Elevating its performance

Founded in 1912, Berger Recycling provides turnkey systems for the collection and purchasing of recyclable materials in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, Berger Recycling specializes in scrap metal, scrap paper, electronics, plastic, insulated wire, batteries, textiles and new paper rolls, handling 1,000 tons per month of material, says Adam Sinel, vice president of operations for the company.

After experiencing a number of issues with its forklift fleet, Berger Recycling partnered with M&G Materials Handling Co. in 2005 to update its lift trucks.

Headquartered in East Providence, Rhode Island, M&G Materials Handling Co. supplies material handling equipment to the southern New England area. Established in 1966, M&G Materials Handling services customers in the Rhode Island cities of Pawtucket, Cranston, Woonsocket and Warwick, as well as in the Massachusetts cities of in Taunton, New Bedford, Attleboro, Brockton and Rehoboth.
 

Challenges posed

As a scrap metal and recovered paper processing facility, Berger Recycling suffered from two material handling issues that resulted in extended periods of downtime. The first problem the company encountered involved the dust created by scrap paper interfering with its lift trucks’ transmissions.

“With our previous forklifts, we ran into a series of challenges—both with the poor overall quality of the lift truck and the lack of dealer support when it came to fixing the issues,” Sinel says.

“The trucks operate in an unheated building or outdoors, and even during the coldest New England winters, we could not control the cooling issues,” he continues. “The former vendor recommended we spec out our trucks with ‘cotton core’ radiators to address the dust issue, but this did not solve the problem.”

Sinel says Berger Recycling knew it was time for a change when a new machine from its former supplier needed to have its transmission replaced three times in less than six months.

The second issue the company experienced with its former equipment dealt with brake contamination. Berger Recycling’s scrap, corrugated and paper products are strapped together with baling wire, which can slip off bales. If left on the ground, the wire can wrap around lift truck axles and shear brake lines.

Knowing the company’s lift trucks weren’t performing to its requirements, Berger Recycling reached out to Ken MacDonald at M&G Materials Handling for assistance.
 

Proposed solution

After meeting with Berger Recycling and assessing the company’s lift truck needs, M&G Materials Handling Co. paired the company with 6,000-pound-capacity Veracitor^® GP060VX lift trucks from Yale Materials Handling Corp., based in Greenville, North Carolina.
 

Getting to work

“The sealed bearings and wet disc brakes on the Veracitor eliminated our issue of baling wire damaging or shearing the braking system,” Sinel says.

“I am also proud to say that our Veracitor has never overheated,” he adds.

“The Veracitor’s features are absolutely imperative to keeping our business up and running—and the fact that they come standard help our bottom line.”

The lift truck’s sealed alternator eliminated dirt contamination that could cause damage, while its heavy-duty Combi-Cooler radiator prevented corrugated dust from entering the lift truck’s air system. The vented hood created less of a vacuum pull off of the undercarriage, resulting in less paper and scrap contamination being drawn into the engine and increasing the flow of clean air. The Veracitor also was equipped with a high-air intake and precleaner to reduce pulling in dirty or contaminated air. This feature helps extend engine and filter life while increasing fuel economy, the manufacturer says.

“Our plant has a lot of ‘cardboard dust,’ which is very common for the waste paper industry,” Sinel says. “With the Yale lift trucks, engine life has tripled due to a much better radiator and cooling system, and fuel economy has also improved.”

The Veracitor’s Techtronix transmission with its controlled power reversal feature and electronic inching reduced Berger Recycling’s tire costs, the company says.

The standard Auto Deceleration System helps to extend brake life by automatically slowing the truck when the accelerator pedal is released, minimizing brake usage requirements and reducing overall brake maintenance costs, according to Yale.

“After utilizing various lift truck brands, we realize that these features help minimize tire spin, increasing their life span,” Sinel says. “The Veracitor has dummy-proofed itself by not allowing operators to throw the lift truck from forward to reverse—improving the lift truck’s overall longevity.”
 

Positive effect

“Since our partnership with M&G Materials Handling Co., our operating costs have been substantially reduced,” Sinel says. “We have not incurred the expenses that we did with other lift truck suppliers. For example, our previous lift truck went through three transmissions in a six-month period. I am confident that M&G Materials Handling Co. is looking out for the best interests of my company, associates and customers.”

He adds that he enjoys working with M&G because its values are similar to Berger Recycling’s. “Berger Recycling is a fourth-generation family business, when you call us, you get someone who cares on the phone. M&G is an extension of this same concept—they are family owned and run, and they care about the quality of the equipment they represent.”

Yale Materials Handling Co., Greenville, North Carolina, submitted this article. More information is available at www.yale.com.