Machine manufacturer Meclift has added the ML1812R variable reach truck series to its heavy-lifting equipment range, which has a lifting capacity of 18 t and operates swiftly in confined spaces, including warehouses and cargo vessels.

“These multipurpose machines can lift 6-m-long containers and stack them up to three containers high,” materials handling equipment supplier BLT South Africa (SA) marketing director Charity Gumede enthuses.

The Meclift range of heavy-lifting equipment – available exclusively in South Africa from BLT SA – encompasses variable-reach trucks, side reach stackers and various attachments.

These machines, Gumede adds, are designed for the swift, efficient and safe handling of heavy loads in diverse industries and reduce operating times by transferring the load to the rear of the machine.

“Unlike conventional forklift trucks, robust Meclift ML1812R machines – with a lift height of 6 m – can drive into containers or reach inside a container for easy loading and unloading of goods and equipment.”

Lifting attachments available for Meclift variable-reach trucks include a Meclift ML1812R fitted with a coil ram or coil clamp, which can efficiently and safely handle steel coils or rolls of wire up to 18 000 kg.

“By combining the strength of these coil-handling attachments and the extended reaching ability of these reach trucks, cargo handling operations are safer, faster and more cost efficient,” Gumede mentions, adding that by transferring the load to the rear of the machine, the counterweight size is reduced, therefore, making the machine ‘shorter’.

The machine is the only reach forklift on the market, the company claims.

Another attachment offered in the ML1812R variable reach truck series is the double fork system for enhanced flexibility and performance when loading and unloading goods from containers or trailers.

“For example, four pallets or a similar load can be easily handled simultenously and it is possible to fully load a 6-m-long container using only two lifts. The weight of the load is not a problem because these double forks can each have a maximum lifting capacity of 18 t,” Gumede explains.

She adds that double forks use the same fixing points as normal forks, which allows for effortless switching between the two forks. Fork positioning can also be altered from inside the cabin, without the operator having to get out to manually adjust the gap between the forks.

Meclift Features

Meclift variable-reach trucks are powered by a diesel engine – supplied by multinational manufacturing company Volvo or engine manufacturer Deutz – and are economical to operate, requiring minimal maintenance.

The lifting carriage has a hydraulic side shift for accurate and effortless positioning, Gumede notes, adding that the cabin’s hydraulic vertical movement facility of 650 mm enables the operator to comfortably drive into a container.

Further, horizontal booms extend the performance of the Meclift trucks and ensure “excellent” visibility for the operator, she adds. By extending, lifting and lowering these booms, containers, materials and equipment can be safely handled at a distance from the cabin. Other safety features include service, parking and emergency brakes.

Air-conditioning, heating and radio are standard features on the Meclift range, while camera sets, extra cooling systems and diesel particle filters are available as optional extras to meet customer requirements.

BLT SA, which supplies a range of heavy-lifting equipment in South Africa, also offers a technical advisory, spare parts and a support service.