Acquisition of two more forklift trucks for completes a £3.1-million investment in mobile plant at British Steel’s Scunthorpe site.
The SVE 52120-60 forklift trucks have a maximum lifting capacity of 52 tonnes and will be used to transport and load semi-finished steel products.
This latest £1.1-million investment replaces older machines that had come to the end of their working lives, and follows the recent addition of seven other vehicles to modernise the heavy mobile fleet.
The forklifts have the latest engine control system that allows for better performance through improved fuel efficiency and improved emissions control.
Mark Ding, Manager – Workshop Services, Plant Infrastructure and Assets for British Steel, said: “This is a significant investment in our mobile plant which will assist operational performance as well as reducing maintenance costs and improving our environmental performance.”
The trucks, supplied through West Midlands-based Cooper Specialised Handling, run on modern diesel engines and have a lifting height of up to five metres.
They will be used to transfer hot steel stock bars, which are placed into packs of varying lengths and amounts and loaded according to grade and customer needs. They are also being used to load cold stock from stocking areas onto mainline external wagons, internal mill deliveries and loading slab caster for customers via road and rail.
David Cooper, Executive Director of supplier Cooper Specialised Handling, said: “SVE Truck forklifts have been used on the British Steel Scunthorpe site for more than 25 years during which time they have built a unique reputation for strength, quality and operator comfort in what is, widely accepted, a heavy-duty handling environment. We are naturally delighted that this tenure continues with this supply contract.”
