• Nilkamal Limited

Articulated and Multidirectional Forklifts

Nilkamal Material Handling Division has some advanced technology tie-ups with international partners Aisle Master and Combilift. The company believes in protecting customers’ products, increasing their storage efficiency and improving their labour productivity. Aisle Master articulated forklift and Combilft multi-directional forklift fits the bill. Aisle Master is an articulated forklift designed to work in “very narrow aisles” of 2.1 metres. It has lift options of up to 12.4 metres so one can make maximum use of the available height. Electric AC motor drive and LPG options with lift capacities up to 2.5 tonnes are available in this and one can carry out normal counter balance forklift and reach truck operations with this unique machine easily.

Some of the distinctive features and benefits of Aisle Master are:

• Operator comfort and safety integral part of the machine
• Ergonomically designed to reduce fatigue and maximise visibility
• Full view of both the forks and the load
• Reduced load cycle times and product damage
• Large super elastic tyres, can take product from the rack in the warehouse to outdoors
• Robust chassis construction
• Integral side shift fitted as standard
• Two motors only – traction and hydraulic
• Low maintenance, and
• Indoor and outdoor

When one compares Aisle Master with other alternatives: the Aisle-Master can operate in aisles, which are 30% narrower than reach trucks, whereas counter-balance trucks require approximately 50% more space to manoeuvre. The Aisle-Master can carry out regular forklift duties such as loading of trucks. Reach trucks, on the other hand, are not suitable for outdoors. Very narrow aisle and turret trucks are limited in their application: cannot be driven outside; have high maintenance and operating costs; require expensive guide wires or rails to installed in the floor; and overall operating speed is slow.

A double deep storage solution provides similar number of pallet locations but with half the selectivity. This is challenging in India where demand is usually unpredictable and seasonal. Double deep trucks are usually a lot less cost effective (capital expense and ongoing operating expense).

Combilift is all wheel-drive multidirectional forklift. It is a unique combination of forklift, side loader and reach truck. It is the most safe and cost effective solution to handle long and heavy awkward loads. Combilift is available in Electric, Diesel and LPG variants. Combilift benefits its customers in terms of:

• Safe product handling
• Space saving
• Long load handling
• Indoor and outdoor
• Increasing productivity
• Less product damage, and
• Easy operation and maintenance

Nilkamal designs and provides an optimised Cantilever storage system through its India based sales and manufacturing JV with Bito Lagertechnik, Germany.