Just behind an elegant Georgian square in the picturesque town of Kings Lynn is an unlikely location for one of the UK’s leading providers of timber framed housing, but it is here that you will find Pattrick & Thompsons Ltd. The company, part of the Walker Timber Group, was established in the 1870s and occupies a seven-acre site by the docks. The group has capacity to manufacture 8,000 timber framed houses per year and 10,000 roof trusses per week.
It was the growth in the timber frame sector, said managing director Keith Arnett, that necessitated the conversion of an existing building to accommodate an increase in production. Due to the tight confines in and around the building, it was clear to Mr Arnett and his team that the existing conventional sideloaders and counterbalance forklifts would not be capable of handling the large volume of both incoming raw materials and bulky finished product, and that a specialist solution was required. This was delivered in the form of the five-tonne capacity, diesel-powered Combilift C5000SL 4-way sideloader, recommended by materials handling specialist Genesis Forktrucks.
Versatility
“The versatility and manoeuvrability of the Combilift sidleoader have been key to the successful operation of the new production line” said Mr Arnett. “We can offload with it to bring in raw materials such as packs of timber, it can be positioned to feed the lines and it then manoeuvres the finished panels through a narrow door and tight corners to the storage area. The truck’s ability to work both inside and out, and its superior manoeuvrability over conventional sideloaders have also speeded up operations.”
Due to the size of the finished panels, which can be from 3-9m long and 2.4-3m wide, Genesis Forktrucks recommended longer than standard forks and a spreader beam for extra stability with extreme loads.
Combilift managing director Martin McVicar said that the Combilift 4-way sideloader was developed after feedback from traditional sideloader users indicated the need for a more manoeuvrable machine which could provide better storage density and block stack, while still able to work in pre-existing aisle widths. The C5000SL has a top speed of 20km per hour for long runs, a spacious floating cab for driver comfort and Combilift’s patented “carousel” feature that enables the truck to turn on its own axis. There is also a choice of cab at the front or rear of the truck. The unique, all-wheel drive, hydrostatic system provides excellent traction in areas where traditional sideloaders struggle. The three-wheel configuration ensures excellent stability, especially on uneven ground where four-wheel machines can lose ground contact with one wheel, resulting in a loss of traction.
Storage capacity
Another advantage over conventional sideloaders is an improvement in storage capacity due to the low deck height of 750mm, which enables better use of the bottom level of cantilever racking. Pattrick & Thompsons is looking to increase its MDF mouldings production, and plans to capitalise on the space-saving storage the Combilift SL offers by designing the storage area around the truck’s capabilities.
Two C4000 Combilifts – the original model of the Combilift range – are also used at Pattrick & Thompsons’ Norwich base. As the UK’s largest privately-owned importer of construction timber, the Walker Timber Group handles significant volumes and the other three group members (Walker Timber Ltd, Guildway Ltd and Cox Long Ltd) also benefit from the 4-way capabilities of Combilift forklifts.
