Cargotec’s business area Kalmar, Helsinki, Finland, has received an order for a new fleet of 16 specially adapted Kalmar DCE100 heavy duty forklift trucks from GrowHow UK Limited, a major UK fertilizer manufacturer and supplier of process chemicals to industry.
In order to keep pace with production and the loading of delivery vehicles, GrowHow’s operators handle six bags of fertilizer at a time, each weighing around 1300 pounds, at an extended load center of 6 feet The application also requires the bags to be stacked 4 high, presenting a unique challenge.
According to Steve James, Kalmar area sales manager, “The drivers need to accurately position the forks into the lifting points on the bags. But when stacking above the first level, the fork pockets on the bags are out of view when using a standard truck. The solution was to develop an elevating cab so that the drivers can continue to look down onto the fork tips, even when the mast is fully raised.”
The rising cab allows operators to raise the cab by an additional 6 feet 3 inches taking the overall maximum cab height to over 16 feet, the optimum position for visibility determined by Kalmar’s site survey. For added health and safety, each truck comes equipped with a camera and monitor inside allowing the operator to clearly see that nothing is obstructing the underside of the cab when it is ready to be lowered back into position. Longer forks were also developed with guides clearly marked on so that operators can see the ideal position for lifting six bags of fertilizer at once.
Lift & Access is part of the Catalyst Communications Network publication family.
