Commitment to safety and environmental protection

Palibex was founded in 2012. With an innovative business model and the use of a rear loading system, Palibex immediately attracted attention. At the same time, the trucks had to be robust to withstand possible collisions and offer sufficient comfort to make work easier for operators.

Palibex's central concern is smooth operation without accidents and damage to goods. Vehicle safety therefore plays an important role. In addition, high productivity and reliable maintenance are crucial for maximum operational readiness. For Jaime Colsa, CEO and founder of Palibex, the high performance, safety and durability of Crown forklifts were decisive factors: "We always opt for top suppliers, which is why we chose Crown."

Good cooperation and trust connect the partners

The forklifts had to be purchased while the warehouse was still being set up by the fledgling company. José Luis Hojas, Finance Director at Palibex, recalls: "The Crown management showed that they had confidence in us and admired our courage to make such a financial investment in times of economic crisis. Crown drew up a financial plan specifically tailored to our situation. We also had the opportunity to test the trucks for some time so that we could adapt the fleet to the needs of our business."

Intra says: A triad

Anyone buying forklift trucks is spoiled for choice, because there is no such thing as "the" outstanding supplier whose products outshine all the competition. In this respect, Palibex's considerations to pay attention to performance, safety and durability are sensible: only in this triad can an industrial truck fleet be built up in the warehouse that is equally enjoyable for drivers and controllers.

The business relationship was not only based on a close relationship of trust during commissioning, but also later when Crown provided customer service and maintenance. "Crown's corporate philosophy, like ours, is based on cooperation and a strong sense of partnership," emphasizes Jaime Colsa. The close cooperation between the two companies is also evident in the adaptation of the Palibex sites to the new forklifts or in the joint development of operator training courses. In addition, some franchisees in the network, such as Transgesa and Fast Palet, followed suit and also integrated Crown equipment.

The ideal solution for the rear loading model

After a thorough examination of the extensive Crown product range, Palibex decided on two types of forklift trucks: the WT series electric pallet trucks and the SC series counterbalance trucks.

"Crown has obviously invested heavily in the development of its trucks, as they are more comfortable and robust than other vehicles on the market." Guillermo Cagigas, Director of Systems and Safety and Óscar Cobo, Operations Manager at Palibex (from left) - Photo: Crown

Palibex's operations manager, Óscar Cobo, explains why he chose pallet trucks with a driver's platform (the WT model). Using the vehicles on the loading ramps requires high productivity and great resilience, as collisions with ramps and other forklifts can occur when entering and exiting the trucks for loading and unloading. This is another reason why Crown pallet trucks are equipped with robust steel cladding and an innovative damping system. The latter gives both vehicles and operators a good grip and absorbs impacts against the chassis and operator platform. According to Óscar Cobo, these features prevent back problems and minimize the negative effects of impacts on the vehicle itself. His conclusion: "It is an extremely robust pallet truck that is also very easy to maneuver."

When choosing a suitable front loader, Palibex opted for the SC series. This not only enables comfortable working, but also proactively ensures greater stability and control thanks to the intelligent Intrinsic Stability System. Palibex attaches great importance to making it easier for the operator to control the truck depending on the load weight, lifting height and speed, so that the truck achieves optimum performance and maximum productivity in the various areas of application. For example, it must automatically reduce the speed on bends or maintain a constant speed on ramps. Another plus point is the extremely low entry step, which facilitates repeated entry and exit during barcode scanning.

Productivity is crucial for a company like Palibex, which runs its operations at night to deliver pallets to their destinations on time. Studies show that 70 percent of forklift performance depends on the operator having a clear view and a feeling of safety. With this in mind, Crown visited the site several times and the operators were particularly positive about safety, ergonomics and maneuverability during night-time operation. The optimum all-round visibility and sufficient space to get in and out of the vehicle were particularly praised.

A cost-saving solution

The forklifts used at Palibex have also been equipped with the InfoLink fleet management system. Systems Director Guillermo Cagigas explains: "We need high productivity with maximum operational readiness and the simultaneous guarantee that the goods are handled as carefully as possible in order to avoid accidents and comply with our 'Zero Breakages Program'." With InfoLink, Palibex can monitor its forklifts and control their use. This better ensures that the goods remain in perfect condition and that the company achieves its strategic goal. Thanks to InfoLink, Palibex has been able to optimize and even reduce its vehicle fleet and cut operating costs. The InfoLink system therefore perfectly complements the advantages of the Crown forklift trucks for Palibex.

Jörn Erdmann