Windsor Materials Handling Insight newsletter Issue 9

Issue 9

The Rescuers

W

hen not riding to the rescue of his customers, Windsor’s Immingham sales manager, Steve Austin, is often on the lookout for those in distress, as an RNLI lifeboat crew member.

The volunteer organisation provides lifesaving support to the emergency services via a 24-hour lifeboat search and rescue service, seasonal lifeguards, flood rescue and water safety education.

Steve’s been volunteering and working in MHE for almost a decade, and finally the two worlds collided when his helmsman and Coldstar electrical manager, Darren Weatherill, needed a little lifting help.

Insight Newsletter_Issue9_v3Final.indd 1

Excellence & ambition

A new JLG 6RS access platform, is now helping the refrigeration specialists carry out essential maintenance and get access to the highest spaces at their Grimbsy HQ. Meanwhile, Steve is still driving the lifeboat tractor, donning the wet gear and assisting his skipper/customer with helping to help keep our coastline that little bit safer.

Our name has been synonymous with excellent material handling and access systems since 1977, and ever since we began, we have focussed on growing into one of the UK’s leading materials handling specialists.

Our ambitious growth plans are based on the recognition of our service-excellence as we continue to expand across the country.

For more details, visit our website at www.windsor-mh.co.uk

09/06/2017 14:31:08

Korea Opportunities

Komatsu Values Accolade

Five Years of Data Delivers ‘Highest Retained Value’ Award Komatsu forklifts have been a

finalists, including Doosan’s Pro5 Series.

particular favourite of Windsor customers

The award-winning BX family features

for many years due to their robust

several unique industry leading features:

performance and great features.

•

We’ve often been tempted to tell our ‘employee number one’, top performing salesman and Hull City AFC fanatic, Paul Williams, to “get to the far side of the world”, but our lovable ‘Seoul man’ has beat us to it! As one of the UK’s top Doosan salesmen he’s recently painted South Korea red together with Stuart Battams, Trevor De’Ath and a selection of the UK’s other finest sales advisors.

There was also the small matter of a trip to Doosan’s Incheon factory, home to the forklift and construction equipment, and a little sight-seeing, but the team man-

Dual floating structure for greatly

Now, the IC engine-powered BX50 Series

reduced vibration, protecting both the

forklift has been awarded the honour of

operator and critical components

Highest Retained Value from Equipment-

•

Watch - a leading database for the US heavy

EZ-Lift tandem pump hydraulic system for increased efficiency and improved

equipment industry.

truck control in tight spaces •

Directional flow counterweight

EquipmentWatch benchmarks the long-term

designed to push hot air and engine

performance of machines across a host of

exhaust down and away from the

categories, looking for those that retained

operator’s compartment – especially

the highest residual value over the past five

important while driving in reverse

years of data.

The BX50 also joins two other Komatsu Analysts considered 12,536 models from

machines, the GD655 Motor Grader and the

their valuation database which were

WA320 Wheel Loader, as winners in their

then narrowed down to 156 series from

respective categories.

36 brands. The Komatsu beat five other “The award is indicative of excellence

aged to negotiate it all in one piece! Of

across a manufacturing organization,”

course tensions on the Korean pennisula

said Garrett Schemmel, Vice President of

have recently escalated - co-incidence?

EquipmentWatch. “Product quality has the

Maybe, but if they need a top negotiator,

most obvious impact on an asset’s per-

we’ve got just the man...

formance on the secondary market, but residual values are also highly impacted

Below: Paul receives his prize from MD,

by brand affinity and fair original pricing. A

Stephen Burton.

manufacturer must excel on all three fronts to be the winner.”

Package Delivery For a limited period, Doosan is offering two new package options with their latest diesel counterbalance models.

A Like-ly Story SOCIAL MEDIA

Don’t forget you can

find Windsor on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. As well as Windsor’s main Facebook page, some branches have their own pages too - like and follow us to keep up with the latest news!

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The ‘Safety Pack’ has been designed to

premature servicing. The second ‘Outdoor

enhance safety for both operators and other

Pack’ comes complete with

pedestrians working nearby.

a Weather Guard and PVC Sides for

This 3-function system offers site safety

the cab, increasing

speed restriction, auto shutdown if the truck

comfort and

is standing idle for a set period of time,

protection from

saving huge amounts of fuel and preventing

the elements.

09/06/2017 14:31:10

ROUND UP

James Does More Congratulations to James Breadmore at our Wakefield branch who bagged our 2017 service manager of the year award! Deserved recognition for a great effort - here he is putting his dodgy arm to award-collecting use.

Learning from The Aisle-Master Team

Andy & Stuart Win With Unicarriers After a great year for new

The Aisle-Master team recently

equipment sales, Unicarrier’s national sales

visited Windsor to update us on their latest

trade manager, Mark Jenkins presents Andrew

product developments. The machines them-

Lane and Stuart Battams with their 2017 per-

esels are built in Monaghan, Ireland – also

formance awards. Unicarriers is one of Wind-

home to parent company Combilift. The busi-

sor’s key suppliers in the warehouse equip-

ness was formed in 1998 by Martin McVicar

ment market, and has held strong ties with the

and Robert Moffett, who had designed the

business since it was formerly known as Atlet.

truck-mounted Moffett Mountie. Moffet sold

Today it provides a wide range of respected

his business manufacturing the Mountie and,

equipment that is known for its innovation,

together with McVicar developed the first

productivity and ergonomics.

engine-powered multi-directional forklift.

Below: Combilift CB handles long loads on difficult terrain, Aisle-Master with up to 15m reach, rear battery change made easy.

Flash Grand Masters Combi-CB: In 2008, Combilift added the 2,500kg CB model to the range (see above).

More compact than a traditional counterbalance forklift with multi-directional operation, it proved ideal for customers who handle both palletised and long length products.

Insight Newsletter_Issue9_v3Final.indd 3

Combi-WR4 Walkie Reach Stacker The Combi-WR Walkie Reach model

AC Electric VNA A pioneer in the

launched in 2013 was quickly

articulated forklift

followed by the 4-way version –

sector, Aisle-Master

the WR4.

added AC electric power also in 2008.

09/06/2017 14:31:15

UNICARRIERS

Introducing a new pair of high level order pickers from Unicarriers.

Taking You Higher...

With the EPM 100 and the EPH 125, UniCarriers is launching two more models from its completely revised picking range into the market.

These new machines complete the order picker family, including a new EPL 100 introduced in January 2016.

With solutions for low, medium and extra high pick heights, productivity in today’s fast order and overnight delivery sectors

The EPM and EPH are optionally available with operating controls on both the mast and fork sides to ensure maximum pro-

can remain high.

ductivity and ergonomic design.

Thanks also to their ergonomic driver

For safety reasons, the order pickers may

cabs and advanced safety systems, the order pickers present an ideal workstation for efficient picking processes.

Equipped with 48-volt, high-performance motors and pick heights up to 12,100 mm, the EPH is the perfect

only move if there is a driver in the cab - all models are fitted with a full floor covering sensor on the driver’s cab platform.

These’s also no need to activate a hand or foot pedal to start the vehicle.

By being free to stand comfortably,

solution for intensive operations.

operators are not restricted to a position

This truck can operate with loads up to

button. At higher stack levels, the user is

1,250 kg and achieves a top speed of 12 km/h. Designed for picking heights up to 9,850 mm, the 24V EPM can reach a maximum speed of 11 km/h while carrying a

dictated by having to depress a deadman protected by the side guard gates, which must be closed from a height of 1.2 metres. If not, the machine will not function.

load of 1,000 kg.

Featured as standard, the built-in on-

These new order pickers feature a stable,

to all vehicle settings and manages the

completely re-designed chassis. The modern cab design includes con-

board computer provides rapid access authorised drivers’ login details and user profiles.

trols that can be adjusted to the height and position of each driver’s individual requirements.

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09/06/2017 14:31:17

ACCESS EQUIPMENT

...And Higher :The JLG Story

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

ailable mast

Believe it or not, we’ve been delivering materials handling solutions for over 40 years and this year we’re also celebrating our tenth year way up high!

John Landis Grove formed a partnership with two close friends and bought a small metal fabrication business in McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania. With a crew of 20 workers, they built and sold the first JLG aerial work platform in 1970. Many of the basic design elements of that original lift are still being incorporated into products today.

pro-

s may

cab

or cov-

tform.

and or

a legal imperative Grove actually founded JLG Industries after his retirement (from his first business, Grove Industries).

In 1979, the company opened a facility to produce and assemble scissor lifts. In less than 3 decades, the equipment went from R&D to a legal necessity, playing a vital part of the Work At Height Act 2005.

sition

dman

ser is

which

me-

ACCESS ANNIVERSARY

ction.

“Like much of our business, it started with customer requirements,”

n-

says Windsor MD, Jonathan Burton. Celebrating 10 years of sup-

ess

plying access equipment, thoughts have naturally turned to how things have changed, and how quickly the time has gone. “As we looked into it, we saw that we were able offer a great service and add a string to our bow. Now we have customers that know us primarily for access,” adds Jonathan. With the hire fleet also increasing year-on-year, the number of access customers is also at a high. “We’ve had great success. After a decade, we’re still innovating with hire terms, rates and ways of doing business. It’s the Windsor way!”

the user

REACHING NEW HEIGHTS JLG became in 2006 part of Oshkosh Corporation. The first scissor lifts had a platform mounted on a scissor-like mechanism and could extend up to 30 feet.

By 2016, JLG had launched the 150-ft platform height 1500AJP, its tallest and farthest reaching articulating boom lift ever.

Insight Newsletter_Issue9_v3Final.indd 5

09/06/2017 14:31:19

MAJOR ACCOUNTS

Generation Talkin’ ‘bout my

Headquartered in the West Midlands and with a company timeline stretching back to 1978, Generation UK has seen substantial growth and now operates nationwide as the largest scaffolding supplier in the UK.

W

ith over 75,000 tonnes of scaffolding they have the UKs largest inventory of scaffolding for hire and sale.

reliable fleet of forklifts to serve their

Every day Generation faces a logistical

Generation, Trevor De’Ath of Windsor

challenge to supply their 7,000 customers with the scaffolding and non-mechanical

the experts at Windsor helped with.

Boasting a 15-year relationship with Materials Handling stepped in to provide approximately 50 forklift trucks for the

plant that they require.

company – a mix of Doosan, Clarke

Generations’ customers represent a

a strong working relationship with the

full mix of the construction industry; including civil engineers, house builders, energy, utilities and scaffolding sub-contractors. Whilst their customers are varied, what unites them is their need for quality scaffolding delivered when and

and Komatsu models. Trevor, who has commercial manager at Generation, Chris Baker, said the trucks had been well received by staff at the firm.

Trevor has said “Although the lengthy working relationship did provide an

where they need it.

opportunity to work with Generation, it

To match their customers’ expectations

discussions when it came to feedback”,

they handle tonnes of scaffolding, access, fencing and hoardings every day across the UK. To achieve this, they needed a

Insight Newsletter_Issue9_v3Final.indd 6

nationwide network of branches, which

also meant that there were free and frank “the trucks themselves have had a good response, but the backup service has had particularly positive comments.”

09/06/2017 14:31:22

By the numbers:

266 Employees £80m Turnover 14 UK Branches 48 HGVs 9 Light Access Vehicles Became part of the Altrad Group in 2012 75,000 Tonnes of Hire Stock (worth approximately £53m)

Windsor is one of the few independent MHE providers in the UK with nationwide cover-

n

age and over 100 fully trained and highly skilled engineers. Thanks to a local one-stop approach for finance, hire, sales and maintenance, Windsor is able to add value via a quick, reliable and personal service.

A busy yard in the heart of Birmingham responds to both casual and pre-planned customer orders.

As part of the agreement with Generation,

How Scaffolding Helped Build An Empire The remarkable Syrian-born French billionaire, Mohed Altrad is the leader of Generation’s parent company, Altrad Group. Born in March 1948 in the desert of Syria, his Bedouin father gave him away to his grandparents at the age of four. Despite his tough surroundings, Mohed excelled at school and earned a PhD in computer science at University in Montpellier, France.

He sold his first computer business to help fund the acquisition of a small struggling French scaffolding company. Incentivising staff with performance bonuses, the new owners turned the business around, and started on the path to an empire today worth around 2.4bn euros. In 2015, he was named World Entrepreneur of the Year by accountancy firm, EY.

Insight Newsletter_Issue9_v3Final.indd 7

Trevor provides hourly and weekly key

casual users and major one off projects.

performance indicators to check efficiency is

Chris explains “Generation secured a con-

at its optimum for the fast-growing business.

tract to supply 5,500 tonnes of scaffolding equipment to Britain’s new aircraft carrier,

Chris Baker explains how busy peaks are

the HMS Queen Elizabeth. This was our

unpredictable for the business. “There is

biggest single contract to date.

constant volume. It is at its busiest first thing in the morning and sometimes vehicles

“Over 4,000 deliveries were made and from

are queuing to access our depots. We use

end to end the scaffolding we supplied

barriers during peak times to ensure traffic

reached 2,718 miles – the equivalent to

on the site does not compromise the oper-

travelling from Land’s End to John O’Groats

ation.”

three times!”

“I joined Generation in 2003 when it was

Today, Generation holds the highest volume

a £26 million company,” said Chris, “Since

of product and has the biggest turnover in

then we have experienced considerable

the scaffolding industry.

growth and today turnover is at £80 million.” Throughout the years, the Windsor

Chris concluded: “This kind of success can

business has evolved to support customers

only be supported by the quality machinery

from a variety of backgrounds, making it

and outstanding service we have had from

particulary adept at supplying a business like

Trevor and Windsor Materials Handling.”

this. Generation UK supplies scaffolding to a wide range of industries including regular,

09/06/2017 14:31:25

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

The Heat Is On The future of renewable energy for materials handling Siemens’ £160m wind turbine factory in Hull has brought significant investment in the wind energy sector. Does it signal the beginning of the end for fossil fuels?

www.siemens.com/press

“ The ventilation system at Stockholm’s Central Station is fitted with heat exchangers that convert excess body heat into hot water.

It is now completely ordinary to see panels

Hydrogen fuel cells

on your neighbours’ roof soaking up solar

While businesses across the globe are

energy, just as we are getting used to look-

being urged to reduce their usage of fossil

ing out to sea and seeing a wind farm on the

fuels and look for alternative ways of using

horizon. This is likely to be due, in part, to

energy, the closest the materials handling

high profile figures making pledges to use

industry has come to a green source of

more renewable energy sources and encour-

energy is the use of hydrogen fuel cells to

aging the population to follow suit.

power forklifts.

Many big brands have recently been promising that by 2025, 100% of purchased electricity will come from renewable sources. Giant beer producer, Anheuser-Busch InBev, has said that in eight years your cold Budweiser, Stella Artois or Corona will be made with renewable energy, such as wind or solar power.

By doing so they will reduce their carbon footprint by 30% - equivalent to removing

“ Insight Newsletter_Issue9_v3Final.indd 8

500,000 cars from the road! Coca Cola and IKEA are among the other companies pledg-

It was recently announced that South

ing to go 100% renewable.

Africa are to make more hydrogen fuel cell forklifts in a bid to use clean energy, but

09/06/2017 14:31:27

tem, the weight from their footsteps causes

of electrical current to function. Compared

generators to vertically displace, resulting in

to water dripping from a faulty tap, the

the radial motion creating energy through

current is formed from contact between the

electro-magnetic induction. A nightclub in

metal and semiconducting components of

Rotterdam is making use of this technology

a transistor, a characteristic that engineers

too, but electric dance moves don’t come

usually try to avoid. Although transistors

cheap, the club’s 270-square-foot floor cost

have had this ability for years, this is the

around $257,000!

first time the current has been effectively captured and used practically.

Body Heat

although there’s a lot of hydrogen on the surface of the planet, most of it exists in chemical compounds such as crude oil and water. This means that in order to produce enough to power the world’s vehicles, hydrogen fuel cells need to be produced industrially, a process that means as much as 95% of hydrogen would be produced by burning fossil fuels. Still, there a number of not-so-popular methods that could be the

Stockholm’s Central Station is making use

Drawing energy from an AA battery based

of those sweaty rush hours and conserving

on this design, it has been said, would make

body heat to warm an office block not far

it last for a billion years.

from the station. The Central Station’s ventilation system is fitted with heat exchang-

Methane Cow Backpacks

ers, allowing the excess body heat to be

According to the UN, 18% of the total

converted to hot water before being pushed

release of greenhouse gases is down to

into the building’s heating system. As well

agriculture, and cattle are a big contributor

as being a green renewable energy source,

to this number. Methane is 23 times more

the system has lowered the energy bill by as

harmful to the environment than CO2, and

much as 25% for the office block.

one cow releases 70 to 120 kgs of methane on average per year. With 1.5 billion of them

Nevertheless, it has been said that the

around the globe, that’s a lot of harmful

forklifts as well as the rest of the globe.

system works well in Sweden due to their

greenhouse gas. Researchers in Argentina

cold winters, and the cost and benefits can

have developed a backpack that collects the

Best Foot Forward

depend on the climate as well as the price

cow methane, purifying and compressing it

of energy.

for use in generating electricity.

future of renewable energy to help power

Piezoelectricity is a method of producing energy from pressure. Pioneering companies such as PaveGen are using this concept in floor tiles, so that people walking around or dancing produce enough electricity to run the shopping centre or nightclub they are in. Each PaveGen floor tile is equipped with a wireless API that transmits real-time movement data analytics, whilst directly producing power when and where it is needed. As pedestrians walk across the sys-

Try not to get too excited though, while it Transistor Breakthough

might sound like ‘cowpower’ is the newest

Scientists at the University of Cambridge

form of renewable energy, it’s still just in the

have recently discovered a new transistor

concept stage.

design that could mean ultra-low power applications such as wearable devices and

What it all means for MHE...

implantable electronics no longer need to

The piezoelectricity and body heat con-

be powered by batteries.

cepts may not be ideal to power materials

The new design uses a similar method to a

handling equipment, but if busy facilities

computer in sleep mode, using a tiny ‘leak’

started to harvest the energy from pressure and warmth produced by the employees, it’s possible businesses could be saving money

Going With The Flo

while protecting the planet from green-

LPG supplier, Flogas, has been recognised for doing their own bit towards forklift technology. The company was presented with the 2017 FLTA Innovation Award, for their new composite LPG cylinder, Gaslight. The lightest forklift truck cylinder on the market, Gaslights have a superb safety record, greatly reducing fire risk and withstanding a burst pressure twice as high as their steel counterparts.

It is somewhat unlikely we’ll see the next

Insight Newsletter_Issue9_v3Final.indd 9

house gases in the future.

generation of forklift trucks being powered by tiny electrical current leaks or cow emissions. What we can say is that the direction of travel appears to be well established, if not for the planet’s sake, then for cost, health and security of energy supply reasons. What’s more these discoveries pave the way for new research projects that might one day provide a green source of energy powerful enough to fuel forklifts and distribution centres worldwide.

09/06/2017 14:31:28

Clearer Thinking

SUPPLIERS

Toucan play that game Colourful visitor gets the pretty picture

Leading sideloader

manufacturer, Baumann, has introduced a new panoramic cabin as standard for its award-winning range of equipment.

Following two years of trials and six months of rigorous testing, the cabin has been redesigned to strengthen the framework, simplify access and allow central side struts to be removed.

“Our previous cab improved visibility to the front corners but our continuous development ethos meant we still aimed to improve,” says managing director, Klaus Pirpamer. “The continuous glass side panel on the new cabin now means the driver’s view has been significantly improved from both sides. Access is more open and the response from operators and owners has been superb.”

Changes in materials and advances in toughened glass also allowed the Italian

We expect the unexpected, but when visiting our friends at Magnum Motorhomes & Caravan Supplies, even we were suprised when our carefully arranged photos were interrupted by a colourful character... apparently a regular customer, perhaps he’d come to check out the new stockpicker - a JLG Toucan!

Floors to clean?

This scrubber-drier will do it for you.

The first fully autonomous floor scrubber from Nilfisk won the innovation award at the 2017 Cleaning Show in London. Initially available in limited numbers, the Nilfisk Liberty A50 features autonomous, manual and CopyCat modes, and recognizes unknown obstacles as small as a tennis ball and then automatically maneuvers around them. Very smart!

sideloader manufacturer to reconfigure the panoramic glass panel on the new cabin. An extremely thorough test-

Perking Up

Investing times

ing process requires major structural improvements, such as new cabins to be

Plans are already underway to upgrade

tested to destruction, with the results

our network facilities, following recent

held in storage for at least a decade.

upgrades in Hull, Slough, Chelmsford and

Got What It Takes?

WORK FOR US

We are always on the

lookout for great talent, and with a business the size of ours, there’s usually one or two vacancies at any one time. If you’d like to find out more visit our website at www.windsor-mh.co.uk/careers

Insight Newsletter_Issue9_v3Final.indd 10

East Kilbridge.

We’ve got some of the most dedicated and

Investment in oil tanks, training facilities

hardworking staff in the industry, so we are

and new back office software are just some

pleased to have partnered with PerkBox,

of the recent projects, with major plans for

a great way of us rewarding our teams for

our older and rapidly expanding branches in

their ongoing support and dedication. Visit

Immingham and St Helens... so watch this

perkbox.co.uk to find out more.

space!

09/06/2017 14:31:32

TRAINING

Training has never been so important - protecting lives and companies from prosecution. Today, Windsor’s Immingham training facility is aiming to improve skills and reduce forklift accidents.

Train To Gain W

indsor’s Immingham branch is delivering courses on forklift trucks, safety and first aid to local businesses and individuals from its new training centre.

The new training facilityis dual accredited with both the Road Transport Industry Training Board (RTITB) and the Independent Training Standards Scheme and Register (ITSSAR).

Available in either the Immingham-based centre or on the customer’s own premises, accredited training will be delivered on all types of materials handling equipment including counterbalance, reach trucks, powered pallet trucks (PPT), rough terrain, scissor lifts and boom trucks.

We are also offering health and safety

Insight Newsletter_Issue9_v3Final.indd 11

courses, including safety passport, as well as first aid training.

John Smith, the award-winning training manager who is fronting the scheme alongside senior instructor, Ian Kaminski, explains the importance of training.

“There is a legal imperative here. Training is the only way for organisations to demonstrate that they have taken the necessary measures to ensure equipment is operated not only safely but correctly and in accordance with approved operating procedures. Businesses that conduct proper forklift safety training not only benefit from improved efficiency, but reduce the risk of injuries to operators and damage to equipment too.”

The opening of the training centre is part of Windsor’s wider initiative to deliver operator training across the UK in an attempt to help control forklift accident rates. “Forklift driver safety is at the top of the agenda at Windsor,” says Stephen Burton, managing director at Windsor.

“Forklifts are powerful tools, and if not used correctly, can result in damage to property, products, and even loss of life. Accidents are all too common and we have made it our aim to help customers to minimise their risks by providing sympathetic and professional training to operators - ultimately improving safety and efficiency in facilities across the UK.”

09/06/2017 14:31:34

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09/06/2017 14:31:34