Rising property costs, increasing material prices, and growing demand for faster production are putting pressure on furniture and joinery manufacturers to make better use of every square metre.
Expanding or relocating can be costly and disruptive, but maximising existing facilities offers a more efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective solution, unlocking new potential without major investment or downtime.
With nearly three decades of experience, Irish material handling specialist Combilift combines its versatile range of multidirectional forklifts and other solutions with intelligent warehouse design, helping businesses do more with less space: safely, efficiently, and profitably.
Do more with less
“We have always viewed Combilift as more than just a forklift manufacturer. Space is one of the most valuable assets our customers possess, and if our trucks can help them improve storage density, everyone benefits.” CEO and Co-founder, Martin McVicar, explains.
Combilift’s experienced design engineers provide a complimentary warehouse and yard planning service, creating customised layouts that maximise storage capacity based on the capabilities of Combilift equipment. By reducing aisle widths and making better use of vertical space, manufacturers can maximise available space by up to 50% while improving workflow, safety and operational efficiency.
Farrell Furniture designs and manufactures quality contract office and residential furniture from its base in Ardee, Co. Louth, Ireland. The company exemplifies how optimising existing facilities can lead to significant improvements.
Farrell’s Joint CEO, Brendan Farrell, highlights: “Our warehouse is the same size it was when we got our first Combilift, but over the last few years, we have quadrupled in growth. This is testimony to how Combilift’s original layouts futureproofed us. Due to the lift height of 6m of our C4000 model we have been able to go up not out. The truck’s ability to travel sideways as well as block stack, plus its inherent stability means that even our largest loads – 3.6 x 2m for example – can be very safely moved around and easily accommodated in the space available.”
Smarter handling for long loads
Handling long and bulky loads such as timber, MDF or plywood presents unique challenges. Moving these safely through busy production facilities and warehouses requires equipment that maximises manoeuvrability without compromising safety.
Combilift’s range of multidirectional forklifts enables operators to transport these loads efficiently in confined areas and through narrow doors, both indoors and outdoors. They operate like a conventional forklift, moving forwards and backwards, but can change the direction of the wheels and travel sideways at the flick of a switch.
This capability improves manoeuvrability in tight spaces and allows sideways navigation, eliminating the need for elevated loads when manoeuvring around machinery, obstacles, or parked vehicles in restricted areas. This, in turn, helps reduce the risk of damage to products, facilities, and equipment. The result is a safer operation, a more efficient handling process and a better use of available space.
Optimising narrow aisle operations
Narrow aisle solutions allow manufacturers to increase storage density, improve material flow and make more efficient use of existing facilities.
For applications better suited to pedestrian operation, Combilift’s electric pedestrian range combines compact manoeuvrability with enhanced operator safety. Its patented multi-position tiller arm allows the operator to work safely from the side of the truck rather than behind it, improving visibility, eliminating crush-zone risks and enabling precise load placement.
The innovative design also allows aisle widths to be reduced to as little as 2.1 metres, helping maximise storage density while reducing product damage and improving workplace safety.
Driving sustainable manufacturing As manufacturers continue to invest in more environmentally friendly technologies, electric material handling equipment plays an important role in reducing emissions, improving indoor air quality and lowering operating costs.
Sustainability is central to Combilift’s product development strategy, with 98% of its R&D focused on energy-efficient and electric-powered equipment. Today, more than 70% of the company’s production is electric.
CEO and Co-Founder Martin McVicar explains: “Sustainability is at our core – we’re highly focused on making our vehicles more environmentally friendly and helping our customers maximise their warehouse efficiency.”
Combilift continues to expand its electric portfolio, with almost every model now available in electric power. Among the latest additions is the Combi-CB70E, the world’s most compact 7-tonne multidirectional electric counterbalance forklift. Its compact footprint and sideways travel capability make it ideal for transporting long loads such as timber packs and engineered wood products through confined spaces while maximising warehouse capacity.
Also joining the electric range is the Combi-FSE 8000, an 8-tonne four-wheel electric sideloader designed for handling long packs of timber and other oversized materials. Its under-deck battery placement improves visibility, balance and battery changeovers, making it well suited to demanding multi-shift operations.
Sustainability beyond electrification
The growing adoption of electric forklifts is helping manufacturers reduce emissions and improve operational efficiency. However, electrification is only part of the sustainability equation. Making better use of existing warehouse space can deliver equally significant environmental and commercial benefits.
Rather than investing in costly and disruptive expansion or relocation, many businesses are embracing the “improving, not moving” approach: optimising their existing facilities to unlock additional capacity while reducing costs and environmental impact.
By enabling narrower aisles, higher racking and more efficient use of available space, Combilift’s solutions help manufacturers maximise their existing footprint without expanding their facilities. This, in turn, reduces the need for carbon-intensive building projects and also lowers energy consumption for heating, cooling and lighting.
More efficient warehouse layouts also shorten travel distances, improving productivity while reducing unnecessary vehicle movements.
With more than 100,000 machines in operation across 85 countries, Combilift continues to help manufacturers create safer, more productive and more sustainable operations through innovative material handling and intelligent warehouse design.
Discover how Combilift’s versatile product range can help maximise your existing space, improve safety and boost efficiency across your furniture manufacturing and warehousing operations by visiting the Combilift website.
