Hyster keeps on trucking in region’s ports

A useful indicator of how Caribbean ports are expanding their facilities can be found in the demand for new material handling equipment.

Ports in Jamaica, Barbados, Saint Vincent, Dominica, the British Virgin Islands and Guyana, to name but a few, are investing in projects to expand their facilities. As a result, it is anticipated that the demand for new fork-lift trucks and other cargo handling equipment will continue to grow in the Caribbean maritime market.

One of the leading suppliers in this field is the United States-based company Hyster, which reports a significant level of sales across the Caribbean region.

In the first quarter of 2018 the Automotive Sector of the ANSA McAL Group delivered the first of a series of shipments of Hyster material handling equipment to Barbados Port Inc (BPI). These new state-of-the-art Hyster fork-lifts broaden the spectrum of equipment required to accommodate current packaging practices for lumber and related bulk cargoes handled at the Port of Bridgetown. ANSA Automotive continues to support BPI in its continued expansion project.

BPI chief executive David Jean-Marie (who is also president of the Caribbean Shipping Association) said: “We are happy to continue the decades of working with the reliable Hyster brand through its authorized dealer, ANSA Automotive.” He said BPI was continuing its strategic expansion with the build-out of Berth 6, a container freight station and a cruise passenger reception facility to meet the short-term and medium-term needs of its port facility.

Similarly, Point Lisas Industrial Port Development Corporation (PLIPDECO), one of the major ports in Trinidad, with six general cargo and container berths, recently purchased three Hyster big trucks for its facility.

Comprehensive

Of course, the Hyster range extends well beyond fork-lift trucks. Hyster offers a comprehensive range of material handling equipment, from the largest container handlers and reach stackers to nearly every type and size of fork-lift truck. These are used widely at ports and terminals throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. The range of fork-lift trucks supplied by Hyster to these regions includes big trucks of 10, 15 and 18 tons capacity as well as small trucks of 2.5 to 5 tons.

When it comes to specific methods of propulsion for these machines, a useful summary is provided by Kim Grimshaw, the Caribbean sales manager for ANSA Automotive, the authorized Hyster dealer for the English-speaking Caribbean.

“The most important aspect in choosing the right fork-lift for any operation is to consider the application and its needs,” Ms Grimshaw told CM. “Food distribution centres are strongly encouraged by OHS [occupational health safety] standards, but not obliged, to operate with battery electrics, as an internal combustion engine exhaust might be harmful to food products. The lack of exhaust fumes ensures the integrity of the product as indoor air quality is improved by eliminating all exhaust. Money is also saved on elaborate and expensive HVAC [heating, ventilating and air conditioning] systems that can use a lot of power. Furthermore, employees are not adversely affected by poor air quality inside the facility.

“In a small to medium warehouse scenario operating in narrow aisles, one may desire a battery electric fork-lift in order to minimize exhaust fumes. However, if your fork-lift will be required both in and outdoors on a regular basis, then perhaps an LPG will be more suited to the varied weather conditions. Diesel fork-lifts work best outdoors and are less expensive to run.”

Elements

Ms Grimshaw went on: “As you can see, there are many different elements to consider. The decision will thus depend on the specifics of the site and the intended application. It is also important to weigh the financial and environmental costs associated with the decision on whether to purchase LPG, diesel or electric fork-lifts.”

For ports investing in new handling equipment, an important consideration is how to finance your purchase. Hyster does not finance directly but works closely with international institutions that offer financing to their customers. ANSA Merchant Bank Ltd, a sister company within the ANSA McAL Group, offers a range of financial services to local and regional markets to facilitate the purchase of material handling equipment.

Another key aspect of buying new equipment, from the purchaser’s point of view, is spare parts and servicing. “The availability and quick delivery of spare parts is crucial in any sales package,” Ms Grimshaw told CM. “Downtime on equipment at ports can have a severe impact on a small island. In addition, some ports have Service Level Agreements with cargo lines which, if not met, would result in ports facing penalties.”

She went on: “Hyster parts are purchased from the company’s central warehouse in Illinois. Availability is 95 per cent – that is, out of 100 orders, 95 are shipped complete the next day, if the order is received before 5 pm. One must also take into consideration the length of time to clear customs, as each country is different. Indeed, some ports within the region have an on-site spare parts department. At minimum, it is recommended that spare parts be purchased in advance for the first 2,000 hours when acquiring new equipment.”

Maintenance

When it comes to full service maintenance contracts, Ms Grimshaw says it depends on the region, the dealer and the quality of their service department. “More and more companies are opting for service contracts with Hyster dealers because they prefer to concentrate on their core business and leave the service to professionals. Many Hyster dealers lease with service contracts, particularly in Europe, the USA and Mexico. In general, rentals and service contracts are very important to Hyster dealers.” However: “With regard to ports in the Caribbean – in particular ports that are unionized – we see a trend where the preference is to have their own technicians fully trained by the manufacturer to meet the maintenance and servicing needs of their equipment in-house.”

*ANSA Automotive, is the authorized Hyster dealer for the English-speaking Caribbean, including Trinidad, Barbados, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Grenada, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Cayman Islands, Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Bermuda and Guyana.

How it all began

Hyster started in 1929 as a manufacturer of lifting machines used in the rigorous logging industry of the US Pacific Northwest. The name originated from the call of the loggers who would shout “Hoist’er!” when a log was ready to be raised. A few years later the first fork-lift trucks were invented and the Hyster brand quickly gained a reputation for rugged quality. For over eight decades the company has continuously developed its product offering and service network to become a leading international player in material handling equipment.