Al-Bahar delivers 17 material handling machines to Kibson
Tailored solutions and support agreement for Dubai-based foodstuffs major’s storage facility expansion
Al-Bahar, the Caterpillar dealer in the GCC region, has delivered 17 units of material handling machines to Kibsons International, backed up by an exclusive support agreement
Announcing the delivery, Al-Bahar said the 17 units comprise a mix fleet of both Cat Lift Trucks and UniCarrier forklifts, which will enable Kibsons to expand their warehousing operations and increase efficiency at their new facility in Dubai’s Al Aweer.
Founded in 1980, Kibsons International is an established name in the fresh foodstuffs sector in the UAE, supplying fruit, vegetables, meat and poultry to the local market. With their online services, they also deliver items directly to doorsteps across Dubai.
Husainy Sharbat, head of operations at Kibsons said that when expansion plans were underway, the company was looking for solutions that would fit specifically with their unique requirements. “As part of our ongoing cold storage expansion project, we were looking for flexibility and dependability while choosing the material handling solutions. Our business handles dynamic scenarios, demanding equipment that is versatile and compliant.”
Sharbat said Kibsons’ new warehouse was primarily for storage and distribution, with a restricted aisle space of 2.5m and radio shuttle racking system. They were in the hunt for a solution that operated in narrows spaces and wanted reach trucks or counter balance forklifts. And that is where Al-Bahar came in.
Mamoun Mutair, product manager, Building Construction & Paving, Al-Bahar, said: “Having understood the unique needs, we proposed narrow aisle reach trucks, with body chassis of reach trucks integrated with VNA mode of forklifts. This was ideal for use in narrow spaces. They also requested for additional switches for directional control and operator protection along with a comfortable cab. Our equipment addressed these needs with its proven ergonomics for operational efficiency.”
Sharbat added: “With Al-Bahar, both their products and they as a dealer were flexible. We required reach trucks with the features of an articulated lift truck to work in the narrow aisles of our store. Al-Bahar’s team was receptive to our requirements. They understood our needs appropriately and offered us solutions that would work optimally for our kind of warehouses.”
Al-Bahar offered eight units of UniCarrier’s ALL 200 low-lifter truck, and three units each of their UHD 200 reach truck and URS 150 free-range reach truck. The fleet was completed with three units of Cat EP20 lift trucks.
Elaborate competitor comparisons were demonstrated using existing models, said Al-Bahar and the UniCarriers equipment was faster, safer, cost-effective and better than articulated competitor options that were being considered. No additional feeder equipment or P&D stations needed, as these trucks offer “Stack & Move” manoeuvrability.
Talking about the unique offerings in the UniCarriers lift trucks, Mutair added: “The UniCarriers Very-Narrow-Aisle (VNA) free-range reach truck – Tergo URS series – seamlessly adapts to almost any warehouse task, VNA applications, stacking and internal transport. To utilise your warehouse space to the maximum, you need a VNA truck. For general duty, you need a free-range reach truck. If you need both, you can have it all. The TERGO URS 150 chosen by Kibsons combines man-down VNA andreach truck.”
According to Al-Bahar, the final products included fork-tilting option and modifications were made considering their usage in cold stores. Apart for equipment requirement, they were looking for a one-stop shop for all their service support needs. Offering easier and comprehensive service, Al-Bahar is providing an exclusive customer support agreement, including one year or 2000 hours of field service.
The delivery took place on July 4 with an event that included elaborate machine walk-throughs and
demonstrations. The Kibsons team was also taken on a detailed tour of the Al-Bahar campus, reinforcing the service and support prowess.
“We were pleased with the whole event and glad to have visited and experienced Al-Bahar’s support. Cat lift trucks are not new to us, since we have been using them for a while and will continue using them for our future projects. However, we are looking forward to using the new UniCarriers machines,” concluded Sharbat.
More information is available on www.albahar.com
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