Westexe Forklifts

Moving long, heavy fabric rolls around production areas

Westexe Forklifts is based in Exeter, Devon. They provide mechanical handling solutions such as forklifts and pallet trucks to other companies in the South West of England looking to move items from A to B efficiently.

 

Not all heavy items sit nicely on a forklift, which was the case for Westexe’s customer, Heathcote Fabrics, a cloth manufacturer based in Tiverton, Devon. They wanted a solution to help move trolleys carrying fabric rolls – long, heavy and prone to falling over if not transported with care. With most fabric roll several meters in length, they can quickly force a forklift onto its side, making the vehicle more dangerous than a help when carrying this type of load.

 

In conjunction with Westexe, we visited their customer’s depot in Devon to demo our V-Move XL+ tow tug, a heavy-duty device from Verhagen Leiden perfect for moving trolleys carrying oversized, cumbersome items. While they liked what they saw, it was clear the standard specification model would require some tweaks to create the stability needed for the fabric rolls. After further consultation, we presented a unit configured and priced to suit the customer perfectly, which they immediately purchased.

 

Before shipping the V-Move XL+ to Devon, we fitted full counterweights at the top and bottom of the unit. A hydraulic coupling at the back moves vertically and slots easily into the trolleys used by Heathcote Fabrics, designed to take some weight. Despite its heavy-duty nature and capability, the unit is extremely compact and will store away without compromising storage space. It also recharges its battery overnight and stays operational for up to 2 days – an always-on safe pair of hands ready to pull any trolley and load weighing up to 8,000kg.

 

Now Westexe has a provider who can support their customers with items other than forklifts and pallet trucks: Industar. Not only did we fulfil the need, but they were also extremely happy with the service and solution provided to their customer and we look forward to working with the company again soon.