MHD MATERIALS HANDLING
JUICE GIANT’S MAIN SQUEEZE: TOYOTA REACH FORKLIFTS
Tasmania’s largest non-alcoholic beverage manufacturer, Juicy Isle, has recently added three new Toyota RRE160M electric reach forklifts to its fleet.
T
he new Toyota RRE160M reach trucks replaced three units in a fleet of seven such models. Located in Cambridge Park, outside of Hobart, Juicy Isle is an Australian owned and run business producing a wide range of high-quality beverages, including juices made from Tasmanian organic fruit and also locally sourced still and sparkling mineral water products. The business was founded in Tasmania nearly 50 years ago and employs between 80 and 100 people, seasonality-dependent. Juicy Isle General Manager, Michael Goward, says in addition to its beverage production the business has a sales distribution network covering all of Tasmania and distributing beverages, snacks and confectionary for global FMCG brands. We service everything
Juicy Isle adopted a purchase outright model in light of Toyota’s Reach Truck’s proven longevity.
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from the local corner store to national accounts.” The Toyota Reach forklifts are at the heart of the business’ warehouse operations, helping it squeeze out material handling efficiencies. Juicy Isle warehouse and logistics manager, Glen Mackenzie, says the businesses’ latest warehouse facility was designed with input from Toyota Material Handling Australia (TMHA), particularly in regard to the Toyota reach trucks’ turning circle. “We constructed our purposebuilt facility 13 years ago and we had suppliers such as Dexion and TMHA involved in its design and layout, to help maximise area and the racking space,” he says. “Part of that was minimising the space between the racking so you can get more of it into the warehouse,
making the most efficient use of our footprint. “That process involved consultation with TMHA and their rep’, Rodney Jones, who examined the technical data for the warehouse layout and matched it to machine performance. “Rod advised the Toyota forklifts would be the most suitable because of their manoeuvrability and tight turning circle - it was mainly worked around the turning circle - and high-reaching capabilities, allowing them to go all the way up to our ceiling. “That’s how we managed to achieve maximum racking efficiency.” “We always try to understand our customers’ specific needs in as much detail as possible, to help them make the most informed and appropriate equipment selections,” he says. “We refer to this as Tailored Business Solutions and it’s a cornerstone of the Toyota Advantage,” Rodney Jones, TMHA Hobart/Southern Region area sales manager says. Juicy Isle’s Michael Goward says the relationship between Juicy Isle and Toyota Material Handling goes back 20 years. “Rod Jones delivered the very first Toyota reach truck in the state to assist our Hartz Mineral business and it’s something of a book-end that he’s just provided a new replacement for this unit before he retires.” TMHA’s Rodney Jones says the service life of Juicy Isle’s Toyota reach trucks points to another key part of the Toyota Advantage: “Some of their reach trucks are very old but still in service, which is remarkable because Juicy Isle is close to what we call a ‘grocery-line’ operation.” “They’re pretty much working the forks at six- or sevenmetre heights all day, so a lot is
