Denmark-based Power Stow offers the Rollertrack belt loader extension to the aviation market and, according to the company and its users, the product has a lot to offer
Power Stow, based 40km west of the Danish capital of Copenhagen, was formed by Martin Vestergaard in 2003 specifically to design equipment to facilitate the loading and unloading of aircraft. His solution was Rollertrack, a versatile belt loader extension that is built onto a mobile belt. It has proved popular amongst handlers, carriers and airport customers – describes the company’s area sales manager, Thomas Warming – for many different reasons.
Perhaps foremost amongst them is the way, he explains, it makes the job of handlers that much safer, easier and more pleasurable. By using such a device, the frequency of handlers’ job-related injuries is markedly reduced – fewer back, neck, shoulder and arm injuries are of course good news not only for the handlers themselves but also for the companies that employ them, which see a significant reduction in sick days taken.
The other big benefit lies in the cost savings that accrue from using Rollertrack, Warming continues. While the initial cost of the system (which is available in a number of different options) is not low, the total cost of ownership over its life is very reasonable, he insists, given the operational savings that it allows. Whole-life costs are kept to the minimum by its robust nature (it is built upon rugged, well-proven conveyor frames produced by GSE chassis manufacturers such as MULAG, TLD and TUG) that minimises the likelihood of breakdown, while its comparative simplicity also means maintenance costs are kept down.
The quality of the entire through-life service supplied by Power Stow is also a critical element of the overall product offering, he notes. “Our after-sales service is highly appreciated by our customers,” Warming says, pointing to Power Stow’s emphasis on easy access for customers to a company helpline and Power Stow’s ability to ship spare parts to those that need them within 24 hours. Plus, the Danish business supplies training to operators and mechanics for both existing customers and for those working Rollertrack on a trial basis, and allows customers to test systems before any purchase is made.
Clearly, these benefits are being seen and welcomed in the marketplace. Amongst the current customer list are airlines such as KLM (which has more than 20 Rollertrack units) and SAS; handlers including Aviapartner and Swissport; and airports such as Paris, Munich, Amsterdam and Copenhagen. What is more, a currently very healthy order book includes orders from both existing and new customers.
Some of these clients have been more than happy to furnish glowing testimonials. According to Peter Leene, senior buyer projects (procurement ground operations), at KLM for example: “KLM has chosen (the Rollertrack of) Power Stow for its reliability during operation and the fact that the equipment offers more operating hours then ever anticipated, more than double that of conventional diesel driven conveyor belts. We see a higher availability rate then on comparable equipment.
“Being electrically driven, it creates a better, cleaner and less noisier environment for the operator; Rollertrack also relieves the physical demands on the operator’s body. It most certainly will help minimise dangers to the health and safety of operators,” he adds.
And one of the world’s biggest courier companies, which prefers not to be formally identified, has also highlighted the cost savings resulting from lower labour requirements, the better working conditions it engenders for handlers, its ease of use and its reliability.
