MultiDocker Material Handlers Boast Increased Efficiency With Caterpillar Components

One of the biggest success factors for a port operator is efficient loading and unloading of a ship’s cargo. Based on experience of its own ships’ long retention period at port and use of machines not suited for the job, a shipping company established their own cargo handling company. The solution was customized material handlers specifically built for ports and terminals made from Caterpillar components.

The story of MultiDocker goes back 35 years; in that time they have continued to develop the machines, aftersales support and service. Today, MultiDocker’s focus is to provide high capacity machines with long-term durability and complementing services for the global marketplace.

“Our machines are tailored to the needs of our customers, with some units highly customized while others are more standardized,” said Simon Österström, North America regional manager at MultiDocker. “The feedback we receive from our customers is that the machines contribute to increased levels of efficiency in loading and unloading as well as provide great visibility and operator control and comfort.”

Hundreds of MultiDocker material handlers operate at ports and terminals around the world.

“Our close cooperation with Caterpillar enables us to reach customers around the world,” he said. “We work with the Caterpillar dealers for sales and service as well as have our own sales team working closely with the dealers. In addition to the dealers’ service, we offer an extended aftersales support to ensure the machines have minimal downtime.”

MultiDocker offers five machine sizes, ranging from 45 to 150 metric tons, and each can be customized to meet different needs. The undercarriage comes with wheel-, rail-, or crawler tracks or fitted on a pedestal. In 2004, MultiDocker was first in the world to design a gantry where trucks can pass below the machine for efficient and safe loading and unloading of the truck’s cargo.

Electrically powered machines are also something MultiDocker was early to build. The company sold its first E-power material handler more than 10 years ago and currently sees an upswing in demand over the last year.

“The increase in demand for electrically powered material handlers is due to both regulations steering the market in that direction, but also companies’ own desire to operate in a more environmentally friendly manner. Changing to a more environmentally friendly energy source also has a positive impact on the work environment” Simon said.

While electrically powered engines are the most common way to switch to more environmentally friendly ways of operating, MultiDocker also works with customers to optimize their logistics flow, change to environmentally friendly fuels such as bio-methanol, and streamlining energy use per ton to reduce the amount of fuel used.