14 February, 2023

More in Cold Store with Combi-WR

Posted on 14 February, 202325 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Warehouse space does not come cheap, but for frozen and chilled products companies, the cold store costs per m² are even higher compared to ambient facilities. Maximising capacity should therefore be a priority in the existing footprint as well as in new builds, and this is exactly what Jordan International Transport set out to do with the design of its new purpose built storage facility in Moy, Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland. From here the company transports frozen and chilled fish and seafood to all of Ireland, the UK and mainland Europe on a daily basis.

Growth was a major driver for the decision to build the warehouse and switch to a new system, which aimed to maximise space and achieve greater output. In the initial planning stages, Storage and Distribution Manager Barry McIlvanna spoke to materials handling specialist Combilift as well as a racking supplier to identify the most suitable equipment. A combination of automated racking and a Combi-WR pedestrian stacker has enabled substantially more pallets to be stored in a smaller area.

A further consideration was to improve the ratio of stored products and the amount of space needed to access them, as Barry explains: “The freezer system has to work just as hard to cool the relatively unproductive areas set aside for access. With standard racking and conventional forklifts such as the counterbalance and pallet trucks we were previously using, only about half of the space could be used for storage. With the new system, this has risen to 85% so our freezer circuit can operate much more efficiently and therefore more cost effectively.”

In common with all of Combilift’s pedestrian trucks, the Combi-WR features the unique, patented and award winning multi-position tiller arm which enables the operator to remain at the side of the unit rather than the rear. “The operator’s position with this pedestrian version allows a greater level of control over the products when moving them around and as you have full visibility of the loads, the forks and the surroundings it’s safer for operators and other staff nearby, particularly when working in our narrow aisles and tight spaces,” said Barry.

Pedestrian stacker and automated racking maximise space

As well as enabling an almost doubling of pallet density, the performance of the electric powered stacker, even in the demanding cold store environment, has been exemplary according to Barry. “It’s perfect for our set up. Working at -18 degrees over a few hours it never misses a beat. We were initially concerned whether a truck could work equally effectively in such cold temperatures compared to normal conditions, but the team at Combilift had all the right specifications and solutions.”

Barry sums up: “Quick accessibility to products, adhering to deadlines and guaranteeing a high level of service have kept us at the top of our game for over 25 years. We believe being the best means using the best equipment available – and that’s what we have with the Combi-WR. I am sure that any future growth will involve more of Combilift’s products.”

More in Cold Store with Combi-WR

Posted on 14 February, 2023 by David Priestman

Pedestrian stacker and automated racking maximise space

Upgraded Forklift Cab for Hyundai Heavy

Posted on 14 February, 202329 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Hyundai Material Handling has unveiled a range of Heavy Line diesel forklift trucks, with an improved cab environment, EU Stage V emissions-compliant engines and the option of Hyundai’s HiMate telematic monitoring system. There are 10 models on offer, with lift capacities of 7-30 tonnes and they build on the successful launch last year of the lighter models in the diesel forklift line-up.

Features include:
1. Ten machines with lift capacities of 7-30 tonnes
2. Improved cab environment with additional space and visibility
3. EU Stage V Hyundai and Cummins diesel engines
4. Load sensing Main Control Valves for improved operator control and efficiency
5. Hyundai HiMate telematics deliver fleet management solution

Operator comfort
Designed after extensive consultation with customers, Hyundai’s next generation forklift cab features a revised console layout and a smaller steering wheel, to deliver increased working space for the operator. A one-piece constant radius windscreen provides improved forward visibility without edge distortion, while fully glazed doors also contribute to a reduced in-cab noise level, cut by up to 5.9dB. A new console incorporates a colour display with easy access buttons for regularly used functions. The multifunction screen delivers relevant machine operating data and can provide in-cab service alert and diagnostic codes when required. A second 7” display shows the rear view camera images.

The new load sensing Main Control Valve provides increased control, with fingertip levers delivering improved response to operator input. As an option, you can choose for an air suspended seat or a swivel seat which can be rotated 20° to the left and 10° to the right, for improved reverse direction visibility and to ease access to the cab. For models from 12T and up the premium seat has both air suspension and swivel.

All of the Heavy Line models are powered by EU Stage V diesel engines, from Hyundai and Cummins, offering improved performance and reduced emissions. The Cummins B Series engines no longer require Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR), simplifying service and maintenance on the heavier models. These machines also boast an engine power button in the cab, that allows the operator to choose between Standard (80%) or Power (100%) settings, according to the demands of the application, reducing fuel consumption when full power is not required.

Improved serviceability
With an electrically powered side-tilting cab structure, access to the powertrain is simplified, for ease of regular maintenance. Fuel filter life has been extended from 500 to 1,000 hours, while long-life hydraulic oil now means change intervals can be extended to 5,000 hours, reducing cost of ownership and downtime for the customer.

Heavy Line forklifts are equipped with two levels of Hyundai’s proven HiMate telematics system as an option, using GPS technology to transmit data to allow remote monitoring and diagnostics. The standard HiMate system provides real-time monitoring of machine location and operating information, with geofencing alerts delivering an additional level of security against machine theft or unauthorised use. The premium HiMate adds driver access control through code or card, fully customisable start-up questionnaires, drive style monitoring and collision detection.

Machines with a Cummins engine can also be optioned with Engine Connected Diagnostics, supplied in cooperation with the engine manufacturer, delivering tailored maintenance and remote troubleshooting, further reducing the possibility of costly downtime for the customer.

Superior productivity
Hyundai’s Heavy Line diesel forklift range starts with the 7-tonne 70D-9V, running through to the 30-tonne capacity 300D-9VC. With an extensive line-up of 10 models, there is now a dedicated machine to meet every customer operation, in a wide variety of materials handling sectors.

“We have really listened to the needs of our customers to develop these Heavy Line machines,” said Christopher Thompson, Head of Sales at Hyundai Materials Handling. “These new forklifts deliver an improved driver’s ‘office’ in the cab and increased access through HiMate in the fleet manager’s office. Our next generation forklifts put the operator and the fleet manager in control.”

Upgraded Forklift Cab for Hyundai Heavy

Posted on 14 February, 2023 by David Priestman

Automated Lift Trucks Bear Fruit

Posted on 14 February, 202331 July, 2025 by David Priestman

As part of its strategy to streamline intralogistics processes and reduce the impact of the labour crisis on its business, Primafruit – a leading name in the fresh produce industry – has introduced a fleet of fully automated counterbalanced lift trucks from Toyota Material Handling’s Autopilot range at its Vale of Evesham-based production and storage facility.

The Toyota automated guided vehicles (AGVs) are utilised at every stage of Primafruit’s mission critical storing and packing operation. Fresh fruit arrives at the 41,000 square metre site from Primafruit’s suppliers and grower partners across Europe and South America and is taken by the automated trucks from the goods-in bay to the chilled very narrow aisle storage area.

The AGVs are then deployed to transfer palletised loads of fruit from the chilled storage system to the facility’s packhouse area where two production lines – one for packaging citrus fruits and another dedicated to processing berries, such as grapes, strawberries etc – are in operation. From the packhouse the automated trucks take palletised loads of individually packaged fruits to the building’s despatch bay where orders are loaded into vehicles by manual trucks for onward delivery.

In all Primafruit operate seven Toyota Autopilot OAE120CB counterbalanced trucks at the Vale of Evesham site. The models specified have a 1.2 tonne load capacity and a lift height of 4.15 metres.
All models in the Toyota Autopilot range are programmed to complete tasks and work alongside manual operators in total safety. The trucks use built-in safety scanners and obstacle detection units to negotiate obstructions, while load sensors and multiple sensor devices further ensure accurate and safe load handling.

The trucks are controlled by Toyota’s in-house T-ONE automation software. Capable of working as a standalone system or as a communications layer in tandem with the client’s warehouse management and production systems, T-ONE tracks goods storage, orders, traffic and flow thanks to its intelligent fleet control functionality and its ability to integrate with the user’s ERP/WMS if required to do so.

Since switching to automated forklift technology, Primafruit report that the Vale of Evesham facility has become a more serene working environment, as the company’s general manager, Jordan Beckley, explains: “The implementation of the Toyota Autopilot AGVs has certainly had a calming effect on our operational areas due to the controlled manner in which they complete the work,” he says. “We have also seen the system reduce a huge amount of manual pallet movements around the site, which has allowed our teams to focus on other more profitable tasks,” Jordan continues.
Automated pallet handling equipment has been shown to consume less energy than driver-operated forklifts – a benefit which, along with the other advantages that the technology brings, contributes to a typical return-on-investment time of less than two years.

Toyota provided the automated counterbalanced trucks on a rental package with full ongoing service back-up and technical support included in the monthly fee. “We chose to work with Toyota because of their reputation in the industry and the comprehensive package they offered to us. The Toyota team worked closely with us to implement a flexible solution which can adapt to the constantly changing challenges that our industry presents,” adds Beckley.

Automated Lift Trucks Bear Fruit

Posted on 14 February, 202331 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Air Horse Stall ULD Delivered

Posted on 14 February, 202331 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Jettainer and VRR, the leading provider of ULD devices, are celebrating their long-standing collaboration with the 100th air horse stall. The global leader of ULD management, Jettainer, which handles approximately 100,000 ULDs in 500 locations around the world, is constantly refining its service and product portfolio to meet the specific needs of its customers. Its collaboration with ULD manufacturer VRR since 2010 has played an important role in this successful approach.

“We feel very proud that Jettainer is still coming to VRR for its containers after more than a decade of doing business,” says Ben Lakerveld, Sales Manager of VRR. “They deliver top-of-the-line services so we have to deliver top-of-the-line containers. To do so, we also have to keep listening and innovating.”

Until 2019, Jettainer bought mainly HMJ stalls from VRR. It then switched to the collapsible version, which can be folded for lower-deck transportation on return flights. Most of their horse stalls are leased to their parent company, Lufthansa Cargo AG, which provides individualised transportation for Live Animals.

“Every year, our customers fly a four-digit number of horses to all corners of the world,” says Marcus Bezold, Head of Global Handling Performance Management at Lufthansa Cargo AG. “We appreciate Jettainer and VRR’s horse container solutions because they guarantee comfortable travel with minimum stress and maximum safety.”

The designs of VRR’s air horse stalls rely heavily on input from equine transporters, and Lufthansa Cargo AG is one of those important collaborators. The airline’s experience in transporting horses by air has helped VRR greatly over the years to engineer quality and innovative containers like the HMR and HML.

“The collaboration with VRR is exceptional and their products meet latest standards. What we like about the collapsible horse stall,” explains Frank Mühlenkamp, Director Global Operations at Jettainer, “is that it cuts down the cost of empty ULD repositioning without compromising the well-being of the horses. It really helps us and our customers maximise fleet utilisation.”

With approximately 100,000 Unit Load Devices (ULDs) in 500 locations worldwide, the global leader Jettainer operates the world`s most efficient ULD fleet.

Through its unique combination of dedicated teams and leading IT landscape, using big data and artificial intelligence, the industry expert guarantees steering and positioning as well as maintenance and repair with 100% availability of containers and pallets. A strong partner and independent repair network, close to the customer’s processes, completes Jettainer’s global setup with local presence. Meaningful innovation and digitization for highest efficiency at lowest cost are key for the transparency driver. Its continuously enhanced service and product portfolio is complemented with ULD leasing services, cool management and temperature chain solutions.

Jettainer GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lufthansa Cargo AG.

Air Horse Stall ULD Delivered

Posted on 14 February, 2023 by David Priestman

With approximately 100,000 Unit Load Devices (ULDs) in 500 locations worldwide, the global leader Jettainer operates the world`s most efficient ULD fleet.

Jettainer GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lufthansa Cargo AG.

Lithium-Ion Batteries Power Automation

Posted on 14 February, 202325 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Automated internal logistic platforms, such as AGV and AMR, as well as other industrial autonomous robots, are becoming more widespread due to lithium-ion batteries, as their apparent advantages make them more attractive than the various alternatives.

Previously, most used batteries with lead-acid based chemistry, like forklifts and other industrial mobile machines. Regardless of the specific type, these lead-acid based batteries are considered to have poor lifespans, especially when used in deep discharge cycles. The rapidly growing global market for lithium-ion batteries has allowed Johnson Matthey Battery Systems to become a leader in the industry, opening up several growth opportunities. As it now stands, the company has developed a full-service manufacturing capability, allowing it to offer a cost-effective solution for all customers.

Due to the low lifespans of lead-acid based batteries, many are now instead opting for lithium-ion batteries, which have a lifespan that’s approximately 4x longer. This is partly down to energy density, which can be up to 5x higher in li-ion batteries (50-100Wh/kg in lead-acid vs up to 260 Wh/kg in NCA/NMC cells). What’s more, lead-acid based batteries can be cumbersome, unlike Li-ion batteries, meaning they’re unsuitable for many mobile robots.

Mitigating Against Safety Concerns of Li-ion Batteries

As with many new technologies, li-ion batteries have some downsides, with the biggest being the concerns over their safety. Thermal runaway is possible in the event of overheating or overcharging, which can lead to fire. But the risk from this can be minimised. Johnson Matthey Battery Systems has achieved this by utilising a Battery Management System – which can also be used to gauge information about a battery – and by ensuring a robust mechanical design.

Moreover, most high-quality batteries have secondary backup protection, such as a fuse or SCP. A robust design is also critical, protecting the battery from physical damage while also contributing towards a long lifespan. Cell holders, cell connectors, enclosures – all should be constructed to the highest possible specifications for maximum effectiveness.

Cell Chemistry to Further Enhance Safety

LFP cell chemistry is now being used in many industrial applications to enhance safety further. This is still li-ion technology but behaves less violently when subjected to any type of force. Even ruptured LFP cells only cause smoke or minor fire contained within the battery, plus their thermal runaway temperatures are higher than NMC and NCA. LFP cells also have an exceptionally high cycle life, even with 100% Depth of Discharge (DoD). Depending on the model, the figure could reach 2,000 or more cycles, around double that of NMC and up to quadruple that of NCA. Add in DoD reduction, and the total number can be several thousand more.

There is a trade-off for the extra safety and performance: the energy density is lower than NMC and NCA – currently, it is 150-200 Wh/kg vs 220-270 Wh/kg. But the energy density is steadily improving and is already acceptable for industrial applications. What’s more, it is already up to 4x higher than that of lead-acid. Thanks to this improving energy density, LFP cells are now becoming the preferred choice for many industrial batteries.

The manufacture of LFP batteries has some challenges, but these shouldn’t stop experienced manufacturers, such as Johnson Matthey Battery Systems, from manufacturing them effectively.

Johnson Matthey Battery Systems, part of the Johnson Matthey group, is a European-based manufacturer of advanced battery systems with considerable experience within the field. The company specialises in lithium-ion battery assembly processes, manufacturing a wide range of battery packs with various applications, and operates in all other areas of battery production, including design, prototyping, and assembly. It designs and manufactures advanced battery systems of 3.6V to 60V, utilising its expertise and manufacturing capabilities to produce batteries that meet all international standards and the expectations of customers from various industries.

Currently, Johnson Matthey Battery Systems is working on several new projects, as well as internal projects to develop its manufacturing capabilities. With the market for AGVs currently increasing, the company expects to further develop its footprint in this area. One area of particular interest is improving battery pack performance by increasing lifecycles. This focus on improvement has helped JMBS to become one of the world’s most trusted li-ion battery manufacturers.

Air Cargo Hub Jewel

Posted on 14 February, 202329 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Where is the air cargo market headed? David Priestman met Mr Lim Ching Kiat, Managing Director for Air Hub Development at Singapore’s Changi Airport Group (CAG), at the World Air Cargo Forum in Miami to gain a perspective.

Despite short-term challenges, such as global economic uncertainty and inflationary pressures, air cargo continues to flourish. CAG is owned by the Singaporean government but is self-governing and remains steadfast in its mission to facilitate global trade. “Our goal is to bring more traffic overall; more airlines and more destinations,” Mr Lim informed me. “Our motto is ‘Welcome to World Class’.”

Total air cargo throughput has recovered to near pre-pandemic levels, 2m tonnes p.a. at Changi, but is heavily dependent on belly capacity in passenger jets. “Cargo recovered more quickly than passenger traffic,” Lim added, “because there are no borders for freight. But it is quite flat so we are cautious.” The ban on western airlines flying in Russian airspace reduces capacity but is leading to new lanes. Another big holdback is the lack of travel in and out of China, which was Changi’s number two passenger market pre-Covid.

Changi’s top five air cargo markets currently are China, Australia, USA, Hong Kong and Japan. Lim sees growth potential in South East Asia, where diversification is creating new, resilient supply chains. He identified key verticals: perishables, pharmaceuticals, ecommerce, oil/gas and advanced materials.

New cargo links

Pursuing air cargo connectivity and capacity, as well as building long-term competitive advantages, are paramount to the Changi cargo hub and it will continue efforts to work closely with airline partners to expand their freighter operations and passenger flights. Changi Airport has recently welcomed three new freighter operators – SpiceXpress, Tasman Cargo Airlines and Atlas Air. DHL Express has supplemented its intercontinental trans-shipment network from Changi with partners, including five Boeing 777 freighters jointly operated with Singapore Airlines operating on routes via points in North Asia and Australia.

The pandemic has shown that global supply chains are vulnerable but there is a pressing need for the air cargo sector to move forward with digitalization and automation, in order to improve the efficiency of otherwise manual processes. Digitalization will also enable an interconnected air cargo ecosystem and empower data-sharing. Through this, improved supply chain visibility for better demand planning and operational excellence can be achieved.

CAG is facilitating closer industry collaboration. A community data-sharing platform – Changi Air Cargo Community System, is an open ecosystem of applications underpinned by an information-sharing platform that aggregates export data from all forwarders and shippers involved in the cargo handling process.

Among the first use cases is the Truck Dock Slot Booking application, which aims to even out cargo lodgement and collection at the handler’s airfreight terminals, thereby reducing waiting time. Lorries/trucks arrive exactly when the shipment is ready, optimizing resources and supporting the airport’s sustainability efforts.

CAG also focuses on pharmaceutical handling capabilities. Locally, it has established a large community of IATA pharma-certified companies. It meets to discuss emerging pharma supply chain trends and discuss how to address these. “We offer economies of scale, compared to other hubs,” Lim stated. CAG continues to automate materials handling in its warehousing due to the shortage of manpower.

Changi Airport’s cargo facilities will be expanded with the opening of the new Changi East Industrial Zone (CEIZ), built on land reclaimed from the sea, as part of the Changi East Development, in the mid-2030s. CEIZ will serve airfreight, air express and maintenance, repair and operation activities. Together with a re-modelled Changi Airfreight Centre that forms a contiguous cargo village, handling capabilities will increase from 3 million tonnes per annum today, to 5.4 million tonnes per annum when the project is completed. With CEIZ, CAG also hopes to better serve freighter operations with a sizeable increase in freighter bays.

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