Lilly Forklift Blog

Ram Tool Customer Success Story

Written by John Wofford | Jul 31, 2020 3:15:00 PM

On an average day, Ram tool makes 2,500+ free deliveries. Thousands of work crews rely on Ram Tool for the supplies they need to stay safe and productive.

With so many moving parts (pun intended), downtime is never an option for Ram Tool. When Ram asked for help improving their forklift fleet's reliability, we were happy to provide a simple solution that improved reliability and reduced maintenance expenses.

Forklift Fleet Management Solutions

Ram Tool is one of the largest privately held companies in Birmingham, Alabama. They have 43 locations in 16 states, including Mississippi and our home state of Tennessee. All told, Ram Tool stocks a mind-boggling 1.6 million+ line items.

With that kind of volume, a small problem can quickly snowball into a massive headache. Ram's customers include general contractors, plumbers, electricians, HVAC teams and other businesses that need product ASAP. In fact, 92 percent of Ram Tool’s orders get delivered within 12 hours.

Unfortunately, several malfunctioning forklifts were causing a big problem. 

Their (mostly used) forklift fleet couldn’t keep up with Ram’s thriving business. While used forklifts make sense for some material handling operations, they weren’t cost-effective for Ram Tool’s high-throughput business.

Sandra Martin, Ram Tool’s corporate fleet manager, contacted The Lilly Company looking for ideas. Lilly sales professional Stephen Davis and sales manager Carl Adams worked closely with Sandra to understand Ram’s operation.

After analyzing their usage patterns and business goals, the team developed a solution to Ram Tool’s warehouse woes. One of the most effective solutions was to phase out Ram’s hodgepodge of forklift brands. By gradually adding new Clark forklifts to their fleet, Ram built a more reliable fleet and saved money by streamlining maintenance costs.

“Stephen has become a valuable resource for us!” said corporate fleet manager Sandra Martin. “The Lilly Company staff has been warm, friendly, accommodating as well as knowledgeable! They are the best I’ve ever had!”

Thank you, Sandra! We’re honored to have “nailed it” for you and Ram Tool!

Check out Ram Tool’s Clark forklifts hard at work in their Service Superhero video below:

Ram Tool and The Lilly Company continue to enjoy a successful partnership. In addition to resolving Ram Tool’s forklift issues, Stephen Davis helped Ram Tool solve other operational issues including warehouse storage, safety training, and equipment service.

“Stephen worked hard to help us find the right service providers to keep our fleet maintained in areas that fall outside the coverage area for The Lilly Company,” said Sandra Martin. “He also helped us in the design and implementation of racking for some of our branch locations.”

Invested in Your Success

The Lilly Company is committed to providing customers with innovative products and helpful advice. Let us know what problems you’re trying to solve, and our friendly and experienced experts will help you find the best solution.

We’re an authorized dealer for Toyota, Clark, Linde, and Komatsu forklifts and serve customers throughout Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and eastern Arkansas.  

Please contact us  online or by phone 844-LILLYCO (1-844-545-5926) with any questions you have about new or used forklifts. Or come say hello at one of our 13 locations:

Arkansas - Jonesboro
Alabama - Birmingham, Dothan, Irondale, Madison, Mobile, and Montgomery
Mississippi - Belden and Richland
Tennessee - Jackson, Kingsport, Knoxville, and Memphis 

Read More Customer Success Stories
Roll Tide! Why Toyota forklifts were a perfect match for the University of Alabama 
Imerys and The Mountain of Marble
The Sweet Business of Sweet Potato Farming