After eight years successfully using a high-capacity Sidetracker multi-direction reach truck to handle press tools at its factory in West Lothian, Mitsubishi Electric has taken delivery of a second truck to work in a new production unit nearby.

The factories at Livingston, West Lothian, are Mitsubishi’s main European manufacturing centre for air conditioning units and include several presses that produce the cases and other sheet metal components. Press tools, which weigh up to four tonnes, had originally been stored two-high on low-level racking in the first factory, but as the number of tools increased, the space needed to store them was encroaching on the production area.

Rather than extend the building, Mitsubishi decided to install multi-level pallet racking and use a Sidetracker multi-direction reach truck to lift the tools on and off the racking as required. Although the truck had a lift capacity of 4100kg at 600mm load centre, its compact dimensions and ability to travel in any direction allowed aisle widths and turning areas around the racking to be minimised, further reducing the area required to store the tools.

Having found this an efficient, space-saving solution at the first factory, Mitsubishi installed the identical system when it opened a second factory nearby. Both the trucks are battery-powered with twin electro-hydraulic drive units that automatically run singly or together to suit demand and power a 360mm diameter drive wheel with a high-grip polyurethane tyre for inside and outdoor use.