Car-O-Liner replaced forklift trucks with Movexx tugs 2019-10-07

More and more companies are moving away from forklift trucks for handling internal materials for safety reasons.

Since the spring of 2019, Car-O-Liner at Kungsör has carried out a lot of its heavy transport using Movexx TT6000-S tugs from EdmoLift – and is very pleased with the result.

- The tugs give us a completely new concept for internal
transport. We have got a much safer working environment, but also more efficient and customised transport, says Car-O-Liner’s production manager, Peter Hedenström.

Car-O-Liner develops and manufactures systems for repair and
inspection of vehicles damaged in collisions. For more than 45
years, the company has provided the automotive industry with
innovative solutions and is currently the leading market player, with customers across much of the world. In 2016, the company was acquired by the huge American toolmaker Snap-On and a comprehensive project was started to make the company more efficient at all of their units.

Car-O-Liner's team behind the implementation of the new solution along with two Movexx TT6000-S. 

The "premiere tour" of  the Movexx electric tug TT6000-S draging a train of wagons containing different components for the mounting process. 

WANTED TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ACCIDENTS IN THE WORKPLACE

At the facility in Kungsör, where they mainly work with
manufacturing, the focus quickly turned to the heavy material
transports. A lot of the work of moving and transporting
materials was performed using forklift trucks, even indoors.

- We wanted to get away from using the forklift trucks indoors
in order to reduce the risk of accidents and so we began to look
at the options. We wanted to check out tugs and this is how we
got into contact with EdmoLift, who offered us a test.

Car-O-Liner quite simply borrowed a Movexx tug, and tried it
out for a couple of weeks on the heavy indoor transports that
were previously carried out with forklift trucks.

The requirements were high because the tug had to manage
loads of around five tons while remaining safe and easy to
manage inside the facility where there were differences in levels
in the various departments.

EDMOLIFT'S SOLUTION PROVED TO BE THE RIGHT ONE
The test was successful, and Car-O-Liner finally decided on two
of the largest models of tugs, the TT6000-S, with a capacity of 6
tonnes. Today, the tugs are the only means of transport in the
process in which the company’s huge jig benches are produced.

- Pretty soon, we developed our way of working by hooking
on more trolleys and building a train with all of the parts that
are needed for assembly, everything from the several-tons
platform to smaller parts and accessories. Everything can be
found on the “milk round”, as we call the train. In addition,
everything is in the right place when the “milk round” comes,
so we have reduced unnecessary lifts and we don’t have to
move parts. The whole flow is much more suitable today, says
Peter Hedenström.

Peter Hedenström, production manager at Car-O-Liner in Kungsör.

Peter Hedenström and Christer Eriksson from Car-O-Liner.

THE TREND OF USING TUGS WITHIN INDUSTRIES ARE QUICKLY INCREASING

EdmoLift’s salesperson Niklas Fällström thinks that Car-OLiner
is a great example of how a company can work with tugs to
improve its materials handling.

- A very drastic change is taking place here, and not just in
Sweden. Many multinational companies have taken strategic
decisions to remove all forklift trucks indoors and the Car-
O-Liner example shows that tugs cannot just replace forklift
trucks in many environments, but can also contribute to a
more efficient way of working.

In addition to increased safety and the opportunity to make the flow more efficient, Niklas Fällström points out several other advantages with the tugs:

• It doesn’t require a forklift truck driver licence.
• It is cheaper - often a lot cheaper - than a forklift truck. 
• It requires unbelievably little maintenance.

The electrically-powered Movexx tugs also run for a long time
on one charge and they charge quickly. If you have a three shift
system, it is completely sufficient to let the tug charge overnight.

The move from forklift trucks to tugs was very successful for
Car-O-Liner and production manager Peter Hedenström can
see significant opportunities to also use tugs for other tasks at
Kungsör.

- What we have done now is just the beginning. Our goal is
to remove all forklift transport indoors and we have many
materials that are transported at the facility today: cardboard,
wood chips, containers - in the long term, all of them will get
tugs. The possibilities are endless!