichmann.
He singles out Fortens® operating features such as the DuramatchTM powershift transmission, which gives controlled direction changes and rollback control on ramps, and enables loads to be moved more efficiently; a built-in mechanism that provides for stability on uneven surfaces, and productivity-boosting driver comfort and ease of operation.
“Apart from the performance and dependability of these lift trucks, the backup support from BHBW has been first rate, helping to ensure uptime and an excellent service to our customers. The BHBW team understands the pressures of our business and delivers a quick response time,” says Deichmann.
Mpact in Nelspruit is one of several BHBW customers in the local paper and pulp industry to rely on Hyster®. Together with Hyster®, BHBW provides materials handling solutions for each step of the paper supply chain, from milling and manufacturing to recycling. Equipment includes counterbalanced lift trucks with lifting capacities up to 16 tons and warehousing equipment, and big trucks with lifting capacities up to 52 tons for the transportation of containers holding reels, bales or paper products. Depending on the application, machines can be fitted with attachments to handle pallets, pulp and waste-paper bales as well as paper and tissue reels.
For more information on the Hyster® range and materials handling solutions available from BHBW, please visit www.hyster.co.za or email info@bhbw.co.za.BHBW adds rider tow tractors to Hyster® lineup