Makita
Leading tool manufacturer Makita has locations around the world, including its UK head office and large distribution warehouse in Milton Keynes.
Making light work of small spaces
World-renowned tool manufacturer finds perfect partner in new fleet from Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks
What was the challenge?
Due to the narrow width of the aisles measuring only 2.7 metres, the existing materials handling equipment had a challenging time manoeuvring, resulting in frequent damage to the racking system.
Why this product(s)?
The compact RB series reach trucks work easily within the confines of the aisles, and has intelligent features for safer and quicker pallet retrieval.
What was the outcome?
The new fleet of equipment has outstanding ergonomic features for comfortable operation, and next-generation lead acid batteries for greater flexibility and energy efficiency.
Excessive racking damage
With so much racking installed, altering the aisles was not an option, so Makita needed new equipment that would fit the bill. The Mitsubishi RB16N3 reach truck was ideal as it has a shorter chassis and lifts to over 7 metres so could excel in the tight racking Makita uses.
We have a large area of racking but it’s narrow and our previous trucks used to hit the racking frequently. We were spending £18,000 a year on racking repairs. We contacted our Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks supplier, and they gave us a Mitsubishi RB reach truck to demo. It was fantastic.
Room to manoeuvre
Makita now has a fleet comprising three 1.6-tonne Mitsubishi EDiA EM counterbalance forklifts, seven 2-tonne Mitsubishi VELiA ES order pickers, and seven 1.6-tonne Mitsubishi RB16N3 reach trucks.
The EDiA is great for Makita as it is very compact. It has good manoeuvrability. The order pickers are strong and steady workhorses. But the stars of the show were the RB reach trucks. A lot of stock is moved day in and day out, and having a reach truck that will work efficiently and safely even in a confined space is exactly what Patrick and the team at Makita were looking for.
Strong collaboration
By taking the time to understand the challenges, the Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks distributor was able to ensure that Makita had exactly the right equipment for the job and could reduce racking damage without compromising on productivity.
Josh and the team were fantastic. They looked at all our options and spent time assessing our environment to suggest the right solutions. They were very collaborative. The operators are very happy with the trucks and enjoy using them. We hadn’t used Mitsubishi forklifts previously, but the trucks and Josh’s hard work won us over.
Award-winning warehouse range
Engineered to deliver maximum performance, while keeping energy consumption to a minimum.
