Industrial equipment supplier Shumani, the only black-owned and managed company of its size in the materials-handling sector, has a range of forklifts and brands that it is able to supply and support. These include Bendi, Doosan, Crown, and Hubtex, including both diesel and electric versions, and ranging from 1.8 t to 25 t units.
Shumani Industrial Equipment MD Victor Nemukula comments that its most popular brand is Crown, which is ideal for diverse applications such as warehousing, manufacturing, and the food-and-beverage industry. What gives Shumani the leading edge in this competitive sector is its flexible rental option, which assists its customers in reducing costs and boosting productivity.
In terms of the latest trends, Nemukula highlights that electric forklifts are becoming more popular due to their lack of harmful emissions, which is becoming an important consideration for customers, in addition to cost-effectives and energy efficiency.
While it is important to keep up to date with such trends, Nemukula maintains that customer service and aftermarket support remain a key differentiator for Shumani, which prides itself on the value-add it can offer its customers, as this has a direct impact on their bottom line.
In terms of recent projects, Shumani secured a major contract to supply 2.5 t Doosan diesel-powered forklifts to Marble Hall Farms. This consists of three citrus farms in Limpopo, with 58% of its production supplied locally, and the remaining 42% exported.
The forklifts are being used mainly in the packing houses of the operation, moving fruit to and from the different areas, as well as onto delivery vehicles. In addition to the forklifts, which are being supplied on a six- to nine-month rental contract, Shumani also supplied a cleaning machine for the warehouse.