Windsor Materials Handling supplies Komatsu trucks for 3PL

In the world of freight, time stops for no man and whilst most of us are sound asleep, Mitchell's of Mansfield are out delivering the goods.

Established in 1968, Mitchell's is a family run business, and with the appointment of grandson Thomas Mitchell to the company, has now entered into its third generation.

The company has a clear aim to further enhance the service they provide to customers, and by creating a 'family unit' they continue to provide a service that is both rewarding and beneficial.

Attention to detail, customer focus, and high-quality products are what have kept Mitchell's customers coming back, since it opened its doors 44 years ago. Today, they count over 250 companies as regular customers.

The company provides them with a number of services including pallet trace and track facilities, full and part loads delivery, warehousing and service support. They also provide nationwide and European support as part of the Palletways network.

For manufacturing and warehousing companies, logistics is now a key business driver. Tight deadlines, high returns and demanding customers means companies are continually working to overcome a number of logistical issues. As a result, manufacturers and service providers are looking for ways of reducing materials transfer times, whilst optimizing the flow of goods through their factories and supply chains.

Mitchell's are no exception and have experienced phenomenal growth in the last ten years, making the efficiency of the forklifts they work on even more significant to how well they can do their job.

In late 2011, the company was looking to update its forklift equipment at its new depot in Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire.

Costing a cool £1.5 million to build and measuring in at 20,000 sq ft, the investment made was not insignificant. To supplement the infrastructure the company needed forklift equipment that provided versatility, adaptability and was easy to use by its team. Mitchell's operations director, Richard Montgomery turned to long-time partner Windsor Materials Handling, one of the region's leading forklift suppliers, for advice and guidance.

Said Richard: “We've worked with Windsor for many years now, and they have always made us feel like a valued customer, with a genuine desire to supply us with high quality products and a dedicated service. It has always felt like a true partnership approach.”

It doesn't come as a surprise that Mitchell's chose Windsor as their preferred supplier, a company that also prides itself on its commitment to the local community and a personalised approach.

Also a family owned business, since its founding in 1977, Windsor Materials Handling has grown into one of the largest independent material handling suppliers in the UK. Operating from nine depots across the North, Midlands and South East, the company bases its success on its ability to provide great local service to the many customers it serves.

After assessing the existing fleet and the environment in which they were working, Windsor sales manager, Andy Lane, recommended the latest 2.5 tonne diesel Komatsu trucks.

Said Andy: "With all Mitchells services performed out of the one depot, it was critical their new equipment stood up to the day-to-day demands of their site, the Komatsu has a great track record and was unbeatable in meeting these challenges."

Boasting an attractive and modern design, the Komatsu trucks have established a first class reputation for strength, efficiency and comfort, having been engineered for their high performance and strength in heavy-duty applications.

“The Komatsu trucks did exactly what we needed them to do," stated Richard. “Windsor has not only beaten the price we were paying, but the service we have received and the reliability of the trucks has been fantastic. We now deliver our product faster and more efficiently than ever before without us having to compromise on quality.”

“When it came to accepting delivery of the new trucks, Windsor were on site, helping us make adjustments as needed and answering questions that arose. They provided the level of customer service that we pride ourselves on - hands-on, acting as a partner, and not seller."

And what do the operators think of the new trucks? They are more than happy according to Richard. "Our guys typically spend more time on the forklifts than they do their own living rooms, so we wanted to make sure we had the best and most comfortable equipment for them, and we've had no complaints so far. They're easy to train our workers on, they're always up and ready to go as soon as we are, and they deliver great efficiency every time."

Richard was also impressed with Windsor's 'phenomenal' local aftersales service, a service Andy feels is imperative to the continued success of the brand.

Concludes Andy: “Over the last four years we have built a great working relationship with Mitchell's, we understand their business as well as the importance of reliable equipment and good service. We're very proud of our local coverage and have deliberately maintained this in response to customers who are frequently frustrated by our competitors who only offer limited access via call centres.”

“When dealing with the sheer quantity of pallets in such a time sensitive environment problems inevitably occur, it's vital we get them fixed, fast. Once we're made aware of a problem we aim to get one of fully trained engineers out to Mitchell's site within the hour - it's one of the greatest selling points of our business.”