Stertil Koni boosts washbay efficiency for Malcolm Group
Commercial vehicle lift manufacturer Stertil Koni has supplied a 35-tonne Skylift to improve access and efficiency during chassis washing operations for the Malcolm Group.
Originating as a family-owned business in the 1920s, The Malcolm Group has become one of the leading providers of logistics, construction and maintenance services in the UK focusing on intermodal solutions, offering fully integrated road, rail, warehousing and bonded warehousing services.
The Stertil Koni Skylift was recently installed within an outdoor purpose-built chassis wash bay at Malcolm Logistics’ depot at Burnbrae Road in Linwood. It has not only provided operatives with access to raised vehicles, reports Stertil Koni, but also improved efficiency whilst maintaining the highest safety standards.
The fully galvanised lift, model SKY350-14.5WB, is recessed into the wash bay floor area, thereby enabling vehicles to be driven onto the lift’s 14.5-metre-long parallel platforms. Once a vehicle is correctly positioned on the Skylift, the chassis cleaning may be undertaken by an operative using a manual high pressure washer lance.
This operation is simplified by the design of the Skylift which is free of cross beams and posts to allow unrestricted access to the underside of raised vehicles.
All Skylifts can be installed to a width compatible with a customer’s needs and within space limitations of workshops or working areas. This is aided by the Skylift’s vertical lifting and lowering movement which, unlike a parallelogram lift, means there are no obtrusive overhangs.
Easily installed, moved and maintained, the Skylift is the ultimate lift in terms of efficiency, versatility and safety, says Stertil Koni. Varying platform lengths accommodate any vehicle including lorries, trucks, tractors and articulated buses whilst remaining unobstructed from all sides.
All models can be installed either recessed or surface mounted with a range of platform lengths from eight to 14.5 metres.
The Skylift can be used in tandem, linking two lifts in a line to provide a total lifting capacity up to 70 tonnes. The user can operate the two lifts as a synchronised pair or operate both lifts independently. This is especially necessary when lifting articulated vehicles, trucks and semi-trailers or vehicles with an uneven weight distribution, such as a truck and crane combination.
Controlling the lift is made easy and safe for the user from the well-positioned control console. Also, since the Skylift lift is electronically controlled, a number of specific requirements may be programmed into its operation – for example, a reduced lifting height – whilst an internal LCD display provides constant system information.
Importantly, an independent mechanical locking mechanism is always active to ensure total operator safety.
Used on a daily basis, the Stertil Koni Skylift is relied upon to help maintain the Malcolm’s vehicle fleet which includes tractor/trailer units, rigid and curtain sided lorries, trucks, tugs and construction vehicles.
“When deciding upon a lift to support our purpose-built chassis wash bay, we received a number of positive reports from existing users about the reliability of Stertil Koni lifts,” said Robert Deans, Malcolm Logistics’ fleet engineer.
“The Skylift has been welcomed by our chassis wash bay operatives who benefit from clear access to raised vehicles in a safe and controlled manner.”
