New Linde Solutions for Growing Challenges

Recommendations, advice and solutions with regard to upcoming investments – this is what visitors to the LogiMAT trade show can expect to find at a total of three exhibition areas of Linde Material Handling (MH). In keeping with the motto ‘Green Performance’, the focus this year will be on the topics of energy and sustainability. Further key issues will include automation, the well-being of drivers and numerous vehicle innovations.

From April 25 to 27th, solution provider Linde MH will be presenting its extensive range of industrial trucks and software as well as consulting and other services on a total of 552 square meters throughout various areas in Hall 10 (Booths B21 and B17) of the Stuttgart trade fair grounds. In addition, a spacious outdoor area between Halls 8 and 10 will be used for vehicle demonstrations and to offer visitors the opportunity to test selected forklift trucks and warehouse technology equipment for themselves. Furthermore, the goods handling specialist will be showcasing its wide range of available energy and drive types in a third area in the Rothauspark, which connects the two wings of the exhibition centre’s halls. Under the slogan ‘Right Energy’, Linde MH subsumes the claim of being able to offer the most suitable type of drive or battery for all individual operating conditions. Corresponding software solutions help of the process of selecting the right system.

“Solutions in the form of industrial trucks from Linde MH stand for maximum performance in goods handling,” emphasizes Stefan Prokosch, Senior Vice President Brand Management at Linde Material Handling. “By offering innovative technologies and measurable improvements, we ensure even greater productivity for our customers.” One example in case is the wide range of solutions designed to optimize energy consumption, with which operators of industrial trucks are able to not only improve their carbon footprint but also keep energy costs under control. “In this way, we combine performance, sustainability and energy cost efficiency, thus ensuring our customers’ competitiveness,” Prokosch emphasizes. The Linde connect:charger, an intelligent software application that makes transparent the power consumption of chargers and controls said consumption to avoid expensive power peaks, will be presented for the first time. Another application, the Linde Energy Manager, allows this principle to be extended and enables the power requirements for the entire company to be actively planned. “This is particularly advantageous if the company produces its own energy (e.g. by means of a photovoltaic system) and there is a willingness to become an active player on the energy market,” explains the chief brand manager.

The new Linde X35 to X50 series of electric counterbalanced trucks is another prime example of green performance that will be launched at LogiMAT. Powerful, just as suitable for outdoor use as their combustion counterparts, and on a par with these in terms of robustness and ergonomics, the new trucks additionally offer the environmental benefits of featuring electric drives and potentially CO2-neutral operation. “Thus, Linde MH is currently the market’s leading manufacturer when it comes to having equally effective, networked and economical counterbalanced trucks with both electric motors and combustion engines in its portfolio,” Prokosch emphasizes.

Various themed areas on the main exhibition stand in Hall 10 will provide the setting for presenting numerous other innovations that will make their debut at the trade show. The highlight for storage and retrieval applications is the new Linde V modular vertical order picker with a liftable platform, travel speeds of up to 13 km/h and gripping heights of up to 14.5 meters. Designed for maximum picking performance, there is a choice of various payload versions, cab designs, assistance systems, mast variants and battery sizes. Most notably, safety and ergonomics are given top priority in the new vertical order picker for guided and un-guided applications. For example, the control panel of the V modular can be mounted on the mast side, load side or on both sides as required. Furthermore, its redesigned chassis and improved load arms ensure greater stability and the greatest possible manoeuvrability.

For loading and unloading applications, the new Linde T20 SP pallet trucks are waiting in the wings. Unique in the industry, these models allow the operator to stand at a 45° angle in the truck for a better view in both directions. The new series increases travel speed to up to 14 km/h. The D12 HP SP double-stackers impress with improved lifting and lowering speeds.

The Transport sector is responding to the increasing demand for automation solutions – triggered by a shortage of skilled workers and the search for further possibilities to optimize processes, greater flexibility in the flow of goods and greater operational safety. Demonstrating a dynamic application, Linde MH will show trade visitors how individual intralogistics challenges can be solved. Linde Material Handling’s range of products and services extends from autonomous, mobile transport robots to standard applications using automated industrial trucks to complex solutions implemented hand in hand with sister company and automation specialist Dematic.

When it comes to manually operated industrial trucks, the operators themselves are the measure of all things. The better they are supported and protected on the job, the faster, safer and healthier they can work. That’s why Linde MH will dedicate a separate outdoor area exclusively to drivers. Solutions on display will include innovative alternatives to the steering wheel in the form of a mini-wheel or joystick, the decoupling of the driver’s workplace on forklifts and warehouse trucks to provide protection against human vibrations, and various safety and assistance systems.

“As a holistic provider of material flow solutions, we are determined to fulfil any customer wish. That’s why our network partners’ sales consultants and the product experts from Linde Material Handling at LogiMAT will do everything in their power to help visitors find customized, future-proof solutions,” says Prokosch.

New Electric Forklift Launched

Baoli, the forklift manufacturer that is part of the KION Group, is launching a newly developed electric forklift series across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The new trucks are cost-effective models designed for operation with lift capacities from 2.5 tons to 3.5 tons.

Electric forklifts are more environmental friendly compared to internal combustion solutions and therefore gain importance. To protect the environment and operator, Baoli is now launching a completely redesigned electric counterbalance truck family. The KBE 25-30-35 models have a load capacity of 2.5 t, 3.0 t and 3.5 t respectively. “This new generation of Baoli electric trucks aims at only one thing: Exceeding customer expectations! In terms of quality and reliability we are offering our customers a new reference in our market segment with the right level of performance at an affordable price. With the new KBE family we address all material handling standard applications,” says Francesco Pampuri, Director Brand Marketing & Management.

Robust, safe trucks for a wide range of applications

This new generation has been developed for suit almost all industries – from retail to manufacturing, from indoor to outdoor operations. The new machines draw their power from 80 V lead-acid batteries with a capacity of 360-450 Ah for the 2.5 t models and 500-600 Ah for the 3.0 t and 3.5 t models. Maintenance-free Li-Ion batteries will become available. “The solid workmanship of our machines ensures very long and smooth operation for our customers, whose safety is always our top priority,” Pampuri continues.

State-of-the-art production facility

The new KBE family is manufactured at the new production plant in Jinan (Shandong province), the fifth Chinese production site of the Frankfurt-based KION Group. The dimensions underline the growth aspirations KION has for the Baoli brand: the manufacturing area covers nearly 223,000 square meters – the equivalent of over 31 football fields. The new factory meets the highest manufacturing and quality standards and will allow Baoli to upgrade its range of forklifts for the entry-level segment to a completely new technological level.

Range of equipment

The KBE trucks come with a large number of technical features that make them reliable, safe and easy to operate. For example, the newly designed mast, which is up to 6,500 millimeters high, gives operators an excellent view of the load and its surroundings. It also features the “soft landing” safety function which reduces the lowering speed when the lift height is less than 100 millimeters. The new series features the latest-generation KION control unit, high quality electric motors and hydraulic components as well as the easy to read display. A driving program allows the operator to choose between economical, efficient or performance-oriented operation. Newly developed diagnostic tools can be operated via an app on any standard smartphone further increase the ease of operations.
BAOLI did not only focus on making the new electric trucks reliable and safe but also put an emphasis on driver comfort. For example, the spacious and comfortable driver’s seat offers operators a perfect all-round view through the standard overhead guard. Baoli is offering the truck with half or full cabins as well as retrofittable cabin kits if needed at a later time.

Excellent services

“Because we know what our customers really need, we make the decision very easy for them with the new KBE family because we offer simple, safe, yet very robust trucks without unnecessary extras. With easy-to-configurate and simple offer design and uncomplicated order processing, we also ensure a very high level of customer satisfaction,” Pampuri says. Baoli makes their forklifts available from stock out of their Italy-based distribution center in order to increase the flexibility of customers.

New Electric Counterbalance Truck Launched

Yale Europe Materials Handling has expanded its ground-breaking range of products for less demanding applications with the ERP16-20UXT. Suitable for applications that require intermittent use of materials handling equipment, the three-wheel electric counterbalance truck can help customers in a number of industries with their operations.

The Yale® UX Series was first launched in 2020 after Yale identified a demand for products that are used intermittently, but are still capable of high levels of efficiency and productivity. For small to medium sized companies, or larger companies who require straightforward load movements, the ERP16-20UXT is a good choice due to its low cost of ownership.

Matt Hardy, Yale Solutions Manager EMEA, said: “The ERP16-20UXT electric counterbalance truck offers an affordable solution to customers, with the added benefit of maintenance and support from the experienced Yale dealer network and backed by the trusted Yale name. For this reason, it could be a natural fit for garden centres, light or small manufacturing companies, and third party logistics operators. Small printing companies and farms may also find the ERP16-20UXT meets their requirements.”

To ensure that the ERP16-20UXT provides high levels of productivity even in the shortest period of use, the truck has been designed to offer operators great visibility, comfortable ergonomics, and highly responsive steering.

A clear view

The ERP16-20UXT benefits from a wide mast window, giving the operator a clear view while handling and transporting loads. Due to the shape of the truck, operators can also enjoy good rear vision in the cabin of the ERP16-20UXT.

Inside the ergonomic compartment, all controls are in easy reach to reduce fatigue and increase comfort for the operator. The dashboard mounted IP65 display offers basic information at a glance, such as the battery discharge indicator, travel speed, and fault codes to enable a quick repair. Often businesses with infrequent materials handling needs also have compact working environments. The three wheel design of the ERP16-20UXT minimises the truck’s turning radius, while highly responsive steering enables the operator to move with ease.

Alerting the workforce

In applications where materials handling equipment are not in constant use, it is vital that those in the near vicinity of a truck in operation are alerted to its presence. The ERP16-20UXT comes with an amber strobe light as standard to give pedestrians an additional visible alert to a moving truck. The rear grab handle has an integrated horn button, which allows the operator to easily issue an additional audio warning while reversing.

Hardy said: “Our UX series was developed after gathering customer insight. We realised the opportunity to offer a range of solutions at an affordable price to customers who need responsive materials handling equipment for less demanding operations. The ERP16-20UXT three-wheel electric counterbalance truck is an attractive addition to this range, offering enhanced performance, and low cost of ownership.”

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