Kennett Apiaries owner Josh Kennett thinks Schaffer loaders are the bee’s knees. When he needed to add another loader to his range, there was only one company he had in mind
Kennett Apiaries is a family-owned business that produces honey for the retail and bulk honey markets, as well as providing pollination services.
To say the company was buzzing with its latest delivery would be an understatement.
Schaffer Loaders recently customised and delivered a new 2430 loader to the business – the first of its kind in Australia.
Time for an upgrade
A mid-sized producer based in Cooke Plains, South Australia, Kennett Apiaries currently has 1,300 hives and millions of bees.
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Speaking to Earthmovers & Excavators, owner Josh Kennett says his company’s need for a larger loader led him to Schaffer. He has since sourced two machines from the company.
“When I first started beekeeping we used to build our own forklifts out of old Daihatsus and things like that,” he explains.
“As I got bigger I needed to upgrade from that so I Googled around and I came across Schaffer.
“I gave [Schaffer manager Cameron Moir] a call and he ran me through all the different sizes. I settled on a 2034 as my first loader and I’ve been very happy with it.”
Running a business with a niche focus, Kennett required a custom machine, and Schaffer was able to provide it.
“The forks and the back of the forks are different sizes. I’ve got two sets of forks,” Kennet explains.
“They’ve been made to order for the pallets so they’re the right size for both the hives when I move them around as well as for collecting the honey and things like that. Schaffer has been good in that they will customise them to the size that you need.
“They’ve got a standard hitch that they use, so I just told them what width and what height forks I needed and they were more than happy to adjust things to my specifications.”
For Kennett’s first loader, the custom work, including the installation of a crane mount, was carried out in Schaffer’s factory in Germany.
“With the first loader I had some options put on,” Kennett recalls.
“I wanted a mounting spot put on it so I could put on a beehive lifting crane.
“This time – for the new 2430 – they did most of the customisation locally in Schaffer’s Perth workshop.”
Schaffer recently customised and delivered a new 2430 loader, the first of its kind in Australia, to Kennett Apiaries. Image: Schaffer
Increased capacity and capability
When asked for his thoughts on the new loader, Kennett simply says: “I love it.
“This new one’s a little bit different – I wanted a higher lift capacity, so I’ve gone with this model.
“It’s got more lifting capacity but not quite as much height capacity, so I’ve gone for the different model [the 2430], which gives me a couple of extra kilos lifting,” he adds.
Kennett highlights the smooth operation of the new loader.
“Everything’s been upgraded,” he says.
“It’s really smooth and it’s been a good unit so far. It’s pretty economical. It’s all on one joystick so that’s handy as well.
“It’s very similar to the old one. I really like the way the loaders work. I like the way they articulate. They’ve got a good grip on the ground because they’ve got that articulation joint in the middle, which is really good.”
Kennett says the customer service and aftersales care he’s received from the Schaffer team has also been a standout experience.
“Cam and the guys at Schaffer have been really good,” he says.
“They always answer my calls and they go out of their way to try to help me out. All the service stuff they send over to me so I can service it myself. I’d always buy another Schaffer over anything else.”
Massive lift
Schaffer Loaders Australia sales manager Robert Thompson says the 2430 sits in the middle of Schaffer’s current range of machinery.
“This is the first 2430 to be sold in Australia. It has a shorter mast, giving it a massive lift capacity,” he says.
While Schaffer is no stranger to custom orders, Thompson says they don’t have many “bee guys”.
“Some shires have asked for custom machines as they do a lot of hours per week,” he explains.
“It can include pipe bust/over centre valves on all cylinders. The first Schaffer we provided to Kennett had a customised roof so they could mount a beehive lifting crane on it.
“This new 2430 doesn’t really have a lot of customising but it is awesome as is – it has very wide tyres for traction, a 2.3m pivot point, oscillation of the articulation joint – so the bees get a more comfortable ride and so does the operator,” he says.
When asked about the yellow paintwork rather than Schaffer’s traditional red, Thompson explains that Schaffer decided a few years ago to paint its agricultural range red and its construction range yellow.
“As Australia generally takes the construction range, we will gradually go to yellow,” he says.
“However, some customers still want red as they have always owned it and always liked that colour, so some machines will still be red.”
When asked what makes customers keep coming back for more Schaffer machines, Thompson says it’s the quality of the build which makes them long-lived investments.
“Many customers have owned their machines for well over 10 years and are only now buying a new one.
“One customer in Margaret River just purchased his second and his original has been operating for 16 years.”