Across Victoria’s busy suburban retail landscape, Michael’s IGA operates in an environment where efficiency is non-optional. With stock constantly on the move, the right equipment plays a quiet but critical role in keeping daily operations running smoothly.
Established in 1995, Michael’s IGA has grown into a multi-site retail network spanning supermarkets, a freestanding liquor outlet and fresh food formats. Behind the scenes, loading docks, storerooms and shop floors are in near-constant motion, placing persistent demands on materials handling equipment.
For General Manager Domenic D’Agostino, maintaining consistency and reliability across multiple locations became increasingly important as the business expanded.
Re-thinking Equipment for a Growing Operation
“I wasn’t entirely happy with what we were using at the time, particularly around service levels and longevity,” he explains. “I began to reassess how equipment supported the team day-to-day. That’s when I started looking at making a change.”
In 2014, this led to a partnership with Linde Material Handling, marking a shift away from manual handling towards electric equipment across the business.
The initial transition included electric pallet trucks and the introduction of a Linde E20 electric forklift and Linde T16 pallet truck, laying the groundwork for a broader shift towards electric equipment across the network.
Building the Right Fleet Over Time
Today, that fleet forms the backbone of daily operations across every Michael’s IGA site. “We’re unloading trucks, loading returns, and moving pallets throughout the store all day, every day,” says Domenic. “In some of our larger stores, the equipment is pretty much in continuous use.”
As the business continued to grow, so did the need to match equipment more closely to different store environments.
“In some locations, we were originally relying on manual pallet jacks,” Domenic explains. “I made the decision to move towards electric to improve ease of use, safety, and reduce how labour-intensive the work was for our team.”
The impact was clear. “We certainly don’t go through as many manual pallet jacks as we used to,” Domenic says. “From an OH&S perspective, it makes life much easier. You’re not pulling heavy pallets around, and tasks that once required two people can now be done by one.”
Simplifying Operations with Electric Pallet Jacks
As more electric equipment was introduced, Domenic also focused on finding solutions that were easier to manage consistently across multiple sites.
“I moved away from other models and started using the Linde MT15s,” he says. “They’re more nimble, easier to manage, and the opportunity charging was a big factor for us.”
In a retail environment where equipment isn’t always charged consistently between shifts, that flexibility has proven valuable.
“You don’t have to worry about whether they’ve been put on the charger correctly,” Domenic explains. “They’re simply easier to manage operationally.”
With a compact design and maintenance-free batteries, the MT15 electric pallet truck has proven well suited to the realities of supermarket operations.
Introducing Baoli to Meet Specific Site Requirements
More recently, Michael’s IGA added the Baoli ER15 walkie stacker to its fleet to meet the specific needs of one site.
The team required a reach truck capable of handling defined lift heights within a mezzanine and racking configuration, while still being compact enough to operate efficiently in a confined space.
“We were previously using competitor units, but I found that Baoli offered far better pricing for an equivalent machine,” Domenic says. “Same features, same reach, same side shift–everything we needed. It ticked all the boxes.”
The Baoli ER15 delivered the required performance in a more compact footprint, while allowing the business to remain within its existing Linde relationship.
“The ER15 was slightly more compact, which suited our setup perfectly,” Domenic adds. “We had very specific requirements, and the unit met them effortlessly.”
A Considered Approach to Equipment Selection
With extensive experience across multiple equipment types and store environments, Domenic encourages other retailers to take the time to explore their options.
“If someone was considering switching, I’d say definitely have a look at Baoli and consider what’s out there,” Domenic says. “There are always alternatives in the market—it’s about finding what works best for your operation.”
If you’re needing assistance in improving materials handling efficiencies within your business, whether on one site or across multiple sites contact Linde today.