Following the launch of five new models in its 25th anniversary year in 2023, Irish materials handling specialist Combilift has already announced the premiere of yet another innovation. The Combi-CLL (Container Log-Loader) was recently exhibited at EXPO Richmond 2024, one of America’s leading trade shows for the forest products industry.
The concept and operation of the Combi-CLL is based on that of the Combi-CSS (Container Slip Sheet), which has been successfully deployed across numerous industries for the mechanised loading of long products such as packs of timber or steel into containers. This not only reduces the risk of accidents to the workforce and product damage but is incredibly fast compared to other methods – a 40’ container can be fully loaded by one operator in under six minutes.
The 30t capacity electro-hydraulically powered Combi-CLL offers the same benefits when it comes to speed, safety and product integrity. It was designed to address the requirements of exporters of softwood and hardwood logs, the nature and shape of which make them much trickier to handle than palletised or packed products. Logs can be individually lifted and pre-loaded into a robust, high-sided metal “tub” before the patented push-pull mechanism powers the tub into the container. Once inside, the hydraulic dropdown hatch is closed and locked into position to hold the logs securely in place, and the tub is retracted to allow the logs to settle within the container.
Once again, Combilift has come up with a customer-led solution that also has potential for applications beyond the forestry and timber industries.
