Rental option makes Sidelifter affordable for all

AS THE freight industry increasingly recognises the benefits of using a sidelifter rather than a forklift for the handling of containers, the cost of using the unit has now become affordable for all operators.
That's thanks to the addition of a Steelbro Sidelifter to the Avis Container Lift fleet which now offers shippers, forwarders and shipping lines the option of hiring the unit on an ad hoc basis.
"The Sidelifter negates the need for expensive infrastructure or specialist machinery to pick up, transport and deposit containers," says Avis Rent-a-Forklift managing director Kevin Bailey.
"Traditionally a container is delivered with a trailer, which is fine if you have the loading docks. But a lot of companies prefer it on the ground, which is often far more practical.
"The Sidelifter permits rapid loading and unloading on virtually any flat, reasonably hard surface, allows double stacking of fully loaded containers, stuffing and de-stuffing at ground level, and makes the transfer of containers to other semi-trailers a simple and safe operation."
But more than its versatility, the Sidelifter offers big cost-saving benefits, according to Bailey.
A major milk concern which needed a container moved from one side of the plant to the other, achieved a saving of almost R12000 using the Sidelifter rather than its traditional mode. The automotive industry is also making extensive use of the concept.
"Instead of unpacking engines into a warehouse and then carting them to the engine assembly hall, the containerised engines which are due to be built on that day are brought directly to the engine assembly area. This cuts out double handling and frees up valuable warehouse space."
Bailey believes it's just a question of re-educating the whole industry into dealing with containers on a new level.