Yorkshire
Stainless Ltd is one of the UK’s leading suppliers of tubular stainless steel
products, including pipes, flanges and fittings, in both standard and specially
manufactured form. Pipe up to six metres
long is stored on cantilever racking and boxes of fittings on pallet racking in
a warehouse designed to maximise capacity by reducing aisle widths and turning
areas.

The two
battery-powered Sidetrackers are compact SOW25 models that have allowed the
aisles in the cantilever racking to be reduced to 1.9 metres. Space for turning has also been reduced, because
the trucks can steer in any direction, including diagonally, and rotate in a
full circle on the spot.

The
trucks are a vital part of the company’s delivery commitment and need to be
extremely reliable and efficient. The
first pre-owned truck, bought in 2007, met YSL’s requirements in all respects,
leading to the purchase of the second earlier this year. Key to the trucks’ performance is the quality
of Sidetracker’s refurbishment programme, which includes re-building the motors,
masts and hydraulic controls, fitting new batteries, tyres, hydraulic hoses and
seats, and re-sealing all rams. Trucks, which are also given a full re-spray,
are covered by a one-year parts-and-labour warranty, with batteries guaranteed
for five years.

The
trucks at Yorkshire Stainless have a lift capacity of 2000kg at 500mm load
centre and a triplex mast with a maximum lift height of 8.5 metres. Maximum fork spread is 3000mm, and a wide
reach well allows pallets to be handled at floor level.