Linde meets Super Butcher’s needs

When you add a local retail operation to a business that has already made its name as a major exporter, you can’t afford to have material handling equipment problems put success at risk.

That’s why a Brisbane company recently turned to Linde for a solution to its forklift needs.

AM No.1 PTY LTD is an export beef specialist with an 18 year record of successful sales to 75 countries. Since 2009 it has extended its activities by supplying export quality meat to local consumers through a growing chain of retail branches in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Tweed Heads and Sydney.

The bold move into retail territory through the Super Butcher brand is based on economies achieved by bulk buying and strict cost control – resulting in meat prices which it claims are sometimes 50 per cent less than supermarket prices.

A large facility at Yatala in Brisbane is the centre of the company’s wholesale and export operations and flagship site of the growing retail operations. And it was there that the company decided to step up to Linde equipment.

“We were paying a lot of money for equipment from another supplier and it didn’t represent good value,” Robert McNeilly, the company’s workplace health and safety officer said. “Because of that supplier’s performance, some of the equipment wasn’t even safe to operate, so we were determined to put an end to that.

“At Yatala we have warehouse, retail and processing areas plus typical truck unloading operations. What we needed were two battery electric forklifts for the cold store, a gas powered forklift for unloading trucks and an electric pallet jack for general use.”

Robert McNeilly researched the market and made a business case to put better equipment in place. His enquiries led him to believe that pre-owned equipment could be a good option – if quality and service support was first rate.

“I ignored the existing supplier then did my research on the internet to identify the three top brands,” he said. It was very straightforward and Linde came back with a very good offer – not just in terms of pricing and equipment quality, but also in terms of response times for service call outs.

Demonstrating the level of support often only associated with new forklift equipment, Linde’s Certified Pre-owned program provided loan equipment to meet Super Butcher’s needs until the contracted forklifts were ready for delivery.

“From my knowledge of the industry I knew of Linde’s good name and they have lived up to it,” Robert McNeilly said. “The sales representative was very helpful and supportive and took the time to understand our business and what the trucks needed to do.”

Super Butcher committed to Certified Pre-owned hire puchase arrangements at its Yatala site for a Linde H18T gas forklift , an E18P electric forklift and a T16 Electric Pallet Truck.

With the business growing strongly it also acquired a Linde E14P electric forklift for its Eagle Farm outlet.

Linde arranged for all of the late model forklifts to be painted in Super Butcher’s distinctive blue, white and grey colour scheme prior to delivery.

“When the Certified Pre-owned forklifts arrived at Yatala, Linde organised familiarisation sessions for the Super Butcher operators to maximise their productivity on the our specific machines.

“It only took a day, because we’d had loan machines for a month and frankly the operators had taken to them like ducks to water,” Robert McNeilly said.

“Compared to what we have now, the only blunt way to describe the previous equipment was to say that it was garbage. As for the old equipment we were glad to get it out the door, which Linde did very promptly.

“We’ve only had one minor service call-out with the Linde equipment and that was resolved very quickly. I think there is a lot to be said for dealing direct with the factory.”

It seems that’s the general idea of growing numbers of Australian meat buyers as they cut out the middle men and head for their nearest Super Butcher outlet.

Call Linde today on 1300 454 633 or find a dealer near you.