Steelbro targets Sidelifter sales at Scandinavia

Steelbro Sidelifters are used extensively at Gothenburg to distribute containers to and from the container port. In-bound containers are placed by straddle carriers in a specially designated loading area, and picked up when a Sidelifter unit becomes available.

While skeletal-only units must wait for a straddle carrier to become available before they can load their containers, the dedicated Sidelifter lane gives trucks a fast and easy exit from the port. Operators can save up to two hours’ waiting time during busy periods, according to Steelbro.

One company reaping the benefits of the system is BIB Transport, which delivers containers for Gothenburg-based logistics company Logistik Partner. Most containers are delivered within a 2–3-hour radius of the port. They can be picked up quickly at the dedicated loading area and then deposited at the doorstep of the import company for unloading, without the need for any additional machinery.

The region is a rapidly growing market for Sidelifter technology, with Steelbro Scandinavia reporting a 50% increase in sales so far this year. According to Steelbro distributor Ulf Hallqvist, Scandinavia is a relatively mature market for Sidelifters, with Swedish versions dating back to 1962, but there is still plenty of room for growth.

“The market for Sidelifters is growing everywhere in the world; it is the cheapest and most versatile equipment for placing containers on the ground. Our customers are always finding new ways to use the technology,” said Hallqvist.

“There is no other way of delivering and retrieving containers that matches the accuracy and precision of Sidelifter technology. For sole transport operators through to fleet managers and logistics companies, there is nothing as cost-effective or as efficient as a Sidelifter.”