Oceaneering Increases Manufacturing Capacity

Oceaneering’s Mobile Robotics group has added an extra production campus in Orlando, Florida. The location allows the Mobile Robotics team to expand their capabilities to support future growth. The campus, also home to Oceaneering Entertainment Systems, offers 238,000 sq ft of space dedicated to the assembly, integration, and acceptance testing of its mobile robot systems.

Henny Bouwmeester, Vice President/General Manager, of Oceaneering Mobile Robotics, said: “The new campus will support the manufacture and delivery of new-build mobile robotic systems for the North American market. This move will enable us to more efficiently deliver recently signed orders while positioning us to ramp up to meet the future demand we see in the market.”

Oceaneering Mobile Robotics designs, manufactures, implements, and maintains innovative turnkey logistic solutions based on autonomous mobile robot technology. Its mobile robot systems consist of one or more robots, advanced supervisory software, and supporting infrastructure. These robots can be operated in mixed fleets.

OMR says integration management ensures that these turnkey logistic systems are optimised to suit customer needs and seamlessly interface with other customer processes, while OMR’s high-performance battery solution helps to lower customers’ operational carbon footprint. For over 30 years, OMR has been a trusted partner for the automotive, healthcare, manufacturing, and logistics industries.

 

Oceaneering Increases Manufacturing Capacity

Oceaneering’s Mobile Robotics group has added an extra production campus in Orlando, Florida. The location allows the Mobile Robotics team to expand their capabilities to support future growth. The campus, also home to Oceaneering Entertainment Systems, offers 238,000 sq ft of space dedicated to the assembly, integration, and acceptance testing of its mobile robot systems.

Henny Bouwmeester, Vice President/General Manager, of Oceaneering Mobile Robotics, said: “The new campus will support the manufacture and delivery of new-build mobile robotic systems for the North American market. This move will enable us to more efficiently deliver recently signed orders while positioning us to ramp up to meet the future demand we see in the market.”

Oceaneering Mobile Robotics designs, manufactures, implements, and maintains innovative turnkey logistic solutions based on autonomous mobile robot technology. Its mobile robot systems consist of one or more robots, advanced supervisory software, and supporting infrastructure. These robots can be operated in mixed fleets.

OMR says integration management ensures that these turnkey logistic systems are optimised to suit customer needs and seamlessly interface with other customer processes, while OMR’s high-performance battery solution helps to lower customers’ operational carbon footprint. For over 30 years, OMR has been a trusted partner for the automotive, healthcare, manufacturing, and logistics industries.

 

Dematic Joins KION Brands at LogiMAT

This year’s LogiMAT sees Dematic, the intelligent automated solution provider for warehouses and distribution centres welcoming customers and visitors in Hall 10 (C41), alongside fellow KION brands STILL, Linde MH and Baoli.

During the three days of the Stuttgart, Germany industry trade show, Dematic plans to provide visitors a glimpse of the future with several innovative showcases offering immersive 3D experiences as well as an expert forum to discuss what the future has in store for the industry.

“Our industry has taken huge leaps the last few years to stay ahead of some of the challenges customers are facing. And yet, we understand that even more is needed to bring the industry and customers to the next level of intralogistics. What better way to do so than by demonstrating the combined strengths of Dematic and its fellow KION brands and showing how the customer can benefit!” states Bernard Biolchini, executive vice president EMEA, on the decision to join forces in the same hall at this year’s LogiMAT.

Adds Biolchini: “We firmly believe that by offering customers end-to-end solutions from a single provider – no matter whether they are a small, medium or large enterprise – a customer can only come out stronger when the solutions are from a single provider. And no one can compete with what our brands offer together when we come together!”

Immersive Showcases

Under the slogan “Engaging the Future”, Dematic has developed a host of immersive showcases showing a range of automated processes and customer services for the warehouse of tomorrow. Underlying this theme is the aspect of how the integration of systems is the only way forward and that tomorrow’s automation technologies will need to be integrated to shorten lead times and to maintain efficient processes. Integrated solutions can also increase safety and productivity – all critical aspects for a sustainable operation of a warehouse or distribution centre.

Perhaps the most dynamic showcase on display is with fellow brand STILL. It simulates the automation of a real-life process. Pallets are transferred to an AMR by an automated high-lift truck. It transports the goods to the warehouse for palletising and then to packing. The last two steps take place digitally in a virtual warehouse. The showcase will be displayed on high-resolution LED screens at eight hotspots. Visitors can freely control the AMR interactively with gamepad and obtain additional information. Only the latest real-time technology is used in the interactive 3D applications. “No doubt the showcase with STILL demonstrates very vividly the immense advantages and synergies that users can gain from combining the portfolios of Linde, STILL and Dematic. Holistic automation solutions of this kind are still unique on the market,” says Biolchini.

Tomorrow’s Warehouse at LogiMAT

At last year’s LogiMAT, the Dematic drone inspection services live demonstrations proved to be a highlight. Picking up from where they left off, the customer service innovations for 2023 will continue to inspire. Because tomorrow’s warehouses will be highly complex and integrated, the team from Dematic is focusing on lifecycle management solutions with thermographic inspections topping the list. The solution allows operators to detect the overheating of motors, cables and cabinets before production shutdowns are necessary.

Thermal bridges and leaks in a building, in special warehouses such as deep-freeze or oxygen storage facilities, can also be detected. Unplanned production stoppages can thus be avoided. “As a result, the risk of fire decreases while plant availability and productivity increase,” notes Alberto Rostagno, vice president Customer Service EMEA for Dematic.

Visitors can experience first-hand an evaluation using thermographic images and learn how the use of AI can optimise and automate these evaluations.

Dematic is also planning to demonstrate the depth of its interactive digital footprint at LogiMAT, which can be used to monitor a facility in real time and build simulations. This capability enables digital services used to identify optimisation opportunities and reveal potential areas for improvement. “With the help of our digital simulation tools, various strategies and processes can be tested and analysed to identify the causes of existing problems,” explains Rostagno.

The demands on tomorrow’s warehouse will rely on moving connectivity beyond the four walls of a facility to integrate with processes happening outside and beyond. Together with fellow brand LINDE MH, Dematic will demonstrate in another showcase how its portfolio of software solutions can manage a customer’s warehouse operations as well as look after fleet management, streamline maintenance processes and improve workflows with its asset management software as well as integrate with a customer’s existing SAP systems.

Human Touch

But with all the innovative technology Dematic plans to unveil at Europe’s largest industry trade exhibition, it has not forgotten the importance of the human exchange of ideas and concerns.

Thus, the industry leader’s newest addition to its trade show appearance this year is the “Engaging the Experts – Dematic Forum”, a discussion platform where it brings together inhouse experts, customers and other industry leaders to discuss trends and likely innovations for tomorrow. Visitors are invited to participate in six 20-minute discussions scheduled during the three days of the trade show.

“At the end of the day, we want our LogiMAT presence to live up to our claim of powering the future of commerce by providing best-in-class vertical market-based, intelligent supply chain solutions with flexible and dynamic fulfilment,” says Biolchini, adding, “and I believe visitors to our stand this year will not be let down.”

Dematic Joins KION Brands at LogiMAT

This year’s LogiMAT sees Dematic, the intelligent automated solution provider for warehouses and distribution centres welcoming customers and visitors in Hall 10 (C41), alongside fellow KION brands STILL, Linde MH and Baoli.

During the three days of the Stuttgart, Germany industry trade show, Dematic plans to provide visitors a glimpse of the future with several innovative showcases offering immersive 3D experiences as well as an expert forum to discuss what the future has in store for the industry.

“Our industry has taken huge leaps the last few years to stay ahead of some of the challenges customers are facing. And yet, we understand that even more is needed to bring the industry and customers to the next level of intralogistics. What better way to do so than by demonstrating the combined strengths of Dematic and its fellow KION brands and showing how the customer can benefit!” states Bernard Biolchini, executive vice president EMEA, on the decision to join forces in the same hall at this year’s LogiMAT.

Adds Biolchini: “We firmly believe that by offering customers end-to-end solutions from a single provider – no matter whether they are a small, medium or large enterprise – a customer can only come out stronger when the solutions are from a single provider. And no one can compete with what our brands offer together when we come together!”

Immersive Showcases

Under the slogan “Engaging the Future”, Dematic has developed a host of immersive showcases showing a range of automated processes and customer services for the warehouse of tomorrow. Underlying this theme is the aspect of how the integration of systems is the only way forward and that tomorrow’s automation technologies will need to be integrated to shorten lead times and to maintain efficient processes. Integrated solutions can also increase safety and productivity – all critical aspects for a sustainable operation of a warehouse or distribution centre.

Perhaps the most dynamic showcase on display is with fellow brand STILL. It simulates the automation of a real-life process. Pallets are transferred to an AMR by an automated high-lift truck. It transports the goods to the warehouse for palletising and then to packing. The last two steps take place digitally in a virtual warehouse. The showcase will be displayed on high-resolution LED screens at eight hotspots. Visitors can freely control the AMR interactively with gamepad and obtain additional information. Only the latest real-time technology is used in the interactive 3D applications. “No doubt the showcase with STILL demonstrates very vividly the immense advantages and synergies that users can gain from combining the portfolios of Linde, STILL and Dematic. Holistic automation solutions of this kind are still unique on the market,” says Biolchini.

Tomorrow’s Warehouse at LogiMAT

At last year’s LogiMAT, the Dematic drone inspection services live demonstrations proved to be a highlight. Picking up from where they left off, the customer service innovations for 2023 will continue to inspire. Because tomorrow’s warehouses will be highly complex and integrated, the team from Dematic is focusing on lifecycle management solutions with thermographic inspections topping the list. The solution allows operators to detect the overheating of motors, cables and cabinets before production shutdowns are necessary.

Thermal bridges and leaks in a building, in special warehouses such as deep-freeze or oxygen storage facilities, can also be detected. Unplanned production stoppages can thus be avoided. “As a result, the risk of fire decreases while plant availability and productivity increase,” notes Alberto Rostagno, vice president Customer Service EMEA for Dematic.

Visitors can experience first-hand an evaluation using thermographic images and learn how the use of AI can optimise and automate these evaluations.

Dematic is also planning to demonstrate the depth of its interactive digital footprint at LogiMAT, which can be used to monitor a facility in real time and build simulations. This capability enables digital services used to identify optimisation opportunities and reveal potential areas for improvement. “With the help of our digital simulation tools, various strategies and processes can be tested and analysed to identify the causes of existing problems,” explains Rostagno.

The demands on tomorrow’s warehouse will rely on moving connectivity beyond the four walls of a facility to integrate with processes happening outside and beyond. Together with fellow brand LINDE MH, Dematic will demonstrate in another showcase how its portfolio of software solutions can manage a customer’s warehouse operations as well as look after fleet management, streamline maintenance processes and improve workflows with its asset management software as well as integrate with a customer’s existing SAP systems.

Human Touch

But with all the innovative technology Dematic plans to unveil at Europe’s largest industry trade exhibition, it has not forgotten the importance of the human exchange of ideas and concerns.

Thus, the industry leader’s newest addition to its trade show appearance this year is the “Engaging the Experts – Dematic Forum”, a discussion platform where it brings together inhouse experts, customers and other industry leaders to discuss trends and likely innovations for tomorrow. Visitors are invited to participate in six 20-minute discussions scheduled during the three days of the trade show.

“At the end of the day, we want our LogiMAT presence to live up to our claim of powering the future of commerce by providing best-in-class vertical market-based, intelligent supply chain solutions with flexible and dynamic fulfilment,” says Biolchini, adding, “and I believe visitors to our stand this year will not be let down.”

Packsize Collaborates with Walmart over Right-Sized Packaging

Packsize, a market leader in sustainable right-sized packaging on demand, has unveiled the Ultra5, a right-sized, on-demand box machine built around its recently announced X5 technology. The Ultra5 was built exclusively for Walmart and has already been installed in multiple fulfilment centres including the first of Walmart’s next-generation FCs.

As is the case with Packsize’s X5 machine, the Ultra5 can produce up to 600 boxes per hour, and provides the highest packaging throughput in the industry for its class, while contributing to less waste and fewer emissions. The Packsize solution reduces packaging waste caused by oversized boxes, negates void filler like plastic air pillows, reduces shipping emissions, and improves the end-consumer’s overall unboxing experience. By right-sizing boxes, the technology minimises the costs and environmental impact of extraneous and unneeded corrugated boxes. It also improves parcel logistics, enabling retailers to fit up to 33% more boxes on freight and delivery carriers – ultimately getting more orders to customers daily.

“By working with Packsize to develop the Ultra5 machine, we created an innovative packaging solution that tailors each box to the items we are shipping to customers, eliminating unnecessary waste and improving the unboxing experience once the package arrives,” said Prathibha Rajashekhar, senior vice president, innovation & automation, Walmart US. “In keeping with our commitment to becoming a regenerative company, the Ultra5 solution is a win for our customers, the business and our planet.”

In addition to its environmental benefits, the Ultra5 is also an incredible e-commerce asset for Walmart’s fulfilment network. Its industry-leading speeds contribute to faster throughput, with the ability to have orders packed, labelled, and ready to ship in as little as 30 minutes. The Ultra5 also includes a unique “Flaps Down” feature, allowing boxes to seamlessly flow through the packaging process by placing a paper band around the flaps to secure them to the sides of the box.

“Walmart’s fulfilment network and addition of four next-generation FCs are not just a game-changer, but a testament to the ever-evolving landscape of e-commerce,” said Rod Gallaway, CEO of Packsize. “They have embraced cutting-edge and innovative technology, like our Ultra5 machine, and taken bold steps to streamline their fulfilment processes.  Packsize is proud to work with Walmart to help set a new standard for customer convenience, satisfaction, and e-commerce order fulfilment.”

Packsize Collaborates with Walmart over Right-Sized Packaging

Packsize, a market leader in sustainable right-sized packaging on demand, has unveiled the Ultra5, a right-sized, on-demand box machine built around its recently announced X5 technology. The Ultra5 was built exclusively for Walmart and has already been installed in multiple fulfilment centres including the first of Walmart’s next-generation FCs.

As is the case with Packsize’s X5 machine, the Ultra5 can produce up to 600 boxes per hour, and provides the highest packaging throughput in the industry for its class, while contributing to less waste and fewer emissions. The Packsize solution reduces packaging waste caused by oversized boxes, negates void filler like plastic air pillows, reduces shipping emissions, and improves the end-consumer’s overall unboxing experience. By right-sizing boxes, the technology minimises the costs and environmental impact of extraneous and unneeded corrugated boxes. It also improves parcel logistics, enabling retailers to fit up to 33% more boxes on freight and delivery carriers – ultimately getting more orders to customers daily.

“By working with Packsize to develop the Ultra5 machine, we created an innovative packaging solution that tailors each box to the items we are shipping to customers, eliminating unnecessary waste and improving the unboxing experience once the package arrives,” said Prathibha Rajashekhar, senior vice president, innovation & automation, Walmart US. “In keeping with our commitment to becoming a regenerative company, the Ultra5 solution is a win for our customers, the business and our planet.”

In addition to its environmental benefits, the Ultra5 is also an incredible e-commerce asset for Walmart’s fulfilment network. Its industry-leading speeds contribute to faster throughput, with the ability to have orders packed, labelled, and ready to ship in as little as 30 minutes. The Ultra5 also includes a unique “Flaps Down” feature, allowing boxes to seamlessly flow through the packaging process by placing a paper band around the flaps to secure them to the sides of the box.

“Walmart’s fulfilment network and addition of four next-generation FCs are not just a game-changer, but a testament to the ever-evolving landscape of e-commerce,” said Rod Gallaway, CEO of Packsize. “They have embraced cutting-edge and innovative technology, like our Ultra5 machine, and taken bold steps to streamline their fulfilment processes.  Packsize is proud to work with Walmart to help set a new standard for customer convenience, satisfaction, and e-commerce order fulfilment.”

Cost-To-Serve Analysis Should be Core Planning Tool

A new white paper from a supply chain consultancy suggests retailers are too fragmented in their approach to determining their Costs-To-Serve (CTS) and should instead adopt CTS analysis as a core, business-critical initiative for informing future decisions and direction.

“In a great many retail businesses Costs-To-Serve are treated as though they are a fixed overhead and allocated evenly across orders, when in reality they vary by the individual characteristics of each order – channel, geography, the nature of the goods, the behaviour of the customer, and so on. They also change over time, and not necessarily uniformly,” explains, Neil Adcock, Managing Director at Bis Henderson Consulting – authors of the report.

The report asks some fundamental questions: Take a given order, do you know what it will cost to fulfil that order? More acutely, do you know what margin you are making? In fact, are you actually making any profit at all? These are questions that many retailers may find difficult to answer.

The hidden costs

“Whether determining channels to market, or setting up or revising fulfilment and distribution strategies, the retailer needs a deep understanding of where the Costs-To-Serve are generated, how these vary across orders, and what actions can be taken to improve profitability on every order,” Adcock says. “Such actions could range from changing the locations of fulfilment centres, to varying the customer offer, to in some cases limiting service offerings or even withdrawing from some lines of business.”

The white paper sets out the many hidden factors influencing cost, margin and value in the supply chain and emphasises the importance of understanding CTS at a granular level across the broad gambit of products and services a retail business offers. “The analysis should inform the wider strategy, and should give clear visibility of margin and how to maximise it or protect it,” he says.

More than a one-off exercise

The report finds that CTS needs continual revisiting in order to inform and respond to higher-level business decisions and is an essential tool for protecting margin and ensuring profitability.

Adcock explains: “The balance of Costs-To-Serve is constantly changing as fuel costs, labour costs, rents, the affordability or otherwise of warehouse automation and so on vary, but also with changing customer behaviours. Particular channels may become more or less popular, for instance, as people drift back to the office, home delivery may decline relative to click and collect, or the nature of demand ‘peaks’ may change with recession. Also, the balance between branded and white label goods may change with economic hardship and that may affect how much margin is available to cover the CTS.”

The report states that there is no ‘standard model’, but offers valuable insights that are common to many retail scenarios, covering topics such as channels, distribution architecture, service offer, differentiated service levels, hidden costs, returns, accounting policies, exceptions and methodology.

The white paper offers pointers on how a retailer’s Costs-To-Serve are made up, where the ‘hidden’ costs are buried, which costs are truly fixed overhead and which are order-related. Critically, the report emphasises how retail businesses need to make CTS a central pillar of their supply chain thinking, helping them to make better-informed and more profitable policy decisions across the board, from channels-to-market to investment decisions and service level promises.

CLICK HERE to download the full white paper.

 

Cost-To-Serve Analysis Should be Core Planning Tool

A new white paper from a supply chain consultancy suggests retailers are too fragmented in their approach to determining their Costs-To-Serve (CTS) and should instead adopt CTS analysis as a core, business-critical initiative for informing future decisions and direction.

“In a great many retail businesses Costs-To-Serve are treated as though they are a fixed overhead and allocated evenly across orders, when in reality they vary by the individual characteristics of each order – channel, geography, the nature of the goods, the behaviour of the customer, and so on. They also change over time, and not necessarily uniformly,” explains, Neil Adcock, Managing Director at Bis Henderson Consulting – authors of the report.

The report asks some fundamental questions: Take a given order, do you know what it will cost to fulfil that order? More acutely, do you know what margin you are making? In fact, are you actually making any profit at all? These are questions that many retailers may find difficult to answer.

The hidden costs

“Whether determining channels to market, or setting up or revising fulfilment and distribution strategies, the retailer needs a deep understanding of where the Costs-To-Serve are generated, how these vary across orders, and what actions can be taken to improve profitability on every order,” Adcock says. “Such actions could range from changing the locations of fulfilment centres, to varying the customer offer, to in some cases limiting service offerings or even withdrawing from some lines of business.”

The white paper sets out the many hidden factors influencing cost, margin and value in the supply chain and emphasises the importance of understanding CTS at a granular level across the broad gambit of products and services a retail business offers. “The analysis should inform the wider strategy, and should give clear visibility of margin and how to maximise it or protect it,” he says.

More than a one-off exercise

The report finds that CTS needs continual revisiting in order to inform and respond to higher-level business decisions and is an essential tool for protecting margin and ensuring profitability.

Adcock explains: “The balance of Costs-To-Serve is constantly changing as fuel costs, labour costs, rents, the affordability or otherwise of warehouse automation and so on vary, but also with changing customer behaviours. Particular channels may become more or less popular, for instance, as people drift back to the office, home delivery may decline relative to click and collect, or the nature of demand ‘peaks’ may change with recession. Also, the balance between branded and white label goods may change with economic hardship and that may affect how much margin is available to cover the CTS.”

The report states that there is no ‘standard model’, but offers valuable insights that are common to many retail scenarios, covering topics such as channels, distribution architecture, service offer, differentiated service levels, hidden costs, returns, accounting policies, exceptions and methodology.

The white paper offers pointers on how a retailer’s Costs-To-Serve are made up, where the ‘hidden’ costs are buried, which costs are truly fixed overhead and which are order-related. Critically, the report emphasises how retail businesses need to make CTS a central pillar of their supply chain thinking, helping them to make better-informed and more profitable policy decisions across the board, from channels-to-market to investment decisions and service level promises.

CLICK HERE to download the full white paper.

 

Grammer’s Broad Seat Range at ProMat

After a four-year hiatus due to the pandemic, new products will be the focus in Chicago at ProMat 2023, the leading trade show for manufacturing and supply chain industry in Northern America. As one of the market leaders in the forklift seat segment, Grammer will be showcasing its significantly expanded range of seats for forklifts from March 20 to 23, 2023. New highlights at booth S5137 include a haptic warning system, water-resistant seat covers that heighten ease of use, ergonomics, and safety in this demanding workplace.

“Material handling is one of the strongest and fastest growing US market segments for Grammer. Accordingly, it is important for us to present Grammer at this year’s ProMat as an innovation driver and leading supplier of ergonomic seat systems,” says Dr. Andreas Diehl, President Division Commercial Vehicles, Grammer AG. “At the interface between people and vehicles, our seats offer very attractive added value with their top durability, sustainable materials and new smart HMI solutions such as multi-function armrests. In the booming global logistics world, everything is designed for maximum efficiency and speed: We are creating the basis for top performance and productivity with products that help people work safely, comfortably and with maximum concentration over many hours.”

Haptic warning vibration alarm

In the environment in which forklifts are used, acoustic signals or flashing lights indicate obstacles or hazards to the driver. With the frequently high noise levels in production halls, high-shelf warehouses or exterior yards, there is a risk of acoustic warning signals being overheard – unlike a haptic signal that is always reliably felt in the seat. To additionally improve safety in this work environment, Grammer offers a haptic warning system, an ideal addition to audiovisual warning systems: Two vibration motors integrated on the left and right of the seat mean that users no longer miss any important warnings.

This new product can be experienced in the MSG75 seat on display at ProMat. The motors can be activated individually or together and – depending on the OEM’s wishes – controlled by different vehicle sensors.

Water-resistant seat covers

Forklift trucks are often in 24/7 use and operated by several people – indoors in the hall as well as outdoors at the loading ramp or on the service yard.  This reveals two major advantages of the new, water-resistant seat covers from Grammer: they support cleanliness, hygiene and durability because they are particularly easy to clean. And they prevent moisture from penetrating the cover and the upholstery, making hours-long use uncomfortable.

In addition to offering top comfort, they are also temperature-regulating, thus providing warmth in cold conditions, while keeping the seat surface cool in high temperatures. The “hydrophobic” covers are available in several versions, which are fitted to the MSG65 and MSG75 on display at ProMat 2023.

Dualmotion offers better overview

Another innovative highlight in Grammer’s product range increases both safety and ergonomic comfort in forklifts: The Dualmotion adaptive back support rotates backwards with the upper body when the operator looks over his or her shoulder, increasing the support provided by the seat, reducing muscle fatigue when working backwards and improving the visibility of possible obstacles in the vicinity of the forklift.

Complete range at ProMat

The best possible seating in a forklift truck, regardless of its size, combines top safety, ergonomics and operating comfort. Grammer creates the conditions for this with the right seat solutions and individually selectable options such as seat heating, ventilation or different suspension systems: At its booth at ProMat, the company will be showcasing seats from the MSG45, MSG65, MSG75 and MSG95 series – covering the complete range of applications from very compact and lightweight basic seats to fully equipped high-end models.

 

Grammer’s Broad Seat Range at ProMat

After a four-year hiatus due to the pandemic, new products will be the focus in Chicago at ProMat 2023, the leading trade show for manufacturing and supply chain industry in Northern America. As one of the market leaders in the forklift seat segment, Grammer will be showcasing its significantly expanded range of seats for forklifts from March 20 to 23, 2023. New highlights at booth S5137 include a haptic warning system, water-resistant seat covers that heighten ease of use, ergonomics, and safety in this demanding workplace.

“Material handling is one of the strongest and fastest growing US market segments for Grammer. Accordingly, it is important for us to present Grammer at this year’s ProMat as an innovation driver and leading supplier of ergonomic seat systems,” says Dr. Andreas Diehl, President Division Commercial Vehicles, Grammer AG. “At the interface between people and vehicles, our seats offer very attractive added value with their top durability, sustainable materials and new smart HMI solutions such as multi-function armrests. In the booming global logistics world, everything is designed for maximum efficiency and speed: We are creating the basis for top performance and productivity with products that help people work safely, comfortably and with maximum concentration over many hours.”

Haptic warning vibration alarm

In the environment in which forklifts are used, acoustic signals or flashing lights indicate obstacles or hazards to the driver. With the frequently high noise levels in production halls, high-shelf warehouses or exterior yards, there is a risk of acoustic warning signals being overheard – unlike a haptic signal that is always reliably felt in the seat. To additionally improve safety in this work environment, Grammer offers a haptic warning system, an ideal addition to audiovisual warning systems: Two vibration motors integrated on the left and right of the seat mean that users no longer miss any important warnings.

This new product can be experienced in the MSG75 seat on display at ProMat. The motors can be activated individually or together and – depending on the OEM’s wishes – controlled by different vehicle sensors.

Water-resistant seat covers

Forklift trucks are often in 24/7 use and operated by several people – indoors in the hall as well as outdoors at the loading ramp or on the service yard.  This reveals two major advantages of the new, water-resistant seat covers from Grammer: they support cleanliness, hygiene and durability because they are particularly easy to clean. And they prevent moisture from penetrating the cover and the upholstery, making hours-long use uncomfortable.

In addition to offering top comfort, they are also temperature-regulating, thus providing warmth in cold conditions, while keeping the seat surface cool in high temperatures. The “hydrophobic” covers are available in several versions, which are fitted to the MSG65 and MSG75 on display at ProMat 2023.

Dualmotion offers better overview

Another innovative highlight in Grammer’s product range increases both safety and ergonomic comfort in forklifts: The Dualmotion adaptive back support rotates backwards with the upper body when the operator looks over his or her shoulder, increasing the support provided by the seat, reducing muscle fatigue when working backwards and improving the visibility of possible obstacles in the vicinity of the forklift.

Complete range at ProMat

The best possible seating in a forklift truck, regardless of its size, combines top safety, ergonomics and operating comfort. Grammer creates the conditions for this with the right seat solutions and individually selectable options such as seat heating, ventilation or different suspension systems: At its booth at ProMat, the company will be showcasing seats from the MSG45, MSG65, MSG75 and MSG95 series – covering the complete range of applications from very compact and lightweight basic seats to fully equipped high-end models.

 

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