Seldom has the name PowerMate been more appropriate than in its function for Peterborough based JC Couriers for whom it has reduced from five to two or three the number of personnel required to deliver and install the larger items handled under contract for Hobart's, the UK's foremost manufacturer of commercial catering equipment.
The delivery and installation contract involves handling units weighing anything up to 500kg a time and if this wasn't a difficult enough task in itself, the contract is of an 'express' 24/7 nature, invariably requiring the delivery team to be in two places at once!
Full Operator Control PowerMate automatically balances the load then powers it on and off delivery vehicles, over thresholds, up and down stairs and round landings to the point of delivery. Not only does it remove the potential risk of injury through back strain for the handlers, it provides power at just the right moment and puts manoeuvring fully under operator control. It solves many of the heavy-duty and confined access installation problems where throwing more personnel at the problem merely causes hindrance.
The Powermate model employed by JC Couriers, the M2B from Stanley Handling Limited, offers a capacity up to 680kg and features the tallest frame of any PowerMate and an extended width toe plate to accommodate the largest of loads without the need for special spacers. It also incorporates a drop-down dolly which provides a firm mobile base for overland transportation without the operator having to support the full weight of the load. This is further enhanced by the use, when appropriate, of a detachable rough-terrain big-wheel attachment for handling over cobbled, soft or particularly uneven ground.
Other accessories include a landing extender, employed to provide an additional metre of space in gaining access to upper levels, a slip sheet for easy rotational manoeuvring on tight staircases, a hook box for simplified vehicle loading, an in-transit charging kit and one-way wheel brakes.
Vehicle-To-Vehicle
Weighing just 82kg the PowerMate is light enough to be carried on-vehicle and to be transferred between any of the company's tail lift or Sprinter-type delivery vans.
Mario Chappell of JC Couriers, is well aware of the importance of professionalism in the handling of such a contract. "Many of the establishments we serve have restricted access which can make for tricky deliveries and we are expected to deliver at times which best suit the customer which can involve a high level of discretion and speed - without undue disturbance or damage to equipment or property. It's difficult to see how we could meet the deadlines without PowerMate."
Operator Training
The contract included the training of all members of the team likely to use PowerMate. This is an essential requirement in meeting current health and safety legislation and requires refresher training after three years.
For more information, please contact :
Mark Stanley at mark@stanleyhandling.co.uk or tel 01582 767711 fax 01582 765994