Our customer, Colorminium, a family run business that’s been shaping the London skyline for almost 50 years, are today one of the most experienced building façade specialists in the UK. Due to Colorminium’s continued growth and expansion they were in need of a new Combilift multi-directional 4-way truck to support their operation at a new warehouse facility in Essex. Currently operating with a gas Combilift CB3000 and Doosan G30P-7 gas counterbalance truck, James Price, Logistics Manager for Colorminium, was considering the benefits of going electric, especially when taking into account the lower total cost of ownership (TCO), and their clean, green credentials.
Getting it right with Combilift
When comparing electric and gas Combilift variants with Colorminium, it was abundantly clear that a new Combilift CBE4000 was the right machine for their new operation and they placed their order with us for brand new model. However, within our industry and a global focus on going green, the order had a lead time of 48 weeks owing to the fact that electric forklift trucks have been high in demand across most industry sectors. Lead times have therefore been increasing as demand continues to outweigh supply, and although Combilift models are a popular choice for a wide range of industries and applications, the likelihood of supplying an interim Combilift hire truck in electric is almost impossible……………………. almost!!
Fortunately, a few months earlier our Regional Sales Manager, Dave Brown, met with Amy Edwards, Dealer Relationship Manager at Dawsongroup material handling, to discuss ways to help keep businesses moving with short-term rental support on Combilift equipment during these unprecedented equipment lead times across the UK. Liaising with forklift dealers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), Amy’s role is to introduce a solution to these gaps, and as luck would have it when Dave contacted Amy, there was a brand new Combilift C4000 electric model being prepared for hire, a close alternative to the C4000CBE ordered. However, this was no ordinary Combilift electric truck!
Fork Truck Direct – always happy to help Ben
This Combilift truck would be Dawsongroup’s 5000th truck, and what better way to celebrate than to donate a percentage of the rental income to charity? Ben, the automotive industry charity, is one of Dawsongroup’s partner charities through Open Hands, their Corporate Social Responsibility program, and it was the logical choice to benefit from this fantastic idea. 15% of the weekly hire cost will be donated to Ben for the lifetime of the vehicle while it is on fleet, which is usually around five years.
When James was told he could hire a brand new electric Combilift to fill this order gap and part of the rental would be donated to charity, he was delighted. “We chose Combilift because it’s incredibly smooth to operate and very versatile,” said James. “It can move a huge variety of different size, shape, and weight pallets, as well as metal stillages for carrying glass; it can carry loads in multiple directions, and it’s lovely to drive. Having part of the rental income go to charity just added to the appeal.”
As well as hiring, selling, and servicing forklifts for the East of England and being the largest independent Combilift straddle carrier supplier in the UK, we at FTD also encourage our employees to raise funds for charity. Their most epic event was when Dave and his colleagues cycled from London to Paris in three days, raising £2,500 for their chosen charities.
“The Ben forklift was the perfect fit for our customer and for our first hire with Dawsongroup,” said Dave. “It’s nice to do something different, and Ben is a really good charity as it covers such a broad spectrum of support, from physical health and mental wellbeing to help in a crisis and money worries.”
There are some things you can’t fix on your own. Call Ben.
If you think that your business may benefit from the use of a Combilift, contact us today to chat to one of our friendly sales team about the sales and hire options available to you.