Rather than carrying multiple spare parts, a leading materials handling equipment provider came to us to develop a solution that would work on any machine…
With an extensive hire fleet and field service vehicles and technicians, the company’s technical director required assistance with designing some improved hydraulics solutions that would help it comply with ever-changing regulations and reduce lead times for customers.
Hydraulics Online has a vast knowledge of their technology and of system design.” Chris, Technical Director
This leading supplier of rental and reconditioned forklift truck had a slightly unorthodox introduction to Hydraulics Online. When its Technical Director spotted a Hydraulics Online service vehicle around nine years ago, he was just setting up a new technical department at the business. The driver of the van turned out to be Hydraulics Online’s founder, Mark Tonks, and the pair got talking.
Technical Director, Chris, was assisting UK- based forklift truck dealers comply with new EU and UK legislation before the manufacturing plants could implement design and production changes. He required a solution to retrofit a hydraulic consent system to hydraulically holding forklift truck attachments in order to comply with, what was at the time, new EU legislation.
Within two weeks, the Hydraulics Online team went back to Chris with a solution.
“Hydraulics Online are the only company we’ve come across where we are able to give them these problem scenarios and they come back to us with a solution. They have a vast knowledge of their technology and of system design and, because they are independent and not tied to any one manufacturer, I know they are giving us the best solution and the best products for that solution.”
A profitable partnership
Our customer had an immediate order from a major materials handling equipment and forklift manufacturer to retrofit its hydraulic consent system and, in the nine years since, has sold thousands of the units in the UK and Europe.
Chris says: “The solution Hydraulics Online helped us to develop has opened up doors for us with the technical departments of these major manufacturers, strengthening our relationships and generating steadily growing income for us.”
Our customer continues to work with major international manufacturers manufacturing outside Europe to retrofit the original solution Hydraulics Online designed.
Since then, Hydraulics Online has gone on to work with the business on a further five product lines, some in response to an immediate market need, like the consent valve, and others on a more speculative basis.
With Hydraulics Online’s technical help we are able to react much faster to legislation and other change. As well as ensuring compliance, this enables us to exploit market opportunities with the major suppliers,” says Chris. “Our service work for one major manufacturer has seen a 25% year-on-year increase – and that’s all products Hydraulics Online supplies us with.
Materials handling business transformation
One transformative solution developed by the two companies has been the design of a generic and variable hydraulic system that could be adapted for all makes of forklifts.
Chris explains: “We wanted a system that would suit almost every forklift truck manufacturers product range, rather than having to order in specific parts to suit specific OEMs; something we could keep on the shelf, knowing we could modify it to suit. Hydraulics Online designed a solution that could do this for us and overnight we went from having a six-week lead time – as dictated by the ordering and delivery of parts – to being able to offer a lead time measured in hours.”
This solution is now carried by all of the business’s service vehicles so that its team of technical engineers can offer a rapid, effective, high-quality solution to its customers when required – whatever the type of vehicle; helping to improve service to customers while keeping costs down and stock lean.
… because they are independent and not tied to any one manufacturer, I know they are giving us the best solution and the best products for that solution.” Chris, Technical Director
Chris says: “Hydraulics Online are very good at quickly understanding the problem and coming back with a solution design – including the products. This is testament to their vast technical knowledge. Technical support is absolutely crucial for us and the technical and customer support Hydraulics Online offers is fantastic and really valuable. Their knowledge and their independence put them ahead of everyone else.”
Whether, like Chris, you’re creating solutions that go above and beyond new legislation in your industry, or you’re simply looking for a reliable partner who feels like an extended part of your team – we’re here.
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