Generally a Straddle Carrier is a term for a non road going vehicle for use in port terminals and intermodal yards that are used for stacking and moving ISO standard containers. Straddle Carriers pick up and carry containers while straddling their load and connecting to the top lifting points via a container spreader. These machines can have the ability to stack containers up to 4 high (Wikipedia: Straddle Carrier).
Large Harbour Based Straddle Carrier
These machines are usually quite large BUT smaller versions of straddle carriers (Mini Straddle Carriers) have been developed for end users who need to move containers around their yard or depot. For instance a company may produce a product for a customer and they must load that product into a container for delivery. This is the type of Mini Straddle Carrier we at Mobicon manufacture.
Nowhere near the size of the machines in port terminals, the Mini Straddle Carriers have been built specifically to work within smaller spaces to improve efficiencies and reduce reliance on transport companies. Mini Straddle Carriers are not for the ports and harbours, they are for the end user.
Improve Efficiencies when Carrying Containers
A Mini Straddle Carrier assists the end user to improve their efficiencies on site by reducing reliance on a transport company and therefore improving the productivity of yard operations. A Mini Straddle Carrier in this environment allows a company to independently move containers while empty or full without a transport company’s assistance. This allows for the separation of warehousing operations and transport operations ensuring continued and extremely efficient flow of production.
Point Loads and Why they Matter
The outstanding feature of our Mobicon Mini Straddle Carrier range is the unique 8-load points design. Most industrial yards are designed for trucks and 5 Tonne forklifts. Because the Point Loads of a Mobicon Mini Straddle Carrier are by far the lowest in the world, users can now handle containers on yard surfaces that other container handles will damage with their large Load Points.
Often, when we speak about Point Loads, the term is confused with wheel pressure. Point Loads is the total number of kilograms and pressure is the kilograms per square centimetre. A machine with less wheels may have larger tyres to reduce the pressure the wheels put on the ground surface, but the Point Load is still very high. This may explain why Road Authorities are always very concerned about Point Load weights, as it is the Point Load weight that will damage a bridge, and not the pressure.
Some Mini Straddle Carriers on the market have 4 Point Loads, some even have 2 Point Loads (3 wheels). Mobicon Systems recognised the importance of having low Point Loads, and therefore our whole range all have 8 Point Loads. The distribution of weight and the Point Load configuration have an added bonus in that the Mobicon Mini Straddle Carriers are extremely stable when carrying a container.
The Mobicon Mini Straddle Carrier Range
Of course there are other benefits of the Mobicon Straddle Carrier that can be demonstrated when looking at each of the products within our range.
The Mobicon 2T
The original model of Mini Straddle Carrier (The 2T) from Mobicon Systems has two towers; the rear tower lifts the rear of the container, while the front tower lifts the front of the container. Unlike any other Mini Straddle Carrier this model is able to bring containers inside low buildings; no other container handler can go under a 4m doorway but the 2T. In addition this Mobicon Straddle Carrier which uses arms and not chains, can handle bolsters or flat racks, as the arms lock into the bottom corner castings, ensuring that the load will not swing like it can when moved by a straddle carrier that uses chains.
The 2T Mobicon Mini Straddle Carrier is unique and extremely safe, however the benefits of moving product inside a building or carrying flat racks and bolsters, may not be necessary for everyone who needs a Mini Straddle Carrier. Therefore Mobicon Systems followed up the 2T design with the Mobicon Top Frame (TF2 – two high stacking).
The Mobicon Top Frame
The Mobicon Top Frame has a top spreader that can stack containers one over one (or two high). This is the Top Frame (or TF2 – which stands for Top Frame Two High). Mobicon has in the past received quite a few requests for a stacking Mini Straddle Carrier in the range. The Top Frame Straddle Carrier Models are perfect for companies that require speed in their operation and where yard conditions may not allow the operator to exit the cabin. When space is at a premium the Top Frame Straddle Carrier can again increase efficiencies.
After more than 20 years manufacturing and selling Mini Straddle Carriers, Mobicon has learnt from their clients exactly what they require and the original Mobicon 2T & Top Frame Models are tailor made for their needs.
In a market of Importers, Exporters, Manufactures and Third Party Logistic providers there is an overwhelming need for the efficiencies provided by the Mini Straddle Carriers on the market. Mobicon Mini Straddle Carriers allow a business to take control of their container operations and therefore their own productivity.
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