IFOY 2022 Finalists revealed

The finalists for the worldwide IFOY AWARD 2022 (International Intralogistics and Forklift Truck of the Year) have been determined. The judges admit 14 products and solutions from 12 manufacturers to the competition for the most innovative intralogistics products and solutions from a total field of 29 entrants in the 10th staging of the competition.

“The nominees reflect where the journey of intralogistics is heading in the future: in addition to forklifts and warehouse technology, automated, integrated solutions, software and autonomous mobile robots (AMR) for high-performance warehouses play a central role. The final round with top-class international finalists will be very exciting,” emphasises Anita Würmser, Chairwoman of the IFOY jury.

The intralogistics specialists Cargotec Engineering, Jungheinrich, Locus Robotics, Magment, NAiSE, Noyes Technologies, robominds, SICK, SSI SCHÄFER, STILL, stow robotics and SYNAOS want to win one of the trophies.

The company Cargotec Engineering from Ireland is allowed to enter the final in 2022 with the MOFFETT E5 25.4 NX. The new development is the latest addition to the all-electric truck-mounted forklift series and part of the second generation of the world’s first all-electric truck-mounted forklift. The truck is also available with four-way steering (multidirectional). Its main advantage fits the times: emission-free customer deliveries.

The intralogistics supplier Jungheinrich has secured two final places. In warehouse technology, the Hamburg-based company is moving into the final round with the ERD 220i electric high-lift truck. Due to the lithium-ion battery concept, the dimensions of the double-deck stacker are ultra-compact for the simultaneous transport of two pallets. In addition to smart features that make everyday work much easier, the fixed platform in particular offers high side protection from three sides and plenty of space for the driver.

The jury also gave the EKS 215a from Jungheinrich the green light. The driverless transport vehicle with a lifting height of up to six metres is the first AGV from the Hanseatic company that was developed for purely automated use in logistics and production. The integrated safety concept enables smooth use in inventory environments where there is also manual traffic. The Hamburg-based company also developed a 24-volt energy concept with automatic charging function.

US manufacturer Locus Robotics has reached the final round in Dortmund with its Locus Robotics AMR Solution. The solution consists of a platform that uses proprietary optimisation algorithms and real-time operational performance data to coordinate workers and AMRs. According to the manufacturer, customers achieve a return on investment (ROI) within six to eight months and a two- to threefold increase in productivity through the Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) model.

The Unterhaching-based start-up Magment reached the final with dynamic wireless charging for intralogistics vehicles. The company developed a wireless charging infrastructure for the electrification of industrial floors. Based on the patented magnetizable concrete in combination with special winding and casting technologies, robust inductive charging plates are produced that enable loss-free charging while driving. This reduces or even completely eliminates the charging pauses of industrial trucks.

Also nominated as a start-up was NAiSE TRAFFIC, a manufacturer-independent traffic and order management software from NAiSE in Stuttgart. The elementary feature of this application is that the patented localisation network (NAiSE RTLS) includes the entire mixed operation – i.e. all persons and vehicles in the warehouse – in the traffic control and analysis, thus ensuring a more efficient and safer material flow.

The third start-up in the final is called Noyes Technologies. With NoyesStorage, the Munich-based company launched the first robotics-powered, ultra-dense, automated and highly flexible nano-logistics system for urban logistics. The goal is to solve complex problems sustainably through simple approaches: To this end, the technology is reduced to what is necessary and attention is paid to a high degree of standardisation and modularisation. Thanks to the modular structure, areas as small as ten square metres can be used for the system.

The company robominds also comes from Munich: it is in the final with the AI-based robobrain.NEUROS (Neural Robotic Operating System) – an industrialised operating system for intelligent robotics. The credo of the robotics specialists is: parameterise and configure instead of programming. The basic principle: on the industrialised operating system, every function of the robotic components becomes a skill, i.e. an application – easy to obtain via the robominds Skill Store, individually adaptable or to develop yourself thanks to the robominds Skill SDK.

The jury nominated the sensor specialist SICK with PACS (PAllet Classification System), a Deep Learning-based pallet identification system. The development was triggered by a customer’s challenge that employees in goods receiving have to manually determine whether incoming pallets belong to a pallet pool and have a deposit. With the new solution, users can easily automate this previously manual process based on a modular kit of hardware and software.

SSI SCHAEFER made it into the final round with the IKEA Project Flat Pack Picking. With Flat Pack Picking, the manufacturer offers an automated and turnkey system solution for the efficient and volume-optimised palletising of large items that are typical for the furniture trade. The order-picking module with gantry robots enables efficient handling of a heterogeneous range of articles and is characterised by high scalability.

In the same category, STILL is in the running for a trophy with the automated warehouse extension at Hase Safety Workwear. The Hamburg-based company expanded the facility to a total of 10,000 pallet spaces. At the same time, existing STILL industrial trucks were replaced with automated and more powerful trucks with telescopic forks. Optimised driving courses also contributed to the increase in performance.

The Hanseatic company also successfully applied for the Special of the Year category with DSR (Descend Speed Regulation). This is a three-stage assistance system for trailers and tuggers that makes it easier for the driver to descend safely – especially with heavy trailer loads. The system regulates – manually or automatically – the speed of the vehicle to a value that can protect against dangerous situations.

With e.scala, the company stow robotics, part of the Belgian stow Group, is in the final round. This is a standardised, robot-based goods-to-person storage and picking system for small and medium-sized applications. With a robot that moves three-dimensionally in the cube via rails and a patented ramp system, it replaces all the classic components of an automated storage system. This makes a realisation time of only three months possible. Further advantages: a low investment and low running costs.

SYNAOS is also looking forward to the final with its SYNAOS IMS – Vehicle Localization solution. With this, the position of manually controlled industrial trucks can be displayed – among other things thanks to a sensor kit with camera. For this purpose, SYNAOS uses state-of-the-art computer vision technology to enable its accurate and robust tracking system, which can be easily installed and scaled. Instead of UWB or LIDAR, the Visual Odometry technology known from robotics is used.

The 26-member jury from 20 countries will make the decisions in the competition, also known as the “Oscar of intralogistics”, after the IFOY TEST DAYS from 18th – 23rd March at Messe Dortmund.

In Hall 3, all finalists will go through the three-stage IFOY audit. In the IFOY test, experts determine the key figures of the finalists in a standardised procedure. In the IFOY innovation check, scientists assess the innovative value of the nominated devices and solutions. The innovation check is carried out by specialists from the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML), the Chair of Technical Logistics at the University of Dresden and the Chair of Materials Handling, Material Flow and Logistics (fml) at the Technical University of Munich. For the first time, an expert from the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA) is also part of the research team. At the end of the IFOY TEST DAYS, jurors from all continents travel to the Ruhr region to test or inspect the nominees on site.

The international jury consists of trade journalists from leading logistics media. Peter MacLeod, News Editor of Logistics Business, is the sole UK representative on the IFOY Jury, having been a member of the original Jury when the event was established 10 years ago.

Among other things, innovation value, technology, ergonomics and handling, safety, marketability, design and customer benefits as well as economic efficiency and sustainability are evaluated. An important principle is that the finalists are not compared with each other in their respective categories, but with their competitors on the market.

The trophies will be awarded on 30th June. Details on the venue will be published soon. Until then, the result will remain a secret – both for the finalists and for the public.

Test Camp Intralogistics for B2B guests

Not only the jurors have the opportunity to test the finalists on site, but also intralogistics decision-makers from industry, trade and logistics services. Under the motto “Spot on Innovation and Business”, the TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS with the IFOY finalists, IFOY partners and internationally renowned manufacturers is open to a limited number of B2B trade visitors as a 2G-Plus event. The sustainable, innovative event format on a total area of 9,800 sq m has been extended from two to three days to offer participants even more time for test drives and intensive technical discussions with company representatives.

Between 21st and 23rd March, guests can not only take part in guided highlight tours. For the first time, there will also be panel discussions on the trend topics of innovation management, intralogistics 4.0 and VDA 5050, featuring well-known executives from the logistics and intralogistics sectors. The VDMA is also preparing a new edition of the live test of the VDA 5050 communication interface as part of the AGV Mesh-Up.

2022 Finalists at a glance

Cargotec Engineering
MOFFETT E5 25.4 NX

Jungheinrich
EKS 215a
ERD 220i

Locus Robotics
Locus Robotics AMR Solution

Magment
Dynamic wireless charging for intralogistics vehicles

NAiSE
NAiSE TRAFFIC

Noyes Technologies
NoyesStorage

robominds
robobrain.NEUROS

SICK
PACS (PAllet Classification System)

SSI SCHAEFER
IKEA Project Flat Pack Picking

STILL
DSR (Descent Speed Regulation)
Automated warehouse extension at Hase Safety Workwear

stow robotics
e.scala

SYNAOS
SYNAOS IMS – Vehicle Localization