ONE of Australia's express freight companies, Star Track Express, relies on a fleet of gas-powered Nissan forklifts to deliver a high level of service to its customers in a demanding and competitive industry.

The company has a policy of continual investment in advanced technology and integrated systems, designed to ensure customers receive the best possible service at the lowest possible cost, according to Michael Pritchard, director of operations - infrastructure.

The freight company employs 2500 staff, has a network of 600 agents and manages 27 company facilities nationwide. Each of the company's three east coast capital city hubs is an automatic high-speed sorting facility, supported by on-line scanning systems.

"Over the years, the role and choice of forklifts has proved to be an important issue for this organisation," Pritchard said.

The company's forklifts work two shifts of 13 engine hours a day, loading and unloading trucks and shuttling pallets around our 90,000 square metre site.

The Sydney operation alone handles 80,000 items a day, totalling 1500t of freight.

The day begins at 5am, when the company has 30 operators and forklifts preparing for the busiest part of the day.

Sydney-based workshop manger Scott Gardiner said, "Reliability is the key issue with forklifts in work of this nature. "If not, jobs are not covered the productivity and efficiency of the operation is negatively affected."

Each forklift on site is fitted with a transmission interlock. This has proved to be an important adaptation, preventing operators from skidding and wheel spinning, leading to reduced wear and tear on the forklifts' transmission, axles and tyres.

"It also means less marking around the facility and no black tyre dust in the work environment," said Gardiner. All units are also fitted with side shift and four have recently been fitted with fork positioners.
 
"We hope these positioners will further enhance the efficiency of our forklift operation," he said.

For more information contact:
Nissan
E -  nswsales@powerlift.com.au
W -  www.powerlift.com.au

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