Day: 10 July 2019

Leading intralogistics automation provider, KNAPP AG, has announced its results for the business year 2018-2019, which it says show another period of solid growth. Order volume exceeded the billion-euro mark for the first time in the company’s history, while net turnover rose by 34.5% to 954 million euros. Profits were also up by an impressive 44.2%, with an EBIT of 65.2 million euros.

48 million euros invested in R&D
The Managing Board – Gerald Hofer (CEO), Franz Mathi (COO) and Christian Grabner (CFO) – expressed delight at a recent press conference held at the group’s headquarters in Hart, close to Austria’s second-largest city, Graz. The board ascribed KNAPP’s ongoing success to continuous investment. In the last year alone, the company invested over 43 million euros in buildings and infrastructure, and a further 48 million in research and development – an increase of 25%. “Innovation and development remain two of KNAPP AG’s main focuses,” confirmed Franz Mathi, COO. “Over the past year we have extended our sites in Leoben and Dobl, and have expanded our capacities in Poland, Slovenia and Croatia, to name but a few. In the future we will invest in expanding our subsidiaries in Austria and around the world – including a new headquarters building in the USA.”

Over 4,500 employees worldwide
KNAPP now has more than 4,500 employees around the world, over 700 more than in the previous year. “As a company, we’re used to constantly evolving and to re-inventing ourselves in certain areas. One major challenge we face is finding the right employees and integrating them in the company,” explained Christian Grabner, CFO. “To help us do so, we have invested in employer branding activities in recent years.” KNAPP offers excellent career prospects in an exciting technical and international environment, with a positive and creative corporate culture and a focus on personal development.

Sustainability
In addition to investing in the development of sustainable intralogistics solutions for clients, KNAPP is committed to sustainable operation at its headquarters and its locations around the globe. One example in the past business year is the ‘KNAPP goes green’ campaign to promote the use of electric vehicles and public transport, which received 1.4 million euros of funding from the company. Over 370 employees are now taking part, with further initiatives in the pipeline. Sustainability has also been demonstrated by the recent installation of a photovoltaic system on the roof of the company headquarters in Hart bei Graz, which has a peak performance of almost 200 kWh. This solar energy not only powers the office buildings, but also 28 charging stations for electric cars.

Outlook and trends
With exceptional growth over the last two years, the outlook for KNAPP could not be brighter – although the company recognizes the need for continued investment in innovation. “In the future we will need to work with highly integrated networks that extend from production all the way to the end customer,” explained Franz Mathi, COO. “There are new technological approaches to this trend that we are using as the basis for our solutions.” Gerald Hofer, CEO, added: “The value creation chains for products and services are constantly changing. It’s vital that we change with them and recognize new trends.”

Pictured are: Knapp’s Managing Board (left to right): Franz Mathi, Gerald Hofer and Christian Grabner

Yale is to exhibit robotics solutions in the UK for the first time at IMHX (24-27 September, NEC Birmingham),
alongside its UK distributor Briggs Equipment. Yale Europe Materials Handling will be displaying a range of solutions for logistics and warehousing applications on stand 19K120.

Yale Brand Manager, Iain Friar, said: “We are excited to return to IMHX, for what promises to be another fascinating showcase of logistics trends, products and services. From robotics to Very Narrow Aisle trucks, pallet trucks to alternative power options, we are looking forward to sharing the latest Yale® solutions for boosting productivity alongside our exclusive UK distributor, Briggs Equipment.”

Yale robotics debut
Yale will display its robotic counterbalance stacker for the first time in the UK since its launch last year.

Yale robotic trucks, driven by Balyo technology, offer a cost-effective solution for applications looking to introduce autonomous technology and reap the benefits of increased uptime and productivity, without the costs associated with installing and maintaining a dedicated physical infrastructure.

There’s no need to bury wires in the floor or mount reflectors on walls: Yale robotic trucks use existing structural features to generate their own map, enabling them to self-locate and navigate in real-time. Yale currently offers customers a choice of three robotic trucks, all with dual-mode capability, allowing them to operate manually or autonomously with the touch of a button.

Alternative power solutions
Alternative power solutions are a rapidly growing aspect of the materials handling industry and Yale will be showcasing a lithium-ion powered version of its award-winning MP20 pedestrian pallet truck at IMHX.

The MP20 pedestrian pallet truck will also be fitted with the precision control tiller head, offering greater control for customers operating in congested spaces without compromising on ergonomics.

Industry experts will be on hand to discuss the challenges and benefits of individual power solutions, helping visitors discover the most appropriate energy sources for their operation.

Maximising space
Visitors with very narrow aisles need look no further than the Yale MTC15 Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) truck. Capable of lifting to 17m, Yale VNA trucks allow warehouse mangers to increase their storage density and ensure all available usable space is being maximised.

From their elevated position, the operator has excellent visibility of the pallet at all times, as well as the ability to perform picking when required. While the speed to weight feature calculates the fastest possible speed for the truck based on the height of the cabin and the weight of the load.

Meeting every logistics need
Yale industry experts take the time to understand the pain points logistics and warehousing operations face, enabling them to develop tailored solutions to address industry specific challenges. By developing close partnerships with its dealers, Yale is able to provide customers with the ideal solution for their application coupled with the support of a knowledgeable and experienced dealer.

Iain Friar concluded: “We’re looking forward to welcoming new and existing customers to the Yale stand in September. Both Yale and Briggs Equipment UK pride themselves on understanding customers’ industries inside out and we hope to demonstrate how our combined expertise can help applications maximise their productivity without compromising on ergonomics or total cost of ownership.”

For further information on the range of Yale materials handling equipment visit www.yale.com.