Materials handling mastery
Founded 27 years ago, Irish materials handling specialist Combilift revolutionised the industry with its groundbreaking C4000—a multidirectional 3-wheel, 4t capacity forklift. Since then, it has continued to lead the field in innovation, expanding its range to handle ever heavier and oversize loads. If a solution doesn’t exist for your challenging loads, Combilift’s engineering team can likely design one.
Committed to innovation, Combilift invests 7% of its revenue into R&D and uses customer feedback to develop cutting-edge solutions. With 95,000+ units exported to 85+ countries, its global reach and trusted performance are undeniable. Since entering the Australian market in 2003, Combilift has supplied over 4500 units across mining, engineering, warehousing, logistics, manufacturing, and precast sectors, always with the focus on efficiency, sustainability and space maximisation.
Its range of multidirectional forklifts, side-loaders, the Combi-SC Straddle Carrier, the Combi-CSS container loader, compact pedestrian stackers, and the narrow-aisle Aisle Master articulated forklift are designed to optimise space and improve efficiency, which is particularly valuable in industries like steel, where heavy, bulky materials and limited space often present challenges.
Win a Combilift forklift
Now, to celebrate the incredible milestone of 100,000 forklifts in operation worldwide, Combilift are giving away a very special prize – their 100,000th truck.
With the support of their customers, Combilift aims to raise €100,000 to help UNICEF deliver urgent aid to children impacted by conflict and natural disasters – providing life-saving support wherever and whenever it’s needed most.
Multidirectional forklifts to handle long loads
The Combilift C-Series range of multidirectional forklifts has load capacities of up to 25 tonnes and electric, LPG and diesel power options. These forklifts are designed for safe, space-saving, and efficient handling of long and bulky loads, such as steel beams, coils, and pipes, in confined spaces.
The multidirectional capability allows for sideways navigation, eliminating the need for elevated loads, even when negotiating around machinery, obstacles or parked vehicles in restricted areas, reducing the risk of damage to the product, facilities and equipment. This results in a faster, safer, and more reliable material handling process, allowing for quicker turnaround times and better overall efficiency.
Brisbane-based Watkins Steel approached Combilift when in need of a more efficient method to address the logistics of handling steel.
C-Series models of various capacities (4t and 8t) are being used to handle the extremely long beams, which range from 12 to 18 m in length. The C-Series perfectly suits its operations with the 4-way capability and sideways movement, allowing for minimal turning and versatile movement in the factory. They quickly offload delivery trucks and transport materials where needed, preventing bottlenecks and backlogs.
Additionally, the multidirectional capability allows for much better and cost-effective use of all available space, which is one of a company’s most valuable assets.
Managing Director Des Watkins highlights, “When we moved a facility from Banyo to Northgate, we added an aisle in the middle of the factory with bays either side, and we increased efficiency by 30%. Most of this is down to the Combilifts’ attributes such as manouevrability and speedy operation.”
An additional safety feature of the C-Series is that these forklifts are built with a very low centre of gravity, allowing for a low-to-the-ground movement of your load and boasting an integrated platform, which provides a stable base for resting loads during transportation.
Robust and built to last, the C-Series operates as “three forklifts in one,” replacing multiple types of trucks, which significantly reduces the fleet size required and eliminates time-consuming double handling, improving your workflow.
The Combi-CB, a further model in the multidirectional range, has a lifting capacity of 2.5 t to 4t and is also available in different power options. More compact than conventional forklifts, it is perfect for transporting steel products, including long loads of steel beams, as it has the added advantage of transporting them sideways. Their versatility enables them to operate as a universal truck for both pallet handling in the front mode and long-load handling in the sideward mode, making them suitable for both indoor and outdoor use and racking systems.
Leading Australian manufacturer and supplier of steel building products, Metroll, expanded its operations by adding the CB range to optimize space and provide a safer method for handling long loads.
According to Metroll Operations Manager Vic Josephs, “Like most businesses, we are very busy and we’re also growing at a significant rate, so space has become a premium resource. With this unit, we can utilise our space more efficiently whilst at the same time operating safely. Safety is of paramount importance. This forklift allows our machinery to get into tighter spaces and for us to put our racks more closely together to maximise factory floor space.”
In line with the growing demand for electric-powered equipment, Combilift continues to expand its now extensive range of electric forklifts. With a 7t lifting capacity, the multidirectional Combi-CB70E is one of Combilift’s latest additions to the range. This model is unmatched as the most compact counterbalance forklift in the market for its capacity.
Its small footprint and lateral movement enable effortless navigation through confined spaces and narrow aisles, making it ideal for transporting long and bulky loads, such as long steel beams and columns as well as other steel products such as coils, metal roofing, and insulated panels – a task that is challenging with traditional forklifts.
The CB70E excels on uneven or outdoor terrain, featuring a gas strut suspension system typically found in larger industrial machines. Paired with large superelastic tyres, it delivers a smooth ride even during long shifts. The independent electric traction system provides 100% traction control for all drive wheels, eliminating the need for a differential lock on slippery surfaces, reducing load swing, and enhancing safety when transporting long, heavy loads, especially while navigating sideways.
The Combi-CB70E is not only a solution for saving space but also offers additional benefits, including enhanced safety in your operations and improved operator comfort.
The spacious operator cab offers floor-to-ceiling panoramic visibility, boosting the operator’s safety and providing exceptional visibility. A standout feature is the Auto Swivel Seat, which intuitively rotates 15° to the left or right based on the forklift’s direction of travel. This significantly reduces strain during reversing manoeuvres – a common source of operator fatigue and injury, especially when reversing.
This model was recognised with the prestigious ‘Ergonomic Innovation of the Year’ award at the UK Materials Handling Association Awards last September and has most recently been awarded the Red Dot Award for Product Design 2025, reinforcing its commitment to design, performance and innovation.
A material handling solution for oversized loads
Among Combilift’s heavy lifting equipment is the Combi-SC (Straddle Carrier), designed to tackle the challenges of lifting and moving extremely large and heavy loads of steel within production facilities or yards. With lift capacities of up to 150t, each unit is custom-built to meet specific customer needs.
A significant advantage of the Combi-SC is its much lighter unladen weight compared to other pieces of heavy-duty handling equipment. This enables operation on poor and semi-rough terrain, avoiding the need for costly investment in ground resurfacing or improvement.
Further benefits are low fuel consumption, 3-wheel manoeuvrability and excellent all-round operator visibility from the driver’s cab, and the option to be remote-control operated. Additionally, its telescopic feature enables easy access through doorways to facilitate efficient movement within these areas.
Get in touch today to see how Combilift can transform your steel handling operations. Improve safety, increase efficiency, and optimise your storage space. Visit Combilift.com for more information.
