Combilift has launched a new narrow aisle forklift truck, the Aislemaster AME-OP, designed to be suitable for order picking as well as stock replenishment.
Produced in response to customer demand, the AME-OP is suitable for indoor and outdoor use and designed for operation from delivery truck to warehouse rack. The articulated truck can be used in aisles as narrow as 1650mm.
For efficient use in order picking, the stand-on design has a low floor height of only 280mm, allowing single-step access from both sides, and a walk-through operator compartment.
Its reach height of up to 12.1m allows it to be used for fulfilling orders during the day and to be used as a conventional Aislemaster to move full pallets to replenish stock at night, increasing utilisation rates. This also reduces maintenance complexity by reducing the number of different truck types a company needs. It is available with lift capacities from 1,500kg to 2,500kg.
The electric powered truck is designed for quick charging. Other features include a programmable operator interface, with the truck’s speed controlled on the basis of the operator’s experience or ability, and a lift height assist, allowing the height to be pre-selected. For picking duties, an automatic park brake engages when the operator steps out of the cab.
Combilift chief executive Martin McVicar said the company had worked very closely with a number of customers including in the US and New Zealand in developing the truck and that the company was confident of strong market demand.
Production is in the early stages of building up, with eight units already on order for New Zealand. McVicar said the company expected to build at least 300 a year by 2022.
Combilift is based in County Monaghan in Ireland and took a range of measures to make sure it could continue to supply the UK, its biggest export market, seamlessly after Brexit, McVicar said. It was already familiar with the processes because it exports to numerous other non-EU markets.
It uses DDP (delivered duty paid) shipments to UK distributors, taking care of all the paperwork itself. The company is registered to process UK VAT. It charges no administration fees for handling customs clearance on behalf of customers, and there have been no price changes. Similarly it has taken control of customs arrangements for some suppliers.
It also applied for, and received in 2019, Authorised Economic Operator status. This is recognised by both Ireland and the UK and in effect makes the company a trusted supplier from a customs point of view. As a result the company is subject to less stringent day-to-day controls, allowing goods to flow more freely.
McVicar said the company makes on average 100 shipments daily to the UK, including spares and components. “Having AEO authorisation will make it much easier to ship products across the border,” he said. The cost is that an additional full time member of staff is needed to handle administration. As a result since 1 January the company had noticed no difference in getting products to the UK market. “The UK is our number one export market. so we put procedures in place,” he said, adding: “We are optimistic it will get easier over time.”