With automation, increased connectivity and evolving labour demographics reshaping industrial landscapes, change is constant, and the steel industry is no exception. So how can Hyster® ReachStackers help improve steel industry distribution efficiency?
Today, mills must serve demand for steel in a variety of shapes and sizes, and face expectations for greater speed and efficiency when moving steel from production to distribution and ultimately, to end users. Mills also face significant financial commitments.
Whether its loading railway wagons, moving ever larger steel coils, or producing and handling metal slabs, a Hyster® ReachStacker can help.
A single Hyster® ReachStacker can now handle tasks traditionally divided between equipment like overhead cranes and coil-ram lift trucks. This enables a consolidated workflow while reducing overall equipment inventory and associated training time.
Read on or download our latest white paper to learn more.
Re-evaluating the workflow for loading railway wagons
Reachstackers have traditionally handled cargo containers and moved heavy loads around the yard. Often, other forklifts and slab carriers are dedicated to a single task, such as handling coils or slabs and bringing them to staging areas. Then, gantry systems use cranes to lift and load them into railway wagons.
However, by using a Hyster® ReachStacker, steel handling operations can engage in a more efficient, simple loading process, using a single piece of equipment to pick up finished pieces of steel and move them to staging and storage areas or load them directly into railway wagons.
Coil Handling Gets Bigger
To keep production lines running longer and reduce coil change-out time, customers that manufacture products from steel are asking producers to provide larger coils. For steel producers, creating – much less distributing – these larger coils is no small task.
To handle heavier, wider coils, a Hyster® ReachStacker offers the right combination of size, heavy duty features and most importantly, greater payload. Operations can also utilise attachments designed specifically for coil handling, including a Coil C-hook or Coil Grabs.
Getting a handle on steel slabs
With end users demanding steel coils and slabs alike, mills must be prepared to produce, handle and load both. Flat slabs possess key differences from coils and lift trucks require different Hyster® ReachStacker attachments to effectively handle them. These include Slab Magnets, for stacking ambient temperature slabs, or Slab Handlers for hot slabs.
Hyster® ReachStacker with Multi Toolchanger Attachment
If a mill uses some lift trucks to handle coils and other equipment to handle slabs, they are most likely paying for a bloated fleet. A Hyster® ReachStacker with tool changing technology eliminates the cumbersome, arduous process of manually changing attachments and the need for excess lift trucks.
What’s your metal handling challenge?
Our industry experts and trusted Hyster® dealers have the experience and knowledge to help you overcome your metal handling challenges with the right Hyster® equipment.
Find out more about metal industry solutions or contact your local Hyster® dealer today. Or download our latest white paper about metal handling.
