Case Study

Euro Car Parts

We provided Euro Car Parts with a much simpler drum delivery system as their current system was very complicated.

AN EVOLUTIONARY NEW SOLUTION TO AN EXISTING PROBLEM

The Problem

We visited Euro Car Parts for a tote handling presentation. During the same visit, we noticed that the drum delivery system they were using was very complicated.

Further discussion with the project managers revealed that 3 pieces of equipment were being used to deliver drums.

A drum handler: used to pick drums just off ground level and move them from the premises to the van
A van mounted hydraulic crane: used to lift the drum into the van. This crane was permanently mounted in the van and limited the driver to carry only one drum.
A lipped sack truck: used to manually tip the drum and pull it to the customer premises. The wheels on this handler were small and it was difficult to manoeuvre.

These three pieces of equipment had costs triple that of a single VanMate system.

Solution: Part 1 – VanMate for Drums

We set about creating an evolution of existing lifting technology, making it light, portable and efficient.

We identified the best way to transport VanMate would be to make it separable rather than a fold-up product which would be bulkier and heavier for one person.

The concept was developed in 3 parts:

• A trolley, for supporting the lifting mast and being able to move goods around on wheels

• A lightweight mast system, capable of lifting and lowering a load of up to 250kg by 800mm.

• A removable attachment, designed to handle drums using our own lightweight claw technology.

Solution: Part 2 – VanMate Slider

Once drums are loaded into a vehicle, they are notoriously difficult and unsafe to manhandle to a safe position, especially in a fleet of smaller vans.

The client required a system to complement the VanMate lifter that would manoeuvre the drums from the back doors up to the bulk-head.

For this purpose, we developed VanMate Drum Slider.

The simple and low-cost design uses a slider rail system and control handle to move the drum up to the bulkhead where it can be secured for transport. For unloading, the process is reversed: simply manoeuvre the drum to the van entrance for VanMate to access the drum for lifting.

As the sliders are removable, branches could now stack multiple drums on the same rail, enabling multiple drum deliveries on the same journey—without having to climb into the van to manhandle drums.

Trialling

After trialling VanMate for the use with drums, Euro Car Parts enquired about handling Engines & Gearboxes, which came from suppliers and partners suspended in a metal stillage.

We developed a set of lifting forks to support the stillage and added a ratchet strap attachment to secure the goods while being handled.

Both attachments fit the client’s existing universal VanMate mast, preventing the added weight and expense of a designated stillage lifter.

“At Euro Car Parts, VanMate has proved to be the optimum solution for delivery of heavier goods to our customers. Daily deliveries of Oil Drums, Ad-blue bulk drums, reconditioned engines and gearboxes are seamless using VanMate, replacing 3 separate pieces of equipment used previously. Further, where a larger Boxer van was previously used for oil deliveries, this equipment allows us to employ the smaller and more efficient Partner and Connect vans due to VanMate’s portability and light weight.”