For those in the timber sector, James Latham hardly needs any introduction. With a history stretching back over 260 years the company is now one of the UK’s largest independent distributors of timber, panels, and decorative surfaces. Operating from 12 branches throughout the UK and Ireland, Lathams supplies its products to a broad range of customers, from contractors and merchants to construction professionals and designers. The company has also been the recipient of many major TTJ Awards over the years.
When it comes to materials handling and warehousing – a crucial aspect of any business to get right – it is now exactly 20 years since Lathams ordered its first three C4000 multi-directional forklifts from Combilift in June 2001 for its Hemel Hempstead site, starting a partnership that continues to this day. At the time, the Irish specialist manufacturer was just a few years old and still a relatively small company, albeit one with big ambitions, and it has since enjoyed unparalleled growth in the global materials handling sector.
SEVENTY COMBILIFTS IN OPERATION
Two decades on, around 70 C4000 models are in operation across all Lathams branches, and according to Combilift’s Tommy Cadden, who has been closely involved with the company from the outset, over 165 trucks have been supplied in all. The trucks have a typical lifespan of seven years before being replaced by new models.
“When we first started working with James Latham it was considering two electric 4-way reach trucks for indoor operation and two counterbalance trucks for outside use only at Hemel,” he said.
Until the launch of the Combilift, this combination was then quite a standard one, but as company director Piers Latham explained: “We had nearly decided to go with this option, but were ideally looking for a new way of working, and one that would maximise the footprint in our depots. After seeing the Combilift at a show at the NEC, the rest was history. The combination of Combilifts and racking enabled us to be the first to go to an impressive height of 8m in narrow aisles, and of course the indoor/ outdoor ability meant we needed fewer trucks whilst achieving optimum operational versatility.”
INNOVATORS IN THEIR SECTORS
Combilift is acknowledged for its innovative design philosophy, and Lathams continues to be an innovator in its sector too, which has led to an expansion of many of the company’s depots – and consequently the ongoing need for space-saving materials handling.
“We consistently push the boundaries of materials selection, from our origins in timber products, panels and doors, to today where we are one of the most recognised suppliers of cutting edge materials technologies, including decorative laminates, veneers, thermoplastics and acrylics,” said Mr Latham.
The Yate branch is an example of how the Latham Group is addressing growth and progress. It is one of a number of new facilities designed with 9m-high racking to make the most of every inch of possible space, following on from sites in Motherwell and Leeds. With a footprint of 53,000ft2 it has a current storage capacity of 7,000m3 for its stock, which comprises 70% sheet and panel products and 30% hardwoods. A 10,000ft2 extension is planned for later this year on site to cope with expanding volumes.
The 10 Combilifts on site are on the go constantly on a 24/5 shift pattern, offloading incoming deliveries, putting products into racking and reloading for despatch to customers.
Their 4t base capacity, with lifting capability of 2t to 9.4m enables them to handle diverse loads, which can be up to 4.5m long. They work in rail guided aisles of 2520mm (for easy entrance, exit and quick travel within aisles and reduced risk of product damage) as well as in some free roaming aisles set aside for the storage of 3m x 2m jumbo boards.
For easier and stable handling of these larger loads, four trucks have been fitted with telescopic forks which measure 2050mm when extended. These can lift 1900kg at 1035 load centre to 7.8m. Other specifications requested by operations manager Reg Court and depot director Andrew Jones and their team were blue warning lights to alert pedestrians of an approaching truck, and a mast mounted camera with an in-cab screen to ensure safer handling for drivers when placing and picking loads from the higher bays.
EMBRACING ELECTRIC POWER
Yate is also the first branch to introduce electric Combilifts into its fleet – previous trucks at Lathams have been LPG powered – and four of its current fleet are electric. According to Piers Latham, all the company’s replacement models will be electric wherever possible, which is in line with the general move in many countries towards greener operation.
Due to an upsurge in demand, over 50% of Combilift products that leave the production lines in Monaghan are now electric. For applications with high utilisation, Combilift also offers the option of supplying these trucks with GNB/Exide Tensor fast-opportunity profile batteries and chargers, and this was included in the specification for Latham’s machines.
“There are numerous advantages to the electric trucks, a major one of which is the quiet operation,” said Andrew Jones, “This is appreciated by our neighbours, particularly when we are working during so-called unsociable hours (many Latham depots work 24-hour shifts to maximise delivery capacity).
“There is enough juice left in the batteries after the night shift for the rest of the following morning before we need to charge again. Any doubts we may have initially had about performance compared to LPG power have also been totally dispelled, and we look forward to delivery of the three new electric models we have on order.”
Drivers are equally happy with the electric models according to materials handling manager John Bennett: “There is now a bit more space in the cab, and when you are working in hot weather, conditions are much cooler and more comfortable as there is no heat emanating from the engine.”
“I believe that our customised products, the design of which has also been influenced by input from Latham employees and depot directors, together with the level of after-sales service that we offer have enabled Combilift to continue to be the company’s preferred provider of handling equipment,” said Tommy Cadden. “This extends to recent new company acquisitions in Rochdale and Dublin, where a Combi-WR4 stacker truck and other multi-directional forklifts are now in operation.”
Customer feedback has always played an important role in Combilift’s product development, and this was the case when the first trucks were planned for Hemel.
“This site was in essence a guinea pig, and Combilift worked on our suggestions regarding various issues such as the position of the exhaust, the hydraulics, the cab size and also incorporating cameras,” said Mr Latham. “Not all manufacturers are willing to pursue such open and frank dialogue, but this resulted in trucks that were 100% fit for purpose and was a major reason for adopting Combilift’s multi-directional concept across the board. The people at Combilift are great to work with as their ultimate aim is to find solutions for our requirements. This has been key to the long and ongoing partnership.”
