US-built box crane - WorldCargo News Online

FOREST PRODUCTS/CARGO HANDLING
Tapping into the global reach of lift trucks
In a paper launching it new reach stacker,
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) calculates
that the global market for reach
stackers grew from 200 to 1300 units/
year in the decade to 2002 - a steeper
growth curve than containerisation itself.
Its figure is much higher than the >
800 units (excluding Kalmar RTCHs)
reckoned for 2004 output in WorldCargo
News, December 2004 edition. Although
the market has grown again this year, it is
still thought to be under 1000 units.
However, this equipment area is notoriously
difficult to survey accurately. It
the shrink wrap is in place, the bar code
is automatically applied.
When the shrink wrapping contracts
to hold the cargo in place, the bar code
label crinkles. It can normally be read
manually if it is smoothed out, but not
automatically. Accordingly the scanning
system rejected these pallets. Once the
shipper was aware of the problem, different
procedures were put in place and it is
no longer a problem.
The increasing popularity of the reach
stacker has encouraged more lift truck
manufacturers to enter the market
may be the case that established players
deliberately understate their estimates of
market size when talking on the record,
in order to discourage new entrants. For
certain, WorldCargo News is not in a position
to say that it knows better than MHI.
Whatever the exact numbers, most of
the growth has been captured by European
suppliers. Asian FLT manufacturers
tended to treat the container handling
market as the heavy segment of their range
and were slow to embrace the reach
stacker. This is changing, however. Reach
stacker manufacturers in China and India
report strong order books for local
customers, while two manufacturers in
Japan are looking to the export market.
Boom up in India
Indital Construction Machinery (ICM)
has been building reach stackers at it facility
in Bangalore since 1989. Managing
director Ravi Kumar said demand has
more than doubled in the last 12 months
from 40 units in 2003/04 to over 90 units
this year (a figure some think too high).
Previously ICM targeted exports and
sold one machine to a customer in Tanzania
but it is now struggling to meet
domestic demand alone. It has built up
capacity from 30 units/year to 50 and a
second expansion is under way to boost
that to 75 by March 2006. “Even if we
touch this figure, we would not be able
to cater for Indian demand,” says Kumar.
ICM developed its current Contstar
WorldCargo
news
Former Fantuzzi group CEO Davide
Bertozzi is now with Linde
Auto trailer loading
Another feature of the Tilbury project that
breaks new ground, although using existing
technology, is the Trancel automatic
trailer loading system. It requires specially
modified road trailers, supplied by the
haulier C&H, fitted with a false load floor
into which five recessed channels are incorporated,
each of which has an air-operated
cover.
The trailer load, as requested by the
user who has direct input into the WMS,
is selected from the high bay warehouse,
removed by the stacking cranes, transported
by conveyor to the vehicle loading
station and lifted from the conveyor
onto the Trancel loader by the automated
overhead vacuum clamp gantry.
When the load is made up, the road
trailer is backed into position and the tines
of the Trancel device raised and moved
forward into the trailer. These tines are
aligned with the channels in the trailer
floor. At this stage the channels are raised
but when the load is in place, the covers
are lowered to allow the reels to sit on
the trailer floor and the tines removed.
However, unlike the SECU, which sits
on the ground, the trailer has a suspension
system and the Trancel system needs
a fully-aligned and steady base. Accordingly
the trailers are equipped with a fifth
wheel king pin aft of the rear axles that
mate with a standard fifth wheel mounted
at the end of the loading bay. Once the
trailer is locked onto this, the air suspension
is relaxed and the full weight taken
on the rear fifth wheel coupling.
Considerable care must be taken when
reversing the trailer onto the loading bay
as it must be placed at exactly 90 deg. to
the loading dock or else the tines carrying
the reels will not mate fully with the
channels in the trailer floor. As with reversing
the SECU into the discharge bay,
the tractor driver relies on aligning the
trailer with lines painted on the floor. But
in the case of the trailer, he does not have
the advantage of rear steering and relies
on the tractor unit for manouevrability.
Cross-dock
An off-site rail cross-dock facility has also
been constructed to handle both incoming
and outgoing traffic, although as yet
the two planned inboard trains from
Langebrugge with Zeebrugge cargo via
the Channel Tunnel are not yet in the
schedule. Instead, any Zeebrugge import
cargo from Göteborg is transported by
road to Tilbury, although this is considered
a very temporary solution.
The rail cross-dock, located adjacent
to Tilbury’s main container rail terminal,
will serve five weekly trains to Selby,
Knowsley, Deanside and Avonmouth, The
covered platform and rail track is similar
to that at Zeebrugge and features four
dock leveller SECU slots for direct clamp
truck handling plus an automated Trancel
profile inserter to discharge the grey
SECUs. These are then loaded manually
as the UK rail system does not have covered
rail cars capable, as yet, of automated
loading. ❏
KALMAR REACHSTACKERS
NO.1 CHOICE FOR REACHING CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS
More operators choose Kalmar Reachstackers than any other make. Why?
Because Kalmar gives them a wider choice of models to perfectly suit their
applications in both toplift and combi-lift combinations. And the reliability, easy
maintenance and outstanding all-round performance of Kalmar Reachstackers
meets their operational expectations every time.
For more information about Kalmar Reachstackers and the full range of worldbeating
container handling technology, visit our website or contact your Kalmar
Representative.
www.kalmarind.com
September 2005 39