Stertil-Koni has announced that bus manufacturer Build Your Dreams (BYD) has selected and uses Stertil-Koni heavy duty vehicle lifting systems in its 550,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Lancaster, California.
BYD began assembling buses in Lancaster in 2014 in what had previously been a 100,000 square-foot RV manufacturing facility. Today, the upgraded plant is capable of handling the production of as many as 1,500 buses a year, with 750 employees, and is designed for additional expansion as its North American sales continue to rise. BYD builds fully electric transit buses ranging in size from 30’ to 60’, double-decker coaches ranging from 23’ to 45’, and articulated buses that are 60’ in length. The facility is also responsible for final assembly of medium and heavy duty trucks used for cargo handling at ports and railroad yards, refuse collection, and food and package delivery.
In terms of BYD production at the plant, the requirements are exacting. According to Bobby Hill, vice president of sales with BYD’s North America division, “Stertil-Koni lifts are a vital part of our production process, warranty work, and vehicle upgrades. The lifts allow our employees to examine and work on the undercarriage of our vehicles safely.”
The BYD team at the Lancaster location selected the Stertil-Koni ST 1085 cabled Mobile Column Lifts for its facility. These vehicle lifts play an integral role in the manufacturing and inspection of BYD’s clean energy buses. Key features of these lifts include:
- A lifting capacity of 18,500 lbs per column.
- A touch screen control console, known as the ebright Smart Control System, which provides all lifting information at a glance.
- Connectivity that links up to 32 lifts in a single set.
- Extra-long adjustable 14” pick-up forks, which are designed to raise a range of vehicles safely and securely.
- A stringent mechanical locking system for added safety.
- Fast lifting and lowering, requiring only 94 seconds to reach a lifting height of 73”.
At the plant, technicians on the shop floor can quickly and easily place ST 1085 lifts into four- and six-column configurations, with the latter central to the production and inspection of BYD’s extra-long, 60’ articulated buses.
Helping to make it all happen was Southwest Lift & Equipment Inc. (SWL) – a Stertil-Koni distributor based in San Bernardino, California, providing vehicle lifts, shop equipment, and service in the key markets of Southern California and Arizona.
Noted Dean McDonald, president of SWL, “Stertil-Koni Mobile Column Lifts leverage our tremendous company expertise in reliable hydraulic lifting technology – an approach that ensures efficient and smooth lifting with low maintenance – every time. For added safety, the ST 1085 comes with the coveted Gold Label designation from the Automotive Lift Institute (ALI), which certifies that lifts are third-party tested and proven to meet the stringent safety and performance requirements outlined in the safety standard ANSI/ALI ALCTV (current edition).”
Southwest Lift & Equipment and Stertil-Koni have made quite an impression on BYD’s employees, as noted by Hill. “The techs love the lifts. We had some other products here, but what really speaks highly about this lift product is that we continue to get more of them and not order anyone else’s. My preference for lifts has always been Stertil-Koni, and for me personally, I would not buy anything else.”
Concluded Dr. Jean DellAmore, president of Stertil-Koni, “Stertil-Koni is proud to support BYD in its mission to advance the passenger and commercial transportation industry with its advanced electric vehicle technology. For our part, Stertil-Koni strives to bring the very best in vehicle lifting technology every day, thereby ensuring the highest levels of safety, performance, and customer support."
