Independent artisanal brewery Brasserie du Castelain has increased efficiency across its Pas de Calais site since selecting Cesab material handling equipment.

The French brewer, which is part of the GBS Group (Groupement des Bières Spéciales), now uses four Cesab M325 and B625 forklifts and two Cesab R116 reach trucks to ensure quick, precise product handling and customer order picking at the 4000m² Pas de Calais site.

GBS manages the logistics and administration for ten breweries producing over 500 beer brands in France. It partnered with Cesab dealership Saimlease Nord when the previous material handling fleet at Brasserie de Castelain needed replacing. Loic Schoutteten, GBS director:

"Saimlease Nord gave us detailed advice on the best equipment to build productivity and minimise downtime and was proved right in recommending Cesab. Their dealership is close to the brewery and provides fast, responsive support that is essential for keeping operations at full capacity. For efficiency, quality and reliability the combined strengths of Cesab products and Saimlease Nord service are ideal for a busy brewery like this."

Cesab M325 counterbalanced forklifts are used outdoors for loading and unloading, where their rigid steel side panels and strong bodywork protect the operator and truck. Cesab B625 forklifts are used indoors for loading and unloading operations. These 4-wheel AC electric forklifts are designed to handle multi-shift operations with ease, being equipped with side battery transfer ideal for high intensity applications in the beverage sector.

Cesab M325 and B625 forklifts feature Cesab’s Intelligent Mast Design (IMD, which gives operators high levels of forward visibility through the mast so they do not need to adjust their position as often or move their head as frequently when positioning the forks. This helps to increase comfort, efficiency and productivity throughout shifts.

The two Cesab R116 reach trucks are used indoors for handling product at high level. The floor height, control console and seats of these trucks can be adjusted to suit each operator, helping to increase productivity and reduce operator fatigue.

Loic Schoutteten: "Our forklift operators are impressed with the reliability and visibility of the Cesab trucks. The cabin area is easy to access and the trucks are comfortable to sit in and operate, which is essential for high productivity. We have an excellent relationship with Saimlease Nord and have found them to be consistently reliable in their advice and support. The combination of high quality manufactured Cesab trucks and a supportive, local forklift dealership is a winning solution for GBS and Brasserie du Castelain."