Toyota Industrial Equipment reach trucks to take Homechoice to new heights

Through its innovative and technologically-advanced offerings, Toyota Industrial Equipment has yet again been chosen as the go-to distributor in the warehousing and material handling industry. As a part of EIE Group’s Toyota Industrial Equipment division, the company delivered four of its Toyota BT RRE180H, Tx12500 reach trucks to Homechoice, a leading South African home-shopping retailer.

Driven by Homechoice’s extensive growth trajectory, the new reach trucks will be used for efficient high-putaway and retrieval warehousing and distribution applications, and will undoubtedly provide greater operational effectiveness, uptime and efficiency.

According to Shane Farren, Toyota Industrial Equipment Corporate Sales Executive, Homechoice’s decision to replace its traditional equipment for Toyota Forklift products came as a result of the manufacturer’s emphasis on customer-centric innovations, reliability, quality and unparalleled support.

“The Toyota BT RRE180H Tx12500 reach trucks are produced with the customer in mind, providing them with the most reliable, easy-to-operate and effective solutions available to better their business operations,” he explains. “Underpinned by Toyota’s Totalview concept, the equipment is engineered to allow for an enhanced view of the load and surroundings at all times. Together with its exceptional load capacity, high lift speed through the transitional lift control functionality, and exceptional load capacity ensures increased jobsite safety and productivity.”

The equipment’s car pedal-style layout and automatic parking brake ensures ease-of-operation and safety, while the 360-degree steering reduces both wheel wear and driver fatigue, allowing for faster put-aways and retrievals.

“Homechoice realised the importance of partnering with an equipment manufacturer that could exceed their expectations, particularly when the customer’s business needs are increasingly demanding as a result of their rapid expansion,” he says. “Toyota Forklift offers an exceptional value proposition, including innovative solutions such as the I-SITE fleet management system and the associated pre-operational checks.”

As the first manufacturer to integrate telematics technology as standard equipment on electric warehouse trucks, the I-SITE fleet management system utilises online data accumulated during equipment operation to measure, analyse and maximise the performance of each connected machine. By doing so, customers are provided with greater long-term profitability, a safer workplace, an increase in productivity, greater control on costs, and an extended fleet lifespan.

The pre-operational check is a feature of the I-SITE fleet management system that helps fleet managers ensure that the fleet is reliable and safe for use, and complies with regulations, with drivers required to check the condition of their equipment prior to operation.

“Innovations such as these offer greater reliability and a reduction in downtime, and allow customers the opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint by going paperless. Just another way that Toyota Forklift is looking out for the future of our customers and their operations,” concludes Farren.

Homechoice Project Manager, Sekela Okuhle Matshebelele known as SK, explains that the retailer is looking forward to the efficiencies that the Toyota BT reach trucks will bring to their operations, and see this as only the start of what promises to be a long-lasting and successful partnership.

JOHANNESBURG, 13 April 2020