South Africa’s First Donkeys

Goscor Lift Truck Company (GLTC) has  delivered two Doosan Donkeys to Menzies Aviation (SA) at the OR Tambo International Airport. This is the first time that this groundbreaking electric lifting truck for the horizontal transport of ULDs on slave pallets has been put into harness on South African soil. The Donkeys are used primarily in internal air cargo applications.

The Donkeys, which each have a 7,5-ton lifting capacity and transport all common slave pallets, were hand-built specifically for use in SA at Doosan’s new Materials Handling Division in Langenfeld, Germany.

Morne Potgieter, warehouse duty manager at Menzies Aviation’s station at OR Tambo, says the Donkeys have been an important addition to the operation since their arrival in January. “This was the best investment we could have made at this time,” Potgieter says.

GLTC MD Darryl Shafto, who recently visited the Langenfeld plant, says the Donkey is where the world is moving in terms of air cargo handling. “With environmental concerns topping agendas, and people increasingly trying to reduce diesel usage, the fully battery-powered Donkey is a machine of the future. It is a precision-built, powerful, and green machine, and we are thrilled to join with Menzies Aviation in bringing the trend to South Africa.’

Menzies Aviation is a global provider of passenger, ramp and cargo handling services that has grown rapidly since its inception in 1995. Through a combination of organic growth and acquisitions, it has established itself as a major force in the international ground handling industry, operating at more than 131 stations in 29 countries. It has branches in all of South Africa’s major cities.

Potgieter says the Donkey has a number of advantages. “It is powerful enough to lift a whole slave pallet, so instead of having to split it into different parts to transport it, as is necessary with smaller-capacity forklifts, we can bring a pallet inside in one go and break it down in the warehouse. This means operators can get more done in less time, which means increased productivity all round. The Donkey’s increased lift height also allows you to get freight onto a raised rollerbed or an off-the-ground racking system. And the risk of cargo breakage is far less with the Donkey than when you are working with forklifts,” he says.

GLTC area sales manager for Johannesburg Lucas Hopley, who facilitated the handover, says the partnership bewteen Goscor and Menzies is an exciting one. “Menzies is a leader in its field in South Africa and is one of the best possible endorsements for this breakthrough product,” he says.

Hopley adds that while his company offers a wide range of financial solutions he was pleased that Menzies opted in this case for a long-term rental with full maintenance. “In many circumstances this is the most efficient solution.”

Petr Cizek, GM Cargo for Menzies Aviation (SA), also expressed his enthusiasm about the deal. “We are very pleased to be working with Goscor, their back-up and maintenance is outstanding, and we are delighted with the Donkey’s performance so far,” he says.

GLTC, part of the Goscor group, is the sole provider of leading global brands such as Crown, Doosan and Bendi in South Africa. The Goscor Group, now part of the Imperial Group, has been supplying the local market with state-of-the-art industrial equipment and world-class solutions for 26 years.