January 31, 2008 - Briggs Equipment UK, the UK’s national materials handling service provider, has strengthened its position in the tail lift industry with the launch of its new Vehicle Mounted Lifting Equipment (VMLE) division. The investment is part of a £6 million investment by Briggs to increase service value in order to meet customer needs.
In recent years more onerous operating regulations, increasing safety legislation and a highly fragmented service provider network, have meant the UK tail lift industry has been in dire need of a national specialist solution.
After listening closely to one of its larger customers, Fraikin, which has a large tail lift fleet, Briggs Equipment realised it could add value to the market. As a result, the company has established a new national service division dedicated to the tail lift market and designed to deliver bespoke service to stringent standards nationally, from the Isle of Wight to the Shetland Isles.
The new VMLE division consists of a dedicated team of field service engineers and investment in six specially extended wheel base vans with a unique on-board crane and hoist mechanism, a 4 ton pay load and 2 ton of test weights.
Briggs Equipment is first to market with these vans, which are supplied by Fraikin, and are the only ones of their kind in operation. In addition to regular inspection and maintenance, tail lifts require weight tests to meet LOLER regulations. Briggs decided that this could be done more safely and efficiently if the weights were carried inside the vans and distributed using a remote-controlled hoist mechanism. So, in conjunction with QI Van Systems, it modified the six 6.5 ton Iveco Daily panel vans to carry the precise winching mechanism, which has half a ton lifting capacity. The vans also carry the six pods of hand weights to enable the engineers to test for maximum safe operating load.
A remote unit controls the lifting and placement of the weights, which means that the weight tests can be conducted more safely in less time, and with a greater degree of accuracy to meet LOLER regulations for Thorough Examination and weight testing. In addition to the crane system, each van is kitted out with an on-board welding system, full set of tooling and over £4000 of tail lift parts.
The twelve-strong VMLE engineering team has been given extensive training to ensure national standards are delivered to the highest levels. This includes full diagnostics skills, lift change, and core competences in hydraulics and power packs and load and functionality tests. To meet the time critical service levels on national breakdowns, Briggs also trained its 450-strong engineering workforce on familiarisation for tail lift repairs and servicing.
Ian Valentine, Strategic Account manager at Briggs comments on the importance of matching internal service to the same high standards of those achieved externally, “We have established a dedicated VMLE team in our National Service Centre with a unique telephone number, email and fax line. This team takes all VMLE calls and allocates a dedicated VMLE engineer to attend the customer calls. The service levels we have in place include 90 minute call out response, 12 hour working shifts, first fix rates and pricing discounts for multiple services carried out during a single visit. Our new M3 IT system has made the processes and management of this system easier and we have access to powerful business and customer intelligence reports to be able to monitor and uphold the strict SLA levels.”
In spending time to really listen and understand its customer’s needs and then respond with strong action has meant that Briggs has delivered a uniquely tailored solution, the first of its kind in the UK. This gives the UK tail lift industry, Europe’s largest market for VMLE equipment, greater control over the critical aspects of its supply chain.
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Briggs Equipment UK
Briggs Equipment UK Ltd is a leading materials handling service provider and sole distributor of Yale Materials Handling products in Great Britain. Providing a wide range of equipment for a broad customer base, Briggs provides innovative, tailored and cost effective solutions on a nationwide basis. With its headquarters and national support centre in Cannock, Briggs people assist and advise in the delivery of long term solutions that enable customers to develop more efficient and results driven businesses.
Media contact:
Tiffany Clowes
Changeworks Communications
T. + 44 (0) 1785 247588
E.
Company Contact:
Scott Bullock
Briggs Equipment
Orbital Way
Cannock
WS11 8XW
T: 01543 430 455
W: www.briggsequipment.co.uk
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