Comparison of Chinese and Korean forklifts

We all know the proverb that everything is learned by comparison. How can you compare equipment right away if it is from different sellers and each one praises their product? Sklad.ru has a unique opportunity to provide such a comparative analysis to its clients and partners at our central warehouse. Today in our review we will look at two renowned manufacturers that are in the top 20 in the industry for the production of forklifts. Our first protege is called GROS and is produced at the Anhui Heli Co., Ltd. plant. in the heavens. The plant ranks 10th in the world ranking in terms of revenue and produces 85,000 loaders per year, which is comparable in production volume only to TOYOTA. As an opponent we take a loader from the Korean manufacturer HYUNDAI, which is located in 16th place in the same world ranking.

Design

While we haven’t delved into comparing technical characteristics, let’s compare the loaders visually.
The Hyundai forklift has a modern design compared to GROS. But remembering that it is needed exclusively for work in a warehouse and production, and not for trips to a nightclub, the appearance recedes into the background.

Convenient entry into the operator's cab

First of all, we pay attention to the rational arrangement of the workspace and visibility for the operator. The control levers of the GROS loader are located on the front panel, which allows the operator to easily take his place when entering the cabin from any side. Hyundai's hydraulic control levers interfere with landing on the right side. Although there are open steps on either side of the forklifts.

We climb into the operator's cabin

What is striking is that GROS loaders do not have any panel covering the levers passing behind the pedals.
Is this method of reducing the cost of equipment justified or not? Time has shown that yes, apart from “aesthetics” this does not affect the operation and reliability of the loader in any way. An example of this is the immortal Nissan loaders of the old “Z” series, which also had “uncovered places”, but could withstand the operating hours of the hour meter in the second round. In addition, the plastic on the Hyundai panel is fragile and easily breaks during operation. Try to break the iron panel at Gros. The situation is similar with hoods; Hyundai has it made of plastic, while Gros has an iron one. For our customers, the less plastic in special equipment, the better. And this is an indisputable fact. The photographs below show what decorative plastic turns into in production. Both forklifts have seats with armrests and a seat belt.

No. 3 Linde forklift

View in the catalog

Linde forklifts are used by consumers in various industries.

Machines with increased cabin height are used by companies producing various beverages.

For foundries, lifting mechanisms are produced that have varying degrees of protection from exposure to very high temperatures.

Lifting equipment of this brand is also used in paper production. Models are equipped with devices that prevent paper fibers from wrapping around the rotating parts of the loader.

A new Linde electric forklift with a capacity of 1.8 tons costs between 600,000 and 700,000 rubles.

You can buy a used electric machine for less than 450,000 rubles.

Ease of installation of attachments

Experts will not let you lie that there are manufacturers who supply loaders with non-separable hydraulic valves. And if you need to install a roll gripper on a loader, then you need to change the hydraulic distributor from a two-section to a four-section, because Two functions are added to the loader: opening the paws and rotating the gripper. Therefore, the client pays immediately for 4 sections. Gros and Hyundai loaders have solved this problem because... the hydraulic distributor is stacked and the number of sections can be increased from 2 to 4 by installing them to the main distributor. It's faster, more convenient and cheaper.

No. 2 Hyundai forklift

View in the catalog

Hyundai's range of forklifts includes warehouse, port and industrial vehicles.

They are capable of performing lifting operations with loads weighing between 1 and 5 tons.

This explains the demand for this company’s forklifts for lifting, storing or unloading rolls, palletized goods, containers and goods in non-standard packaging.

Prices for new diesel forklifts with a lifting capacity of 5 tons are 2,000,000 - 2,200,000 rubles.

A used diesel fuel lifting machine with a lifting capacity of 2000 kg can be purchased at a price of 1,200,000 - 1,300,000 rubles.

Maneuverability and performance

Let's compare overall dimensions and turning radius

The characteristics are identical and meet international standards. The loader made in China is inferior to the Korean in terms of ground clearance (clearance), 145mm for Hyundai versus 135mm for Gros. It is likely that this figure is justified by the “racing” characteristics of the GROS loader. Comparing the speed indicators of both movement and raising/lowering the forks with and without a load, the Chinese take the lead with its fiery heart in the person of the most common diesel engine Xinchai C490.

No. 1 Komatsu forklift

View in the catalog

Komatsu forklifts are used in a variety of warehouse environments with multi-bay racking, as well as in open areas. These machines are very convenient when performing lifting and unloading operations on road, rail and other types of transport.

Often, loaders of this brand supply products to the transport line and transport them from the conveyor at enterprises that produce building materials.

The cost of a new Komatsu diesel loader with a lifting capacity of 5 tons is 1,300,000 - 1,400,000 rubles.

A used loader with a diesel engine with a lifting capacity of 1.5 tons costs around 500,000 rubles.

Destroys stereotypes

The Chinese always offer a cheap product, this is embedded deep in the subconscious of our consumer, it has become so familiar, but why?
We saved on quality – competitors say with despair. They are deceiving, let's figure it out. The Chinese Anhui Forklift plant itself produces drive axles and gearboxes, which are supplied not only for the needs of its own equipment, but also to other loader manufacturers in China and Europe (HYSTER, YALE). The plant also produces counterweights and attachments for other manufacturers in China and Japan. We could go on and on, but there is only one conclusion – the loader manufacturer GROS makes the vast majority of components itself and is a supplier to other manufacturers. Every Chinese forklift has a piece of Gros forklift in it. Tell me, would other famous players in this market install a deliberately “bad product” on their equipment, we think not. It's time to put aside preconceived notions and understand that the economic benefits of purchasing a GROS loader are justified by a competent engineering and production approach.

No.4 Heli forklift

View in the catalog

Heli forklifts, working with loads weighing up to 5 tons, are used with great success in low-temperature rooms, in rooms for storing cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, department stores and supermarkets, as well as in closed storage racks.

Heavy-duty vehicles with a lifting capacity of up to 16 tons are used for lifting and unloading operations in port areas.

New diesel models with a carrying capacity of 1.5 tons are sold at a price of 500,000 - 600,000 rubles.

Used forklifts can be bought for 250,000 – 350,000 rubles.

No. 5 Mitsubishi forklift

View in the catalog

Mitsubishi forklifts equipped with a low-noise diesel engine are characterized by low-emission emissions, but they are most often used on mounted platforms or open warehouses.

To operate such a loader in a closed warehouse, powerful forced ventilation is required.

For work in enclosed spaces, electric forklifts that do not have harmful exhaust gases are best suited.

You can buy a new Mitsubishi forklift with a diesel engine with a lifting capacity of 2.5 tons at a price of 850,000 - 950,000 rubles.

Used diesel lifting equipment with the same lifting capacity will cost 600,000 - 700,000 rubles.

Let us remind you that forklifts are supplied with an internal combustion engine and an electric drive.

You can buy any of the loaders in this review by simply submitting a request from the website. All loaders are in stock - fast delivery to any region of Russia is possible.

HELI technology in action. Reviews and opinions

In our magazine we have already talked about the Chinese brand HELI and, which is currently the exclusive distributor of this lifting equipment in Russia. In the past year, the company achieved good results, and in 2005 it plans to go further, mastering new frontiers. Due to the fact that more and more clients from Russian regions are choosing to purchase HELI equipment, the issue of creating a wide dealer network for its sale has become urgent.

Strong partnerships have already been established in such large Russian cities as St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Voronezh, etc. In the coming year, the strategic development plans of ForkLiftService include the opening of its representative offices in the Southern, Volga, Ural and Siberian Autonomous Okrugs .

It should be noted that the long-time dealer in the North-Western District in 2004 supplied HELI handling equipment to such large enterprises as Oktyabrsky Railways (a branch of JSC Russian Railways), JSC Kombinat im. Stepan Razin", Gatchina Feed Mill, etc., where it works successfully, which confirms its reliability and ability to withstand even round-the-clock loads. You can talk a lot about the advantages of HELI lifting and transport equipment, but much more convincing are the reviews of people who have been working with equipment of this brand for several years and have managed to form their own opinion about it.

• Andrey Viktorovich Voronin, head of the supply department of Pallet Trade LLC (HELI loaders with a lifting capacity of 1.8 to 3 tons are in operation):

– Our company has been on the market since 1998 and is engaged in the manufacture of pallets and the supply of new and used pallets to the largest enterprises in Russia, such as Danone, Compina Frutti, Tulpivo, Yarpivo, etc. Necessity to create a fleet of lifting equipment arose from the very beginning of the company's foundation. Currently, three loaders are involved in the production of new pallets, one of which - a 3.5 tonne HELI - has been running without failure for about 8 months, and everyone is happy with this machine. Each of our new warehouses appears with enviable frequency - once every six months, and in total in Moscow we currently have seven warehouses for used pallets, and loaders work at each of them. We were prompted to purchase HELI equipment, firstly, by the price, and secondly, by the fact that these machines were originally produced under license from a Japanese company, known for its quality and selectivity in choosing partners. So, when we bought a loader, we already trusted these machines. And our expectations were met.

Recently, the company has purchased two more HELI machines: for the construction of the overpass - a 2.5-tonne loader in a carriage version, equipped with a free-lift mast, and a 1.8-tonne model, which is currently working in the main warehouse. It should be noted that all cars are equipped with a convenient gearbox, which our employees highly praise, and also note the service - the pricing policy in terms of service is quite humane, which does not in any way affect its quality. In my opinion, the quality of service is quite high: the specialists are technically competent and come to us according to the maintenance schedule, although so far there have been no equipment failures. We hope there won't be any in the future.

If we talk about Chinese technology, we can add the following. About 25 years ago, Russia was saturated with high-quality Chinese goods. Later, after the Chinese government introduced liberalization of the country’s economy, many low-quality goods and counterfeits under well-known brands appeared, which poured into our market during the years of “perestroika.” Today, as everyone knows, the Chinese government has "tightened the screws" against counterfeits and the like, which is undermining the country's reputation, and its economy is returning to its former traditions. HELI is a high-quality product that appeared after all the economic disasters that happened in China. We are now planning to purchase two hydraulic trolleys of this brand.

• Alexander Borisovich Rybak-Kuchinsky, warehouse manager at Skvirel LLC (a 2.5-ton HELI diesel loader is in operation):

- has existed on the Moscow market for four years and provides direct supplies of Italian tiles to the Russian market. We have had a need for a loader since the company was founded. Initially, a Bulgarian forklift was running in the warehouse, already in use, and a lot of money had to be invested in maintaining it in working condition. As soon as the company made a profit, the question arose about purchasing a new machine. In principle, cost plays a huge role in making the final decision on the choice of equipment, since the minimum prices on the Moscow market for new two- to three-ton machines vary from 23 thousand USD and above. ForkLiftService, unlike other Moscow companies, provides fairly reasonable price options and favorable leasing conditions. True, the country of origin of the loader was initially alarming, but then, given that only the assembly is Chinese, and the main components were made in Japan, it was finally decided to buy equipment of this particular brand.

Today, we are quite satisfied with the work of the service employees, since routine maintenance is provided in a timely manner. We hope that in the future our relationship with ForkLiftService will not change for the worse, and we will continue our successful cooperation with this company.

• Igor Yuryevich Zanin, senior engineer of the technical service of Expovesttrans CJSC (a diesel 10-ton HELI loader is in operation):

– The specific nature of the work during the installation and dismantling of exhibition exhibits involves working with large-sized cargo, which naturally requires the presence of a machine with a larger carrying capacity on the territory of the exhibition complex. When approaching the question of choosing a loader, we mainly focused on price: the cost of the HELI model is much less than that of other companies for Japanese loaders, and the quality is no worse.

The loader has been serving us well for a year and a half now. During this time, we also had to work with loads weighing over 10 tons. With the center of gravity shifting, we were able to unload approximately 20 tons of equipment, which was previously extremely difficult. Even after this work, the hydraulic connections remained dry, which indicates the good quality of the loader. In addition, the design of this machine turned out to be so simple that our mechanics were able to independently carry out routine maintenance and did not encounter any problems. And in the future, when purchasing lifting and transport equipment, we will give preference to the HELI brand, because we know that the quality of this equipment is quite high.

In conclusion of the brief review, we would like to add that, taking into account numerous positive reviews from consumers of HELI lifting and transport equipment, we decided to arrange the supply of a full range of equipment for the warehouse produced by the Anhui Forklift Truck Group Corporation. In the future, on the pages of our magazine we will continue to introduce readers to new HELI products supplied to the Russian market.

Information provided (Moscow). For questions regarding purchasing equipment, please contact:

By phone

Website: www.fls.ru