Linde has conducted a week-long training and development event for its Middle Eastern dealers.
The conference took place at the Dubai training centre of Linde’s primary GCC partner, FAMCO.
Those in attendance participated in educational seminars, and were also given hands-on time to compare a Linde H30D forklift with three rival models.
“The H30D’s hydrostatic transmission system means that the forklift’s controls are much simpler than those of other manufacturers,” explained David Dronfield, general manager of FAMCO’s Storage & Handling Solutions Division.
“This maximises the operator’s ability to see what’s happening in his or her vicinity, and the whole operation becomes more efficient. It’s 16% quicker to unload a forty-foot-equivalent truck using the H30D than it is with a conventional machine. This means the operator has 16% more time to increase his productivity.
“Moreover, the engine is smaller than that of any competitor. The hydrostatic system means that there’s no gearbox, no torque convertor, and no differential. You don’t get the same drivetrain losses that you do with other forklifts. It’s like having a car with just an engine; there are no mechanical areas to lose power, so it requires a smaller engine, which in turn, necessitates less fuel,” he added.
In addition to its own regional salespeople, FAMCO welcomed authorised Linde dealers from other GCC countries and Iran. During the course of the week-long event, the German manufacturer’s local channel partners were instructed on how best to communicate the cost-related benefits offered by Linde machines.
Attendees were shown a bespoke sales tool developed by FAMCO’s Omani branch, which is designed to calculate the exact savings that end users can achieve with Linde machines. The tool uses customers’ own estimates to take them through the H30D’s total cost of ownership (TCO). The idea is that by calculating potential savings for themselves, customers will be convinced to pay a premium price for Linde equipment at the outset.
“A Linde H30D costs approximately AED115,000 ($31,000), whereas comparable models from our competitors are around the AED100,000 ($27,000) mark,” said Dronfield.
“Based on average usage in the UAE, this price difference will be earned back in around five months. After that, the customer is making money, compared to if he had chosen a different brand. What’s more, this will remain the case for the entire lifetime of the machine,” he concluded.
