The superior manoeuvrability and ease of use of Toyota's battery-electric forklifts are helping a busy West Australian 4x4 vehicle accessories company grow its business in the state.
ARB 4x4 Accessories runs a fleet of five 1.8-tonne Toyota 7FBE18 battery-electric three-wheel forklifts at its purpose-built warehouse in Canning Vale, and has used Toyota forklifts exclusively at the facility since it opened in 2010.
ARB Corporation WA state manager Rick Long said ARB offers a large range of 4WD accessories to wholesale and retail markets via its branded stores and dealers located around Australia and overseas.
"We deal with everything from protective and safety equipment like canopies, winches and bull bars to camping accessories," Mr Long said. "These products are often 'ugly' freight: nearly everything we do involves over or under-sized pallets making for an interesting and fairly tight warehouse layout.
"The Toyota 7FBE18s we use are perfect for this type of storage facility as they are light and nimble so our operators can easily manoeuvre them around," he said.
"The two forklifts we most recently commissioned were specially fitted with six-metre masts to take full advantage of the warehouse's height."
Toyota's 1.0 to 2.0-tonne 7FBE range of three-wheel battery-electric forklifts feature the ability to make pivot turns, making them an ideal choice when operating in tight spaces while offering the proven performance, reliability and operability of alternating current (AC) power technology.
Ergonomic features include a four-way adjustable suspension seat and rack and pinion hydrostatic power steering, while operator safety is enhanced by features like the System of Active Stability.
All of ARBs Toyota forklifts are serviced by the local Toyota Material Handling branch in Kewdale.
"It's a convenient, no fuss arrangement for us," Mr Long said. "It's a very busy warehouse so naturally reliability is paramount for us, and the backup service from Danny Carbery and the TMH team at Kewdale is great.
"If we are told something is going to happen it always does, on time: I can't ask for better than that," Mr Long said.
TMH Kewdale area sales manager Danny Carbery said ARB 4x4 Accessories' application of its Toyota 7FBE forklifts was a perfect demonstration of their superior handling capabilities for operators dealing with confined spaces and unusual-shaped freight.
"The tight turning radius of the 1.0 to 2.0 tonne 7FBE range provides the kind of manoeuvrability that makes them ideal for ARB's needs, backed up by the same safety and comfort features you'll find across Toyota's range of forklifts and other material handling equipment," Mr Carbery said.
ARB was founded in 1975 by 4WD enthusiast Anthony Ronald Brown as a means of making high quality and durable 4WD equipment widely available.
It has since grown to become Australia's largest manufacturer and distributor of 4x4 accessories, with an office in the US and an export network that extends through more than 100 countries.
ARB 4x4 Accessories runs a fleet of five 1.8-tonne Toyota 7FBE18 forklifts