COVER STORY COMBILIFT
James Latham and Combilift – 20 years of partnership
Celebrating a long and successful working relationship, Combilift and James Latham have worked hard to introduce innovation and streamline materials handling and warehouse management.
F
or those in the timber sector, James Latham hardly needs
Innovators in their sectors
70 Combilifts in operation
Combilift is acknowledged for its
Two decades on, around 70 C4000 models
any introduction. With a
are in operation across all Latham branches,
innovative design philosophy, and Lathams
history stretching back over
and according to Combilift’s Tommy Cadden,
continues to be an innovator in its sector
260 years the company is now one of the
who been closely involved with the company
too, which has led to an expansion of many
UK’s largest independent distributors of
from the outset, over 165 trucks have been
of the company’s depots and consequently
timber, panels, and decorative surfaces.
supplied in all, which have a typical lifespan
the ongoing need for space-saving materials
of seven years before being replaced by
handling. “We consistently push the
throughout the UK and Ireland, Lathams
new models. “When we first started working
boundaries of materials selection,” says Piers
supplies its products to a broad range of
with James Latham they were considering
Latham. “From our origins in timber products,
customers, from contractors and merchants to
two electric 4-way reach trucks for indoor
panels and doors, to today where we are one
construction professionals and designers. The
operation and two counterbalance trucks for
of the most recognised suppliers of cutting
company has also been the recipient of many
outside use only at Hemel.”
edge materials technologies, including
Operating from twelve branches
major TTJ Awards over the years. When it comes to materials handling
Until the launch of the Combilift, this combination was then quite a standard
decorative laminates, veneers, thermoplastics and acrylics.” The Yate branch is an example of how
and warehousing – a crucial aspect of any
one, but as Company Director Piers Latham
business to get right – it is now exactly 20
explains: “We had nearly decided to go with
the Latham Group is addressing growth and
years since Lathams ordered its first three
this option, but were ideally looking for a new
progress. It is one of a number of new facilities
C4000 multidirectional forklifts from Combilift
way of working, and one that would maximise
designed with 9m high racking to make the
in June 2001 for its Hemel Hempstead site,
the footprint in our depots. After seeing the
most of every inch of possible space, following
starting a partnership that continues to
Combilift at a show at the NEC, the rest was
on from sites in Motherwell and Leeds. With
this day. The Irish specialist manufacturer
history. The combination of Combilifts and
a footprint of 53,000sq ft it has a current
was at the time just a few years old and
racking enabled us to be the first to go to an
storage capacity of 7,000m³ for its stock which
still a relatively small company, albeit one
impressive height of 8m in narrow aisles, and
comprises 70% sheet and panel products and
with big ambitions, and it has since enjoyed
of course the indoor/outdoor ability meant
30% hardwoods. A 10,000sq ft extension is
unparalleled growth in the global materials
we needed fewer trucks whilst achieving
planned for later this year on site to cope with
handling sector.
optimum operational versatility.”
expanding volumes.
Timber Trader UK Magazine
Autumn 2021
22
www.timbermedia.co.uk
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