Tag: forklift technology

The Irish manufacturer Combilift has marked a further milestone when its 60,000th unit came off the production lines at the company HQ in Monaghan and was shipped to the other side of the world. The customer taking delivery of this special forklift is Metroll, a leading Australian manufacturer and supplier of steel building products including roofing, cladding, rainwater, structural and fencing.

Metroll has branches across the country, and the new Combi-CB3000 will be a further addition to its fleet of 13 Combilifts that are operating throughout the Metroll Group, with another 10 already on order. These range from 3t multidirectional units to a highly customised 10t model.

Combilift number 60,000 will be working at the site in Toowoomba and has been fitted with features such as 4.9m triplex mast with a 3050mm spreader to safely and easily manage the long loads that are typically handled by Metroll.

Metroll Operations Manager Vic Josephs said: “Like most businesses, we are very busy and we’re also growing at a significant rate, so space has become a premium resource. With this unit we can utilise our space more efficiently whilst at the same time operating safely. Safety is of paramount importance. This forklift allows our machinery to get into tighter spaces and for us to space our racks more closely together to maximise factory floor space.”

Combilift CEO and Co-Founder Martin McVicar commented: “This is a great achievement for Combilift, particularly as almost every truck we manufacture is a one-off, designed for specific and individual requirements. There are very few other companies, if any, that can offer this level of customisation whilst manufacturing in such volume. The first half of this year has been by far the best in our 23-year history for the number of orders we have received – not just for Combi-CB models but across our complete product range.”

Chris Littlewood, Country Manager of Combilift Australia said: “The Combi-CB 3t model is the most popular unit in the Australian market and accounted for 50% of the machines we sold in the year ending March 2021. So we are particularly pleased that it is one of our customers in this country that has been able to receive this landmark machine.”

Following the successful collaboration with Metroll in Australia, Combilift now also supplies its trucks to the company’s Californian-based operations too. “We have often found that a recommendation from one country leads to sites elsewhere adopting the same material handling processes with our products,” said Martin McVicar. “So we’d like to congratulate Metroll on taking delivery of our 60,000th truck, and thank them for their continued support over the years.”

Click here to watch the video.

Since 2019, Konecranes has regularly introduced a range of enhancements for safety and productivity in its Lifetime Advantage programme. Now, as part of this long-term commitment to improving the performance of existing lift trucks, Konecranes is introducing four more innovative ways to raise safety and productivity for its customers around the world.

All four upgrades are specific solutions that can be fitted to Konecranes lift trucks on customer sites. They are not service packages but are intended to improve equipment performance with the latest available technology.

“Safety and productivity are among the two most important priorities for our customers,” says Johan Kårhammer, Global Spare Parts Operations Manager at Konecranes Lift Trucks. “So, in this latest release, they can choose any or all of two safety and two productivity packages that can be installed on one truck, all trucks at one site, or even across a global fleet.”

Of the two new safety improvements, Over Head Guard (pictured) is a retrofit for empty container handlers that will protect the operator from a falling object using a safety cage mounted around the cabin. Thankfully, falling objects are quite rare in container yards, but empty containers can sometimes drop accidentally due to the height of the mast. The retrofit is available only for Generation B and C empty container handlers.

Customers can also upgrade their lift truck safety by enhancing peripheral and forward visibility with a Roof LED Bar. This is a preassembled light fitting mounted on the truck’s roof to make operations brighter when the surrounding area is not fully illuminated, such as at night, in shadow, or indoors. Available at different illumination levels, it can be easily fitted to any type of forklift or container handler, and controlled from the operator’s dashboard inside the cabin. Better lighting also reduces driver fatigue, as they are not distracted by the need to avoid hard-to-see obstacles and can fully focus on delivering the load safely.

Productivity gets a boost with Hydraulic Pump Upgrade 2x105cc. On Konecranes Liftace reach stackers and TCE5 models with a suitable configuration, replacing the existing 75cc pump with a 105cc pump increases the operational speed of lifting, extending, retracting and manoeuvring actions. Faster movements mean faster work cycles and the result is more container stacking during each shift. Easy to install, the difference in work flow can be seen immediately.

The second productivity improvement is a static weighing system retrofit for Generation B and C reach stackers. Operators can weigh containers by lifting them for a few seconds, then touching a button to send the measured weight to a central database, such as the Terminal Operating System (TOS) or the yourKONECRANES customer portal, where it is linked to the container ID. This provides the information for an automated Verified Gross Mass (VGM) declaration with +/- 1% full scale accuracy and eliminates the need for a separate weighing procedure when loading containers for transport. Reducing the time and processes required for each container to pass through the container yard, this retrofit saves on operational costs and increases overall site productivity.

As in the past, the Konecranes global distributor network will again play a significant role in bringing the new Lifetime Advantage options to Konecranes customers around the world.

“With the popularity of our previous upgrades and retrofits, I’m pleased to see this new range available so soon,” says Patrik Lundbäck, Director and Head of Sales and Distribution at Konecranes Lift Trucks. “The Konecranes Lifetime Advantage is based on the needs of our customers in their daily activities. It’s meant to refine their operations and add a sharper edge to their container handling.”

Toyota Material Handling Europe has optimised its engine counterbalanced truck range designed for productivity, efficiency and the environment. The Tonero Stage V includes Toyota’s leanest industrial engines, designed and produced in-house, optimising performance and driveability. The new models deliver lower fuel consumption, less maintenance but most importantly cleaner operations.

The new Toyota Tonero Stage V range is energy-efficient and much cleaner than required by the latest European Union exhaust emission regulation, while also providing a number of benefits for engine counterbalanced truck users. The trucks are equipped with a Toyota in-house industrial engine that is robust, reliable and easy to service, reducing fuel consumption and maintenance costs.

“Our latest engine counterbalanced truck, the Tonero Stage V, combines Toyota innovation and quality, which dramatically reduces emissions, resulting in a cleaner environment and air,” says Paul Van De Sype, Product Manager IC counterbalanced trucks at Toyota Material Handling Europe.

The new counterweight design has been reviewed and improved throughout the range. This offers ease of access for service, saving time and resulting in increased productivity, further adding to a reduced overall cost of ownership. The appearance has been changed as well for the range of 1.5 to 3.5t for increased consistency within the IC CB family.

Surpassing Stage V regulations

Stage V, the European emission regulation, aims at reducing emissions from combustion engines, only allowing for engines with a lower exhaust. Toyota Material Handling strives to guide their customers in these changing times and commits to provide cleaner and leaner solutions with a high-quality level of performance. The Tonero range meets customers’ specific operational needs while minimising emission levels, environmental impacts, and total cost of ownership.

Therefore, the most recent engine counterbalanced models from Toyota have been optimised, including the leanest industrial engines for diesel and LPG, in line with the latest EU emissions regulations. Toyota’s massive unique selling point lies in the fact that all engines are designed and produced in-house.

The Tonero range can be used in every customer application. The Toyota CB IC offer goes from 1.5t all the way to 8t – to support customers from light to intense operations, inside or outside. Up to 3.5 tonnes capacity, customers have the choice between a Tonero with hydrodynamic drive or hydrostatic drive .

Toyota lean industrial engines

The core of the Tonero’s lean power lies in the models’ engines: Toyota applied the principle of Kaizen (continuous improvement) to offer lean engines for both gas and diesel vehicles. The new Tonero models include clean, safe and reliable in-house Toyota engines, surpassing the  European Stage V regulations. Customers have a wide choice of models to choose from, whether it’s diesel or gas.

Our torque convertor range, offering the hydrodynamic drive, is available up to 8 tonnes, both in diesel and LPG version.  Diesel is available on entry models 1.5 to 1.8t  equipped with the reliable 1DZIII engine. As from 2t up to 8t, customers are offered 3 and 4-cylinder ultra-clean and highly fuel-efficient common rail engines. Both include a diesel particulate filter (DPF) for cleaner operations and deliver high power and torque at low engine speeds, ensuring long lifetime and reliability in all applications.

The hydrostatic transmission range offering hydrostatic drive is available in diesel version, equipped with the high-power 3-cylinder 1ZS diesel engine (2.0-3.5t) and available in LPG version (1.5-3.5t). New Toyota-developed software for the full range and additional technologies delivers optimised driveability and productivity in combination with stronger braking ability.

Toyota always strives to offer products with added value as well as helping customers by saving on costs. With this in mind, service intervals on the latest Toyota engines have been increased significantly, reducing costs for service.

Driver safety & comfort

Operators can benefit from a new ergonomic dashboard featuring a new display, easy and intuitive thanks to the controls now all integrated in one place. Indicators for hydraulic oil, wheel position, mast tilt, diesel particulate filter (DPF), driving direction, time and fuel consumption overview are part of the new features included on the display, all contributing to increased productivity and saving costs. A safe workplace is guaranteed thanks to the pre-operational check and speed setting.

The new Toyota front and rear combi LED lights improve drivers’ visibility, for even safer handling. The long lifetime and energy efficiency of LED lights deliver significant fuel and service cost savings, increasing availability and productivity.

For ultimate driver comfort and driving dynamics, the Toyota Tonero with hydrostatic drive is the answer. The models from 2t onwards feature a full floating driver compartment which create an optimal ergonomic working environment.

The new STILL NXV guarantees convenient, safe, and fast warehouse processes. The narrow aisle truck (man-down) is particularly effective in high and narrow warehouse aisles. At storage heights of up to 13.8 metres, the active load stabilisation, and the fork camera help to prevent damage to the racking. In addition, a positioning aid provides extra safety and speed when picking up load carriers.

The new vehicle passed its first practical test in a field study at Bad Heilbrunner GmbH & Co. KG with flying colours. The manufacturer of herbal medicinal teas from Upper Bavaria was so impressed by the new truck that they immediately ordered an NXV.

The test drivers were particularly satisfied with the ergonomic components of the truck. Numerous details, such as the ergonomic driver’s seat with optional tilt technology, the proportional seat and footplate adjustment or the possibility of adapting all operating elements to the driver’s ergonomics, not only make the vehicle particularly comfortable, but also ensure a very good view of the fork tips.

In combination with the Joystick 4Plus, the truck can be operated very smoothly, which leads to a significant increase in turnover.

Camera and positioning aids for more safety

In picking up load carriers, the new cross line laser facilitates the safe and quick positioning of the forks at the right height and in the middle of the load carrier. The camera mounted on the inside of the forks with image transmission to the driver’s monitor provides optimum visibility when picking up the load. In combination with the active load stabilisation, collision damage, breakage of goods and personal injury caused by falling loads are effectively avoided even at great heights.

An optional position laser on the mast supports the horizontal approach to the correct rack position. When the laser pointer aligns with the corresponding mark on the racking, the correct approach position has been reached. With the help of the fork camera, the load is lifted to the correct lifting height quickly and easily.

Variable load pick-up due to turret head fork

The NXV’s turret head fork is suitable for picking up almost any pallet and enables the transfer of load carriers to a conveyor system. Due to the very small dimensions of the pivoting and turnable turret head fork, almost any space in the high-bay warehouse can be optimally used. Pallets can be picked up smoothly and quietly to the right and left of the aisle without having to turn the NXV.

Together with the active load stabilisation, the turret head mechanism makes storage and retrieval more comfortable, faster, and more precise. Another noticeable improvement is the automatic fork cycle, i.e. the automatic extension, lowering and retraction of the turret head fork at the touch of a button.

Semi-automatic shelf approach possible

However, the technical capabilities of the NXV are only fully exploited with the OPTISPEED vehicle concept or the iGo pilot navigation interface. With this, the NXV communicates with the warehouse management system and connects the processes in the warehouse into an intelligent whole.

When the driver receives a transport order, the vehicle knows the next storage location in the high rack to approach. The forklift truck thus independently finds its way through the warehouse aisles. This eliminates the possibility of incorrect retrievals.

Lithium-ion technology for increased availability

The NXV is an efficient and compact bundle of energy that also boasts high availability thanks to Li-Ion technology. As there are no more battery changes and intermediate charging is possible with very short charging times – wherever there are power sockets – flexible use is guaranteed.

In combination with the long service life of the maintenance-free Li-Ion battery, operating costs and CO2 emissions are reduced. In addition, the high vehicle availability is also increased by the – compared to lead-acid batteries – larger battery capacity.

Adapting forklift trucks to customer needs

No two high bay warehouses are alike, as we all know. So, it makes sense to adapt forklift trucks to the customer’s needs – to the loads to be transported, for example, or to the possible growth of the company. Thanks to their modular design, STILL narrow-aisle trucks can be configured specifically to meet the operator’s needs.

Different battery compartments, masts or telescopic and turret head forks are used. This also applies to the new NXV. Due to its scalable dimensions, it can be used very flexibly even in the tightest spaces with loads of up to 1.5 tonnes.

In 2021, the Hyster-Yale Group proudly celebrates 40 years of manufacturing lift trucks at its plant in Northern Ireland as it announces the expansion of its Craigavon site.

The facility, which was officially opened on 7th April 1981, was built and equipped with the most up-to-date robot systems and equipment. Over the years the plant has grown to be the largest-volume forklift plant in the UK, manufacturing thousands of electric, diesel, and LPG forklifts each year for export throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The site, around 30 miles from Belfast, employs hundreds of people from the local area, which the company credits as key to its success story. This year, five team members will also celebrate the milestone of 40 years with the company, while more than 100 current employees at the site have 30 years or more of service.

“The success of our plant at Craigavon is driven by our people, where we see incredible dedication, perseverance, and loyalty from the team at all levels, with an average length of service of 17 years,” says Jim Downey, Plant Manager for Hyster-Yale Group EMEA in Craigavon. “Over the last four decades, our people have worked together to conquer challenges, embrace new opportunities, and maintain forward momentum, and that is why our facility continues to succeed, evolve, and grow.”

Transformation remains key to the Craigavon facility, where expansion of the 500,000 sq ft site is currently in progress, in preparation for future manufacturing demands and product lines. The company has invested millions over the past two years developing the factory, which incorporates leading technologies and up-to-date automated systems. The extension will also create dozens of new jobs, including continued investment in apprenticeships.

“We have great confidence in the talent pool in Northern Ireland and are fortunate to have so many long-standing employees that bring with them significant expertise, including many of our management team who started their careers here on the shop floor,” says Downey. “However, at the same time, we are keen to optimise our operations with automation and new ways of working that best support our workforce and deliver the quality our customers need.”

Quality is key to the facility at Craigavon, which has been the recipient of numerous awards throughout its history. Among the team’s achievements is ISO 50001 certification for its commitment to energy efficiency, and sustainability continues to be a key driver for the company during its latest site expansion.

The new 60,000 sq ft. extension to the factory will be known as the Sands Building, in honour of Harry Sands, former Senior VP and Managing Director, EMEA, for Hyster-Yale Group based in Craigavon, who retired in 2020 after 40 years with the company. It has been built with environmental specifications and ambitious objectives in mind. For instance, it incorporates a completely new approach to lighting which harnesses more natural light, decreasing electricity consumption and reducing CO2 emissions. A biomethane fuelled plant on the site will also be used to provide 80% of the electrical power required, with the heat by-product also used on site.

In line with the Hyster-Yale Group 2026 Corporate Responsibility Objectives, the site aims to reduce carbon emissions by 30%, in addition to targets for reducing water consumption, waste, and landfill.  Waste to landfill from the facility has already reduced significantly, with 97% now being recycled, and a number of other waste reduction initiatives exist on the site, everywhere from the canteen kitchen to the packaging line.

The Craigavon plant also continues to be committed to biodiversity, encouraging rare wildlife in its grounds as a result. The latest plant extension incorporates a Sustainable Urban Drainage System, which mimics natural drainage and is more environmentally friendly.

“Throughout its 40 years the Craigavon facility has continued to innovate and build capability to be an agile and flexible facility, that is able to meet and exceed customer expectations through automation, people and processes,” says Downey.

“Now is an exciting time as ever, as we adapt our assembly lines, connect with new technologies, and develop our product ranges, laying the foundations for future growth and many more decades of success,” he concludes.