SAUR telescopic forks improve the movement of crates of grapes
For a long time, the majority of companies have concentrated their efforts in supplies and transport to obtain better results for the company. However, now, many are reviewing their concepts and analysing gains in internal logistics (intra-logistics) to reduce costs and increase competitivity.
It is with this vision that the company Chandon, also known as Moët Hennessy do Brasil - Vinhos e Destilados Ltda., of the city of Garibaldi in Rio Grande do Sul, sought with SAUR Equipments S.A., the Brazilian leader in internal load handling, a solution to improve the unloading of crates of grapes. SAUR telescopic forks are the equipment used by Chandon to unload trucks from one side only. This is because the forks extend, and thus they cover the whole width of the vehicle. That is, equipment coupled to the forklift is positioned on one side only, and from there it can unload both sides, meaning that it is only necessary to open one side of the vehicle.
Before using this equipment it was necessary to manoeuvre the truck or fork extenders were used to remove the crates, which required constant adjustment, as they had to be removed for any other task.
Thus the unloading of the grapes was slow, due to the changes in forks and the manoeuvring of the trucks, and the costs were higher as the forklift used more fuel and greater wear. In addition, the professionals involved in unloading were exposed to higher accident risks and the product was exposed for longer times to adverse conditions which could affect the quality of the raw material.
Luciano Paulo Scomazzon, production manager for Chandon, tells that it was through a video available on the Internet that He and his team became aware of the SAUR equipment and, as a result, entered in contact with one of the company's consultants to discover more about its use. "We were impressed when we saw the performance of the telescopic forks; after all, we had found a solution to our problem. What surprised us was that the solution came from a company that was so close to us. The equipment is of very high quality and does exactly what is described in their catalogue. We have obtained time savings of approximately 30% in relation to the old process using sleeves." explained Luciano.
As well as operating with the forks extended, when their length reaches 2,350 mm, the equipment can also work normally with the forks retracted to 1,350 mm, which makes it use highly practical. Operating since 2013 at Chandon, the equipment, according to Marcio Koch, business manager at SAUR, combines the agility of conventional short forks with the possibility of reaching distant loads, which brings convenience and safety to the operation.
Another advantage of the Telescopic Forks is that they add little weight to the forklift and due to this can be attached to counterbalanced forklifts and retractable forklifts of lower capacity. They are also ideal for placing products on double depth shelving.
