The Samuk 45D lifting cars at Auto Renovations.

Car loading company Auto Renovations selected a Samuk forklift to replace its 15-year-old Linde because the Chinese-made forklift gives a variety of cars a smooth progressive lift.

Samuk chairman Sir Neville Bowman-Shaw says the Samuk 45D, which originally lifts 4.5 tonnes (9,920.8lbs) at a 500mm (1.6-foot) load centre, had to be re-rated with a load centre of 900mm (3.0 feet).

"Load centre is important," Bowman-Shaw says.

"It is like a handbag on your arm. If you hold it near your elbow, it is easy. Move it out to the wrist, then it is very heavy. Same thing with a forklift and it tips up."

For Auto Renovations, the Samuk 45D's load centre was re-rated to 900mm and the payload reduced to 3.25 tonnes (7,165.0lbs) with a safety factor of 55%. That meant the forklift could lift up to 55% more than 3.25 tonnes (7,165.0lbs) before overbalancing or tipping over.

The new diesel counterbalanced forklift is equipped with an "all-weather cab" and heating and ventilation system.

Auto Renovations director Paul Seymour says the previous forklift had an open cab, making it unpleasant to operate in bad weather conditions.

"It was also becoming harder to repair and certify, so we looked at a number of different products available on the market."

Auto Renovations handles stolen-recovered and accident-damaged cars, some so damaged they can't be driven.

The Rochester-based company is in the process of registering its forklift for operation on public highways so it can travel on trucks and assist in loading cars at the scene of road traffic accidents.

The Samuk 45D, which will perform about 50 vehicle movements seven days a week, is expected to serve Auto Renovations for 10 years. Britannia Fork Trucks, the dealer that delivered the Samuk, will be servicing the truck.

Separately, Samuk representatives will be visiting China for a Hangcha dealer conference on October 10.

Bowman-Shaw is enthusiastic about the conference he calls "the first major conference" for Hangcha dealers.

"This up and coming forklift company is destined to be one of the top 10 worldwide ... the conference will surprise many first-time Western visitors."

The UK dealer expects to release forklift models with capacities larger than 16.0 tonnes (35,274.0lbs) at 1,200mm (3.9-foot) load centres in 2008.