An innovative Mitsubishi fleet design has dramatically boosted productivity for the UK's leading printer of paperback titles, CPI Bookmarque.

At the company's state-of-the-art book manufacturing facility in Croydon, downtime was a daily occurrence among its fleet of eight forklifts. Trucks regularly needed downtime for refuelling and unplanned servicing was growing increasingly frequent and costly.

Bookmarque's general manager Mark Grice turned to Bronze Mechanical Handling - the premier Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks dealer for the South East - for an innovative and cost-effective solution.

Sales director Chris Slater of Bronze Mechanical Handling thoroughly assessed the application. Chris said: "Operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week relies on two things: reliability and resources. With this in mind, I was able to downsize the previous fleet of eight trucks by recommending a fleet of five versatile Mitsubishi counterbalance trucks.

"Over 1,000 tonnes of raw materials are processed each month at the Croydon site. The Mitsubishi GRENDIA ES 3.0 tonne gas counterbalance (FG30N) with a Cascade rotator roll clamp makes light work of this task. With its heavy-duty construction and high-visibility mast, this model enables drivers to manoeuvre loads of any size with complete confidence."

Bookmarque's busy lorry loading area is supported by two smaller 1.5 tonne GRENDIA ES models (FG15N). The pair provides Bookmarque and its drivers with a potent combination of high efficiency, low emissions and very low noise levels. Chris adds: "The trucks also have a host of ergonomic features to maximise driver comfort - and productivity."

Meanwhile, in the 'works in progress' section of the plant, two 1.6 tonne capacity three-wheel electric trucks (FB16NT) offer a low maintenance solution. Chris adds: "These workhorses offer compact dimensions, responsive steering and high stability which ensure excellent manoeuvrability and high productivity - even in the tightest of spaces. What's more, their great energy efficiency and low maintenance requirements mean reduced operating costs."

Bookmarque's general manager Mark Grice was particularly pleased with Bronze's proactive approach. He explains: "Refuelling was one of my prime concerns as it has always been a major source of downtime for our trucks. Rather than just simply provide us with a bigger and more costly fleet to reduce downtime, Chris recommended fitting an LPG bulk storage tank and purchasing additional spare batteries fitted with the latest opportunity charge technology. It has reduced our outlay and operating costs. More importantly, it's maximised our efficiency by cutting down refuelling time."

Mark was similarly impressed with the package of trucks offered by Bronze, adding: "Chris was able to put together a deal which delivered real value for money. Our excellent service contract keeps our trucks in action around the clock while unplanned downtime is almost non-existent. On top of this, all five of our trucks are covered by a 5-year warranty that keeps our running costs low and protects us from unexpected repair bills."

The successful introduction of green trucks to Bookmarque's Croydon location turns Mark's thoughts to the future. He shares: "Over the next few months we're looking to improve efficiency at our other UK sites. Looking at how much our Mitsubishi fleet has achieved so far, I can confidently say that we'll be looking to Chris for his expert advice and excellent support."

Hearing news of the new working relationship forged between Bookmarque and Bronze, Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks general manager Mike Jones comments: "Stories such as this are by no means unique. Like every dealer in our Authorised Dealer Network, Bronze consistently strives to offer customers with the most reliable trucks, high quality back up and, most importantly nowadays, best overall value for money. "

Bookmarque is a division of the CPI Group, Europe's biggest book manufacturer. The parent organisation includes many of Europe's longest established book printers. Bookmarque, among the younger companies, has gained a reputation for innovation, specialist services and consistent quality.