Peterborough-based JC Couriers have seen a dramatic improvement in efficiency and further improved operator safety since introducing PowerMate stairclimbers from safety handling equipment specialists Stanley Handling. The powered units handle the heavier items - weighing up to 500kgs - under the company's contract to deliver and install commercial catering equipment from leading manufacturer Hobart.
Carried on the company's Sprinter-type vans, PowerMate automatically balances the load then powers it off the vehicles. The stairclimber then moves the load over thresholds, up and down stairs and along landings right to the point of installation. It substantially reduces the risk of injury and gives the operator complete control when manoeuvring, solving many of the problems caused by the size and weight of the loads. PowerMate has also enabled the company to reduce the staff needed and redeploy them.
Mario Chappell of JC Couriers is well aware of the importance of professionalism in fulfilling the contract. "Many of the establishments we serve have restricted access which can make for tricky deliveries and we are expected to deliver at times that best suit the customer and 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."
The PowerMate model employed by JC Couriers, the M2B, offers a capacity of up to 680kgs and features the tallest frame of any PowerMate model and an extended 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 requiring the operator 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 uneven ground. A full range of accessories is available.
The contract with Stanley Handling included the training of all personnel likely to use PowerMate, a requirement in meeting health and safety legislation.
Stanley Handling Ltd
T 01582 767711
E sarah@stanleyhandling.co.uk
www.stanleyhandling.co.uk