Kalmar Service Heroes: Andy Ward, UK

"I've thoroughly enjoyed my time at the company," Andy notes. "I love the variety of jobs from day to day, whether it's a simple oil leak or doing a software update on a Programmable Logic Controller. But my favourites are probably the 'rope machines', the straddles and RTGs, just because the work is a bit more varied and complex."

Less can be more

One of Andy's key clients is Maritime Transport, the UK's leading provider of integrated road and rail freight logistics. The company's East Midlands Gateway Rail Freight Terminal operates a fleet of 3 Kalmar reachstackers for intermodal container handling tasks, and today Andy's schedule finds him working on some Kalmar DRG450 Eco reachstackers. Having decades of hands-on experience and a keen eye for solutions can pay off in countless ways – sometimes even as repairs that don't need to be done. Andy also generously shares his wealth of knowledge and experience, playing a key role in developing newer and younger engineers on the team.

"See this?" Andy asks, pointing to a small pressure and temperature sensor removed from the exhaust system of a reachstacker. "This sensor often gets clogged over time, causing the engine control unit to report a diagnostic trouble code for the diesel particulate filter, which is an expensive component. But 99% of the time there's actually no need to replace the DPF, as all it needs is for this sensor to be cleaned. Just by knowing this, we've been saving our customers thousands of pounds by avoiding part replacements that would have been unnecessary."

On – and off – the road

Alongside his work on Kalmar's horizontal transportation equipment and cranes, Andy's expertise in high-performance motors also extends to his free time. "I have two favourite hobbies, the first of which is jet skiing," he says. "In my younger days, I actually used to race jet skis in the British championships, but these days I just enjoy my time out. There's nothing better than being out on the water in beautiful summer weather."

Andy's other passion is high-performance cars. "My current 'whip' is an Audi RS6 with a V10 twin-turbo engine rated at nearly 600 horsepower," he says. "It's actually the same engine they have in some of the Lamborghinis, so it's really got some 'go'. But it can be a bit of an expensive hobby, though!" Andy adds with a laugh.

Trusted collaborator

Andy's long experience has made him an invaluable partner for numerous terminal operators across the UK. "There are a lot of customers who know that when Andy pulls up on site, the machines are going to get fixed," says Oliver Clark, Northern UK Service Manager at Kalmar. "We actually have several customers who have told us that they have chosen to buy Kalmar machines because they know the service they're going to get from Andy and our other guys in the area."

"I have a very good relationship with all of my customers, which I've built up over many years," Andy adds. "We have a lot of fun in the workplace, working safely together but also having a bit of light banter and enjoying our time while getting the job done. And they know they can always rely on me when they have a problem!"