A major beverage manufacturer has been supplied with 35 Doosan B35X-7 electric forklifts powered by lithium-ion batteries, in addition to chargers, by Shumani Industrial Equipment. The supplier continues to make inroads into the burgeoning food-and-beverage sector, comments MD Victor Nemukula.

This brings the total number of forklifts supplied this year alone to about 50, with 192 new units and 34 used machines to date. These outright purchases are accompanied by maintenance contracts up to 18 000 hours, which equates to five to six years.

“It is longstanding client relationships such as these that have stood us in good stead since we were established in 2015, and that have been responsible for our ongoing growth,” stresses Nemukula. “Key customers continue to be an important focus as they invariably have long-term contracts that take advantage of the full range of backup and technical support service we are able to offer.”

Shumani has a full complement of technicians, most of whom are based at its client sites. These technicians provide maintenance on customer equipment, ensuring that Shumani delivers a guaranteed uptime of 95% for maximum productivity.

In terms of modifications to the forklifts supplied, a 900 mm insert has been added to enable the operators to see over the pallets that they are transporting. These 7-Series four-wheel electric counterbalanced forklift trucks from Doosan feature powerful performance and an ergonomically designed operator compartment that allows the operator to stay in complete control at all times, thereby improving productivity and reducing stress and fatigue.

The operator compartment offers optimal visibility and the latest design in ergonomic hydraulic controls. Thanks to an improved durable design and an additional stability system, Doosan’s 7-Series exceeds the highest standards for safe operation. Extended maintenance intervals and advanced technology components reduce overall maintenance costs.

Now the largest black-owned and managed industrial equipment supplier in South Africa, Shumani is an appointed dealer for all Goscor Group companies that import industrial equipment for the South African market. It supplies world-class equipment across the breadth of the industrial and construction sectors.

Brands on offer include world-leading names like Bendi, Crown, Kalmar and Doosan in the forklift market. Construction equipment brands include Bobcat, Sany, HPower, Weima, Luthian, Ozen and Sullair. In the cleaning equipment market segment, Shumani offers Tennant, Genie, Sentinel and HighPoint.