In a deal worth over £2 million the Malcolm Group has just invested in five new Konecranes (formerly SMV) container handlers from Cooper Specialised Handling to maximise workflow and reduce life time costs.

Cooper SH's contract with the Malcolm Group extends the Malcolm fleet to eight Konecranes laden container handlers. The new machines are being placed on a service and maintenance contract.

Malcolm Rail, which operates the Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT), wanted a specific materials handling supplier; one that could maximise workflow and provide a solution to the nearly 6000 lifts per week that are required to meet this throughput, whilst minimising the lifetime costs of the operation. Cooper's bespoke machine design and all inclusive five year service and maintenance solution secured the deal.

DIRFT is one of the largest intermodal terminals in the UK and occupies a total of 27 acres, has 10km of rail track and sees 24 trains move in and out of the terminal daily. Steve Sugden, Fleet Engineer at the Malcolm Group says, "Cooper SH is helping us reduce costs with the idle shut down facility. This automatically shuts the machines down if left idling for more than three minutes. Coupled with the Konecranes load sensing hydraulics technology, it is helping to achieve an extra 25% capacity in workflow as well as reducing fuel consumption by up to 30%."

Other machine modifications include a specially specified shorter wheel base machine that, significantly, has a lower steer axle weight when the machine is unladen. In addition a flexible service contract, which incorporates a lower charge rate when the machine is idling compared to when it is actually working, helps to keep running costs down.

At DIRFT, Malcolm Rail's operation works 24 hours a day six days per week with the machines working, at a peak, up to 20 hours a day. "The Malcolm Group needed a supplier who could offer a service that met their high expectations" explains Peter Astley, Sales Manager for Cooper SH. "We were able to provide the Malcolm Group with a bespoke service solution. One that offers a competitive reliable service and keeps operations running continually across 24 hour shifts. We maintain the whole of the Malcolm Group operation at DIRFT."

About Konecranes

Konecranes is a world-leading group of Lifting Businesses-, serving a broad range of customers, including manufacturing and process industries, shipyards, ports and terminals. Konecranes provides productivity-enhancing lifting solutions as well as services for lifting equipment and machine tools of all makes. In 2007, Group sales totaled EUR 1,750 million. The Group has 8,400 employees, at more than 470 locations in 43 countries. Konecranes is listed on the OMX Helsinki Stock Exchange (symbol: KCR1V).