P & W Intermodal is an intermodal division of TFI International, also known as Transforce. Located right in the heart of the Greater Toronto Area, next to Lake Ontario, it provides intermodal and container terminal services to steamship lines and freight forwarders in Canada and the United States.
Expanding to new capacity
In October 2017, P & W moved to a new, larger terminal due to an expected increase in business. They needed a new lift truck to help load and unload chassis and stack
containers for storage in the bigger yard. So just after they moved, Konecranes delivered a Smart Connected SMV 45 GC5S laden container handler to round off their fleet. The truck helps optimize their operation by improving the flow of cargo through the new facility.
Active in ports and terminals, rail and intermodal, and in the industrial sector, local distributor Strongco has represented Konecranes across most of Canada since 2014. Since then, it has sold 65 Konecranes lift trucks around the country.
P & W has been a customer of theirs for more than 25 years. This time, when Strongco presented the options that
matched their requirements, P & W selected a Konecranes vehicle.
Mark Joczys, Director of P & W Intermodal, says there were several reasons for this choice. “Its compact dimensions and maneuverability were absolutely necessary, due to some of the restricted spaces in the new terminal,” he says. “I was very impressed with its smart connected features, such as load-sensing hydraulics, and fuel savings of over 30% compared with similar machines in my experience.”
In addition, their new laden container handler runs on a powerful 11-liter Cummins engine with full torque, even at low engine speed. This Smart Connected Lift Truck was equipped with TRUCONNECT Premium, which adds tire pressure and shock sensors to standard use data such as fuel usage and eco-driving performance. It also includes the geofencing feature Work Zone, for improved safety and efficiency. Both the superior engine performance and the optimized operational efficiency that comes from TRUCONNECT helped Konecranes stand out from the competition.
Since they started using the lift truck, operators have commented on how fast and strong it is, despite its smaller size and weight. They are also very happy with the comfort of the new C series cabin, the ergonomic design of its instrumentation, and its wide visibility. Mr. Joczys says he’s seen a significant increase in productivity.
Future purchase plans
Now that their fleet has one Konecranes Gen-C model laden container handler, Mr Joczys is very pleased with the equipment, and notes that his overall experience with the company – sales, product and service – has been excellent.
“P & W will need more replacement lift trucks in the future,” he says, “and they will definitely be Konecranes Smart Connected Lift Trucks. They make our business stronger, as we can better utilize our assets and find cost reductions along the way.”
