PEMA informs you of the following member information: Hyster lifetime costs attract Katoen Natie

Katoen Natie has purchased nine Hyster ReachStackers, one 25 and one 32 tonne forklift truck following a challenging tender process designed to identify the best total cost of ownership. The Hyster units are used to handle shipping containers of all sizes in high intensity terminal and stevedoring applications around Antwerp, Belgium. After the first months of operation Katoen Natie measured a 6l/h (litre per hour) saving per truck. Over a 5-6 year period this could amount to 90,000 litres saved.

At the beginning of 2011, a tendering process started for the supply of several “Big Trucks” to Katoen Natie operations around Antwerp, Belgium. Several equipment suppliers were involved in the highly critical and calculated decision making process designed by the global logistics service provider.

Dirk Waeterschoot from Katoen Natie explains “We were looking for total cost of ownership figures to understand the full scope of our investment for the life of the new equipment.”

Katoen Natie calculated each individual detail that affects the lifetime cost of the equipment and overall uptime. Following a challenging specification process, which included every single element in the calculations including maintenance rates and resale value, the contract was finally awarded to Barloworld Handling, the Hyster distribution partner in Belgium.

One of the key elements that Katoen Natie looked at was fuel consumption and the way in which the different brands achieve Tier 4i/Stage IIIB emissions compliance.

Dirk Waeterschoot reports “Hyster has done an excellent job together with Cummins to not only achieve a significant reduction in fuel consumption, but eliminate the need for AdBlue and associated hidden costs and hassle”.

All Hyster Big Trucks over 16 tonne lift capacity use Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) technology, so the operators can fill the fuel tank as normal without having to use the urea resin known as AdBlue, unlike other suppliers.

Hyster claims that fuel savings of up to 15% are now typical across its new big truck range but savings of up to 20% are achievable in reachstacker applications.

Danny Senecaut from Katoen Natie says “We have purchased nine Hyster ReachStackers, a 25 and a 32 tonne forklift truck for use in locations around Antwerp, and we expect to see significant annual fuel savings.” Katoen Natie is using the RS46-36 Hyster ReachStacker which provides a capacity of 46 tonnes in the first row and 36 tonnes in the second, providing between 100 and 140 moves per shift.

Another expense that Katoen Natie focused on was tyres. To help monitor and reduce the number of tyres used, the Hyster equipment is fitted with a tyre pressure monitoring system to ensure that the tyres are always fully inflated, helping to reduce wear and optimise performance. Additional features such as a fixed speed limiter, a camera and radar system to help prevent damage, LED lights, an auto-greasing system to lower maintenance costs and an empty seat switch-off, also help to contribute to a low total cost of operation.

To provide fleet intelligence, a fleet management system by Barloworld also helps monitor the performance of the equipment and reports any major impacts. All drivers are highly experienced and trained on the Hyster trucks, but the system provides additional accountability to further reduce damage.

“This is a completely new generation of reachstacker,” explains Danny. “Not only did we audit the Hyster build quality, we involved the drivers in the decision making process, two of which joined us on our visit to the Hyster factory in Nijmegen, to test the trucks.”

All the trucks feature the Hyster ‘Vista’ Operator Compartment which offers excellent comfort, outstanding ergonomics, all-round visibility and low noise levels. There is rapid boost at low engine rpm and high boost at higher rpm thanks to the Variable Geometry Turbocharger (VGT™). The trucks also only provide maximum power on demand, when it is really needed, with load-sensing hydraulics that ‘feel’ the load weight that is lifted. As maximum loads are not always handled, even less fuel is consumed.

After testing, Katoen Natie decided to achieve the maximum fuel saving by selecting the ECO-eLo “fuel efficiency” mode, and features such as oil-immersed brakes, a robust drive-axle and powertrain protection help to maintain maximum productivity and dependability.

In support of the equipment, Barloworld Handling has resident engineers and workshop facilities on each site to ensure that routine maintenance is effectively carried out and to ensure fast response in the event of breakdown.

“This contract is not only about the machines, it is about uptime and the best value handling solution so that we can provide superior levels of service to our Katoen Natie customers,” adds Dirk. “This is a long term partnership as we seek to drive down cost, boost productivity and increase efficiency.”