What We Do
We help you to achieve the most appropriate materials handling solution for your application with down-to-earth and practical answers avoiding high costs and unnecessary complications. Our support will ensure that you maintain your competitive advantage through space, cost and time savings.
Our Specialist Abilities
- Handling long and awkward loads efficiently and safely.
- Making more effective use of your available space.
- Speeding up operations and dramatically reduce materials handling time.
- Creating innovative accessories & products specific to your needs.
- Low running costs and exceptional reliability
With over 60 years’ experience, we are leading specialists in the design and manufacture of Multi Directional Lift Trucks offering class leading material handling solutions.
Every dimension is carefully chosen for you!
We never manufacture a standard truck so your new Sidetracker forklift is a bespoke design for your aisle, load, racking and terrain. This perfect fit makes your operation more efficient, safe and effective.
Where trucks aren’t the best solution, we offer many other material handling solutions such as Special Powered Pallet Trolleys and Material Handling Platforms. All of these born through our customers needs.
The History of Sidetracker Engineering
Celebrating over 60 years of manufacturing in the UK, Sidetracker Sideloaders are still at the forefront of innovation and reliability when it comes to moving long and awkward loads and is now proudly managed by the grandson of the founder.
Working for the Production Engineering Research Association in the 1950s on projects to improve productivity, Chairman Peter Dobson saw a need for efficient materials handling equipment in factories, particularly where long loads were involved. Eventually, he patented designs for a multi-directional transport system and then in 1963 formed the company. The first trucks, built part-time in an old stable, were un-powered models which had to be pushed. They improved the model by incorporating a multi-wheel design which allowed them to move sideways as well as forwards and backwards.
In 2022 Sidetracker became part of the Penny Engineering allowing increased resources and investment. Penny Engineering also designs and manufacturers of niche material handling products such as cranes, goods lifts, winch systems and bespoke products for the nuclear-decommissioning industry.
Accreditations
Sidetracker Engineering believe in delivering the highest standard of product and service to our customers. We pride ourselves on the various accreditations we have received in this pursuit.
Emergency Repair
We understand that when your machine is down it’s costing you money, so minimising your downtime is paramount to our service and support team.
The Sidetracker service team enjoys a first fix rate of over 98%, with over 94% of breakdowns fixed within 4 hours of arrival on-site.
Case Study
Stemcor
Stemcor accidentally dropped 1.3 tonnes of steel stock onto their Sidetracker from their cranes, which hit the two load bearing decks forcing them to floor level and splintering the front castor wheels. We were we contacted at 9:30 and arrived on site at 10:55 a.m. and the Sidetracker was up and running again by 2p.m.
This included replacing the front castor wheels, checking and adjusting the reach carriage, refitting the top covers and resetting the four way switches. Suffice to say Stemcor made it very clear how impressed they were.
Case Study
Abram Pulman
Abram Pulman suffered a devastating flood in 2016 with water levels in their works above head height. As well as inundating the works, the Sidetracker trucks on-site were also submerged.
One was running again on the first day of attendance, with all four up and running by the third day of attendance. As well as being a testament to our service engineers, it reflected the strength and simplicity of Sidetracker trucks, the lack of electronics helping towards a fast fix.
Design & Manufacture Quality
Reliability, capability and safety have always been at the forefront of our design and development ever since our start in 1963. We continuously develop and improve our products with these three factors in mind to maximise efficiency and minimise downtime.
Sidetracker has held ISO 9001 certification for over 20 years.
Construction
A 50mm thick solid steel chassis, giving enormous strength with a low centre of gravity.
Masts
Manufactured to any lift height in single, duplex, triple or quadruple designs and in special configurations.
Forks
Can be supplied to any length, mounted in pairs or in multiple combinations with any spread width. Where diverse loads are handled, efficiency has improved with a powered fork spread allowing the operator to adjust the fork position to the optimum width at any lift height without leaving the cab.
They are designed to tilt whilst keeping the mast vertical, this minimises deration whilst retaining close proximity of the mast to the stock.
Stability Indicator
The combined effect of load weight and load centre is shown on a zone coloured indicator in reference to the trucks maximum safe capacity in the direction of the forks.
Power System
The latest specification of Schabmuller A/C motor is used complete with a Zapi controller giving immediate on-demand power up to a maximum of 17.6 kw (23.6HP). This achieves simplicity and reliability with digital diagnostics for truck servicing or repair.
All this results in very low running costs and exceptional reliability.
Transmission
Very powerful and robust hydrostatic units directly coupled to the wheels so that there is no gear box to go wrong or diminish performance. Speed and tractive effort can be varied to suit installation requirements.
Two Braking Systems
The hydrostatic transmission provides very efficient reverse power braking and is supplemented by an equally effective, independent and self adjusting hydraulic disc brake system.
Power Steering
Power assisted steering incorporating all the latest overload protection and kickback features giving light and synchronised steering in all situations.
TESTIMONIALS
Don’t just take our word for it
Made in Britain
Celebrating over 60 years of manufacturing in the UK, Sidetracker Sideloaders are still at the forefront of innovation and reliability when it comes to moving long and awkward loads and is now proudly managed by the grandson of the founder.
