Shipping and transport firm invests in Windsor

A customer of Windsor Materials Handling for over 20 years, the Hull terminal of Thor Shipping & Transport (TST) is home to a range of Windsor-supplied equipment, including counterbalance forklifts, sideloaders, reach stackers, tugs, scrubber driers and trailers. 

The latest to arrive is a fleet of three Kalmar forklifts, up to 33 tonnes in capacity, designed to help the business stay flexible and responsive in a very competitive sector. 

A key customer of TST is Swedish steel giant SSAB. Used by the Ministry of Defence and UK car industries, a single high quality SSAB coil can be worth upwards of £10,000 and despite weighing in at up to 28 tonnes, needs careful handling and storage.

Being able to transport steel quickly by rail is an important element for TST's Hull operation. The on-site railyard is the starting point for over 70,000 tonnes of steel each year, around a fifth of TST UK’s entire business. 

One train alone can hold 750 tonnes in one journey, with the big machines allocated just 90 minutes to complete the loading. Heavy forklifts they may be, but the Kalmar has the power necessary to work with maximum productivity while ensuring best-in-class fine-manoeuvring.

The powerful Cummins engine is highly fuel efficient and the compliance with the Tier 4 emission standards was key to the business making an investment approaching three quarters of a million pounds.

“It’s not a pressure we feel from our customers,” says UK MD, Thomas Bryan, “as much as our own desire to improve the emissions and take advantage of the latest technology. Our old trucks were over a decade old and needed replacing. We were at Tier 2 then, now we have Tier 4. It means there’s much less soot and particulate matter and we can look after the health and safety of our operators better, as well as look after customers products."

As well as better emissions, the latest Kalmars feature variable pumps which automatically sense the load in every operation and adjust the oil flow accordingly. Faster lifting cycles means that the trucks are able to achieve the seemingly impossible of reducing fuel consumption whilst increasing lift cycle speeds by up to 40%. 

Windsor managing director, Stephen Burton, believes the Kalmar range is one of the best ever produced. “It’s not just the fuel efficiency but also the improved cabs. There a better environment for the operators, where they can spend a lot of time, and they are consistent across the fleet. Here everyone has a licence, allowing the business to be efficient over a larger area, and with all same set up in the cabs, over a dozen operators can be comfortable, familiar and safe operating the equipment.”

Fleet flexibility is also important, with Thomas choosing to upgrade to a 28 tonnes capacity model to ensure the capacity to handle bigger coils. “In Hull, no-one has over 20 tonnes capacity,” he adds, “so we had to beef up our own kit to make sure we have the flexibility to provide service levels that the customers expect and futureproof the business.”

“We are also very lucky that we have a fleet with engineer. Any issues, no matter how big or small are acted on immediately and general maintenance is always well catered for. It’s a big help and it flags up that we have good relationship with Windsor and the team.” 

For Stephen, that decades-long relationship has helped to bring about the results that TST now benefits from. “Being the Kalmar approved partner gives us the range of equipment to deliver a complete service,” he adds, “but it is true that have a good understanding, and we work hard to remain competitive and deliver great service.”

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