Recycler WasteCare reckons it is saving 40 minutes on each trailer at its Leeds headquarters by using a JCB Teletruk telescopic lift truck instead of a traditional counterbalance forklift.
An average of 15 to 18 trailers arrive for unloading and cross re-loading during each 24 hour period, saving a theoretical 10 to 12 hours each day.
In practice the time saved is absorbed by a greater HGV throughput without the need to increase the size of the site. WasteCare estimates it is achieving a 40 per cent increase in site capacity.
Yard manager John Kell said: “We used to work with long fork extenders which are cumbersome and awkward to use, especially with double-deck trailers because you can’t see onto the top deck. With fork extenders it took two men and two forklifts to tip a 40 foot trailer.
“Fork extenders don’t fit totally snug to the forks so you’ve always got some play and therefore some wobble on the pallet. It’s not an easy job. But with the Teletruk we can see where the forks are at the top of a double-decker. We’ve more control and therefore we suffer far less damage to IT equipment and monitors.”
The company acquired ten JCB TLT 25D Teletruks in June 2010 for use across its network of depots. Four of these 2.5 tonne diesel Teletruks have replaced seven traditional, masted counterbalance forklifts at WasteCare’s busy Leeds headquarters.
WasteCare offers a specialist WEEE recycling and waste management service to industrial and business sectors. Management reporting tracks specialist IT equipment from collection to recovery after the secure wiping of hard drives, regardless of type, volume or location.
Recyclable equipment is collected by WasteCare and transported as required to the relevant specialist operation within the 14 regional depot network. The company’s sites act as regional collection and transfer stations for onward transport as required through the network.
In addition to transferring materials on and off trailers, the Leeds headquarters is home to the company’s specialist electrical and computer goods recycling facility. Incoming IT goods are transferred into the secure store according to the WEEE Directive, as part of the company’s branded WeeeCare operation.
Approximately half of WasteCare’s 100 strong vehicle fleet which ranges from vans with tail lifts through to artics with double-decks is based at Leeds. Space on the site is restricted and curtainside trailers are now parked to allow access from one side only.
WasteCare has fitted the Teletruks with weight indicators. The Teletruks can reach straight inside WasteCare’s small vans equipped with tail lifts, where previously hand pallet trucks or counterbalance FLTs with fork extensions were used.
