IN Brief:
- Northpoint has received four Mitsubishi EDiA EX electric forklifts and one GRENDiA ES diesel truck.
- Radar-based control reduces each truck’s speed by 3 km/h as it enters the warehouse.
- The Dukinfield powder coating site handles about 250 tonnes of customer-owned materials weekly.
Northpoint has renewed its forklift fleet at its Dukinfield powder coating operation in Greater Manchester, taking delivery of four Mitsubishi EDiA EX electric counterbalance trucks and one Mitsubishi GRENDiA ES diesel truck. Local supplier Jofson configured the five vehicles for the site’s uneven surfaces, dusty surroundings and movement of valuable customer-owned components. The investment addresses practical constraints within a working industrial treatment and handling facility, where damage to incoming or completed goods can create direct costs for the operator.
Around 250 tonnes of customer-owned material moves through Northpoint’s site each week. Components arrive for industrial powder coating from sectors that include water infrastructure, oil and gas pipelines, and marine engineering, creating an assortment of load shapes and weights rather than a standard palletised flow. Damage to goods during internal transport is repaired at Northpoint’s expense. That exposure makes vehicle stability, manoeuvring and operator visibility part of the cost of handling as well as workplace safety.
The new fleet comprises four Mitsubishi EDiA EX electric counterbalance forklifts and one GRENDiA ES diesel truck. Northpoint and its local Mitsubishi supplier, Jofson, have not stated the trucks’ individual rated capacities or assigned each vehicle to a specific process. Diesel and battery-electric equipment can have different charging, refuelling and duty-cycle constraints, but the presence of both powertrains does not establish which Northpoint tasks are performed by each type.
Radar-based speed control detects when a truck enters the warehouse and reduces its travel speed by 3 km/h. The figure describes the size of the reduction, not the final speed limit. Automatic slowing can make the transition between traffic areas less dependent on a manual setting, although operators must still be able to see pedestrians and follow the site’s traffic routes. No measured change in collision rates has been released following the installation.
Hydraulic accumulators were fitted to moderate shocks as trucks travel over uneven flooring. By absorbing part of the disturbance transmitted through the vehicle, the equipment is intended to improve operator comfort and reduce movement of the carried load. The supplier has not published vibration measurements or before-and-after damage claims. In a finishing operation where loads can contain large fabricated components, the adaptation addresses a physical handling condition without establishing a quantified increase in productivity.
Non-marking, low-dust tyres were chosen to reduce airborne debris generated by truck movements. Dust can impair visibility and contaminate work areas, although tyre selection cannot remove the need for general cleaning and ventilation controls. A differential lock also forms part of the specification to improve traction on wet surfaces. These features address separate site hazards: contamination, grip and the handling of irregular loads should not be collapsed into an unsupported single safety performance figure.
Lighting and authorisation controls complete the reported adaptation package. Front and rear blue lights make vehicle movements more noticeable nearby, while full MOT lighting improves conspicuity. Fleet management arrangements include daily checks and controls intended to restrict unauthorised use. None substitutes for operator training or the management of shared pedestrian and vehicle areas, particularly where large components can obstruct a driver’s direct line of sight.
The fleet was selected following discussions between Northpoint and Jofson about the physical condition of the premises and the limitations of the previous vehicles. Northpoint’s senior logistics manager, Dale Newton, identified variable ground levels and inadequate suspension in older trucks as sources of discomfort and lower efficiency. The new specification therefore combines operator working conditions with protection of the load. Jofson has supplied and supported the business since 2017, giving it a working history of the site’s handling requirements.
The four electric forklifts are charged partly from electricity generated by Northpoint’s 740 rooftop solar panels. The company has not given the array’s rated output, its seasonal production profile or the proportion of fleet demand met by onsite generation. Reported improvements in battery endurance are also not accompanied by comparative figures. The confirmed position is partial use of roof-generated electricity, rather than a fully solar-powered fleet or a measured reduction in lifecycle emissions.
The equipment replaces older handling vehicles without an announced redesign of the Dukinfield facility. The new controls work within existing constraints such as variable floor levels, restricted visibility and the movement of components through preparation, coating and dispatch. Whether these changes reduce handling damage or time between processes depends on utilisation, vehicle maintenance and consistent traffic controls. Northpoint has not disclosed the fleet’s capital cost, a productivity baseline or a timetable for further replacements.
Jofson has worked with Northpoint since 2017 and configured the replacement trucks around the site’s operating conditions. The five-machine fleet combines speed management, vibration damping, traction and visibility measures with a mix of electric and diesel power. Operational evidence on load damage, driving comfort and vehicle availability would establish the scale of any improvement after deployment; the equipment specifications and the company’s reported workload are confirmed, but comparative performance measurements are not.
