Electric four-way pallet truck that does not step on the rack feet

Treppenbau Wiehl manufactures more than 2,000 staircases a year with 40 employees. The wooden staircases are assembled and packaged before being delivered to the construction site, where they are lifted into place by crane. The wood materials required for staircase production in Bingen are taken from the company's mixed cantilever and pallet warehouse. Treppenbau Wiehl needed an additional device for the short distances of the material to the saw and the planing stations - for example, six-meter-long sawn timber or blockboards. The option of purchasing an electric four-way sideloader was quickly dropped. "Too bulky and not maneuverable enough," was the reason given by company boss Jörg Wiehl. The desired smooth material flow with the wood materials being transported directly to the processing machines, where suction lifters pick them up, would not have been possible with a sideloader in the confined space.

Precise load pick-up with pantograph

When Genkinger announced at the beginning of 2016 that a new hand-guided electric four-way pallet truck for long goods and pallets was in the final stages of development, those responsible at Wiehl pricked up their ears: A new mast extension mechanism in the form of a hydraulic pantograph was to provide an unusually large field of vision at any rack height and ensure all-round control of the cantilever racks. "This technical solution suits us perfectly," Jörg Wiehl thought immediately. But should he rely on a device of which only a chassis, a design drawing and Genkinger's promise existed at the time? He weighed up the risks and benefits and, after further consultations with Genkinger, decided to order the new electrically powered walk-fork pallet truck, type EGY-S.

"Together with the suction lifters on our machines, Genkinger devices help to ensure that virtually no muscle power is required for our processes."

Jörg Wiehl Company owner Treppenbau Wiehl

Maneuverable even in narrow tramlines

The new machine meets the requirements and expectations of Wiehl: The four-way wide-track chassis enables precise longitudinal and transverse travel in the narrow lanes. If the drawbar is parallel to the drive wheel, the machine can be moved quickly with good visibility for the operator. Power steering ensures easy maneuvering in the tightest of spaces and takes the strain off the operator. The EGY-S is also used instead of a sideloader for loading and unloading trucks with loads of up to 1.8 tons. Wiehl employee Georg Geiselhart confirms from practical experience: "The tiller enables precise storage and retrieval of our timber materials. We no longer have to drive in from the middle between the two rack feet, but can do so from any position. This has made us faster." Travel and lifting speed can be sensitively regulated.

Genkinger Sales Manager D/A/CH, Harald Harter, sums up: "The new EGY-S has successfully passed its test at Treppenbau Wiehl. The advantages for comfort, safety and health outlined 'on the drawing board' are now also visible in everyday use."

www.genkinger.de