Concept in Materials Handling From England' A New

A NEW CONCEPT in materials handling 1r was recentlv unreiled at Minton's Lumber & Supply in Mountain View with the purchase of the first Lancer Side Loader to be placed in use in the Pacific Coast region.

"After six months of operation. we are very pleased wirh the unii." explains Lyle Scha{er, Minton general manager. "It has enabled us to almost double our lumher and plyrvood storage capacity in the same amount o{ eround area. Because the unit takes much Lr. ,oo.., to operate, we've been able to reduce our aisles to 7'6" instead of the l,X' aisles we needed before with our front loaders."

The particular Lancer Side Loader purchased by Minton's is a "300" series with a 6600 pound capacity and a 12' lilt height. This model can also be ordered with a 14'or 16' mast.

Another distinct advantase over conventional front loaders or straddle carriers is the fact that the Lancer is actually a complete handling system. The unit loads, transports and unloads all the while giving the operator full {ront and rear visibility for added safety. "In fact, with certain gear ratio adjustments, the Lancer just might Lre the answer to on-the-job deliveries where no handling equipment is availahle on jolr site." Scha{er pointed out.

AfSIES are only 7'6" wide, allowing storage of almost twice as much inventory as previously stored in Minton's warehouse.

Manufactured in England by the Lancer N{achinery Company, the Side Loader comes in ser,en models ranging from a "200" series with a lift capacity of 3375 pounds to the massive "2500" series which has a capacity of 55,000 pounds. The latter machine will do 27 mph fully loaded.

Also notable is the fact that most of the major components are interchangeatble with American parts. Except for the "200" series which comes with electric power, the Lancer can be fitted with Ford or General Motors engines, either LP, €las or diesel. All threads on the unit are SAE and the entire hydraulic system is assembled from American parts.

The Lancer is normally sold with a torque converter transmission to give finest control over movement, greater power availability and less wear and tear on the driver, the ergine and transmission components.

Exclusive distributor for the I-ancer Side Loadt'r in California and northern Nevada is the heavy equipment firm of ChallengeCook Bros., Inc., with showrooms and shops at 7101 San Leandro Street, Oakland, and at 33114 San Fernando Road, Los Angeles.