Spanco Jib Crane Helps Keep Food Redistribution Forklift Fleet Running Efficiently
Overview
One of the nation’s largest food redistributors manages a 275,000 square foot facility that is used as a redistribution hub for dry, frozen, and refrigerated food products. Due to the large volume of food products that are constantly moving in and out of the facility, the redistribution facility utilizes a large fleet of forklifts. These forklifts are subject to heavy usage and require daily maintenance. The company’s maintenance department services the forklift fleet. Maintenance tasks include battery change outs and pulling motors.
Because forklifts are a core component of the redistribution center, downtime due to maintenance can translate to lost profits. The maintenance manager originally invested in a gantry crane to service the lifts. The gantry crane provided a solution for battery change outs, but it became problematic when a motor needed to be pulled. Eventually, employees resorted to using another forklift in combination with a come along to aide in pulling the motor. Not only did this require more manpower and another forklift, but it raised safety concerns as well.
Solution
Hoping to find a better solution for his department, the maintenance manager contacted a local Spanco distributor. After evaluating the unique challenges and needs of the department, the distributor recommended investing in a large Spanco Jib Crane. The maintenance manager decided to purchase a motorized 3-Ton Spanco Freestanding Jib Crane with a base plate mounted design. The jib crane spans 25 feet with an under the boom height of 25 feet.
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Impact
Installation of the Spanco Jib Crane brought immediate value to the maintenance department. Before, changing a battery required at least two workers and multiple forklifts. Now, a single worker is able to conduct daily battery changes efficiently. Complicated tasks like pulling motors previously took as long as an hour and a half and required the help of two employees and two forklifts. Now, workers can pull motors in less than 15 minutes. Improved turnaround times in the maintenance department started putting forklifts back on the facility floor quicker than ever before.