The right tool for the job: How one Combilift has delivered safe operations for 28 years

As National Forklift Safety Day highlights the importance of safe material handling practices, the story of the first-ever Combilift C-Series demonstrates the lasting value of choosing the right tool for the job.

Still in operation after 28 years at J.G. Kelly Supplies in Monaghan, Ireland, the original multi-directional forklift has helped transform the company's handling of long loads, improving safety, increasing efficiency, and proving that purpose-built equipment can deliver exceptional returns for decades.

Before the company started operating a Combilift, traditional forklift methods created significant operational and safety challenges.

Long PVC stillages measuring up to six meters had to be moved through a doorway only four meters wide. Conventional counterbalance forklifts could not handle the task safely or efficiently.

Operator Tony McManus explains: "Before, we just used to use counterbalance trucks. We had to reverse a lorry in here and were on a main busy road in the town." He adds: "But now, it just pulls up in the loading bay. We can offload it safely, both sides if needed, with minimal obstruction to traffic."

The C-Series' multi-directional capability provided the ideal solution, allowing operators to move long loads sideways with greater control and stability, while navigating tight spaces and narrow doorways safely and efficiently.

For nearly three decades, the C-Series has transformed the site operations and the way the company used to handle long loads. And the benefits extend beyond traffic disruption. It has also shortened unloading times and significantly improved safety for operators, pedestrians, and passing vehicles.

McManus continues: “With the C-Series, it’s less labor intensive than it used to be. It would take a lot of people to offload containers before, but now, one operator can offload a container in a short space of time compared to before.”

An additional safety feature is the forklift's integrated platform, which has further enhanced load stability when handling such long products. Operators can now safely support lengthy stillages during transport, reducing the risks associated with moving oversized loads and making the entire process more controlled and efficient.

McManus adds: “We know that it’s a lot safer, once you get the load on the platform, you can sort of relax almost. You've got that stability of it being on the rest beds."

Safety on site has been greatly improved by the introduction of the C-Series, but equally remarkable is the machine's longevity.

Managing Director Paul Kelly highlights: “I never expected we'd still be using the same forklift nearly three decades later. But it’s a testament to the build quality of the machine as it's still running after 28 years.”

While multiple conventional forklifts have come and gone over the same period, the original C-Series remains in operation. Its continued performance is attributed to robust engineering, regular preventative maintenance, and responsive local support.

McManus mentions: “It doesn't really take much maintenance. We have changed filters or timing belts over the years, but it’s still got the original engine from when it arrived here.”

Routine checks of oil, coolant, hydraulics, tires, and greasing have helped keep the machine operating reliably, while major repairs have been rare throughout its 28-year lifespan.

Having a machine out of action can have a major impact on day-to-day operations. However, according to McManus, that has rarely been an issue.

"In 28 years, it's very rarely had to be taken away for repairs," he says. "Any issues we've had have usually been fixed on site, and quickly. That's the main thing, because if the machine is out of action for any length of time, we're in trouble."

The success of the original C-Series led J.G. Kelly Supplies to expand its fleet with additional Combilift products, including other Combilift models, such as the pedestrian Combi-CS and an Aisle Master in their Limerick warehouse. The company continues to value Combilift's ability to tailor equipment to specific operational requirements rather than offering a one-size-fits-all solution.

Kelly highlights: “Combilift are very good at having a look at what you need and then they can tailor the product to suit you. We had the height of the mast and weight limit tailored to what we needed in our Combi-CS”

Today, the first-ever multidirectional C-Series stands as a powerful example of how investing in the right material handling solution delivers lasting returns.

Nearly three decades after it was manufactured and operated for the first time, the forklift continues to enhance operations, driving productivity, improving safety and maximizing storage space while proving that quality engineering and preventative maintenance can stand the test of time.