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Tag: forklifts

Bespoke handling solution for building materials manufacturer

Posted on by David Priestman

Materials handling solutions expert B&B Attachments has provided building materials manufacturer Aggregate Industries with a prototype forklift clamp, leading to gains in efficiency and safety.

Aggregate Industries manufactures and supplies a range of heavy building materials, primarily aggregates such as stone, asphalt and concrete, to the construction industry and other business sectors. With over 200 sites and around 3,700 dedicated employees, Aggregate Industries supply products to help businesses work sustainably, safely, professionally, and profitably.

The Concrete Products Division at Aggregate Industries based in Callow, Cheddar, identified there was a requirement to standardise the most efficient loading method across the fleet, irrespective of trailer type, while maintaining safety expectations.

Aggregate Industries building block sites had traditionally used a forklift fitted with a pivot-style overhead clamp attachment to load packs of concrete building blocks onto flat beds and crane lorries. However, there is insufficient clearance between the top of some block packs and standard curtain sided trailer roofs to lift the clamp clear, preventing direct loading of curtain sided trailers.

As a result, Aggregate Industries Concrete Block Factories had been using a far less efficient and time-consuming process which involved placing its block packs on to pallets and then loading by a conventional forklift. This loading method was more than double that of flat and crane vehicles loading times and associated costs, plus created a reluctance to take advantage of additional payload and potential backhaul loads that the network fleet of curtain sided trailers offered, and have a premium cost for use, as there is little scope for back haul of other goods.

It became necessary to find a solution to prevent double handling of loads, ensuring that the load travels straight from the yard storage to the curtain sided vehicle.

Neil Spratt, Aggregates Industries Regional Operations Manager approached B&B Attachments with a proposed forklift clamp concept that would create space to enable the twin clamp to lift clear of block packs after they had been loaded onto a curtain sided trailer.

B&B Attachments is a leading specialist in material handling solutions in the UK and Ireland. The company designs, manufactures, and supplies forklift truck attachment solutions. Its design department converted the concept into reality.

Following numerous meetings, a prototype TK45-TEL clamp was manufactured. This model would not only work as a standard twin consolidating overhead block clamp, but also have the added key benefit of being able to load packs directly onto curtain-sided vehicles. As the TK45-TEL had an additional leg retraction selection. Considerable time was spent to eliminate potential incorrect function selection by forklift operators.

This added safety innovation allows its hydraulic system to work independently for each clamp, enabling the operator to clamp, load, and withdraw easily and safely when loading a curtain sided vehicle.

B&B Attachments describes the BlockMaster TK45-TEL as a new, first-of-its kind innovation.

“The clamp preforms all the other duties expected of a twin consolidating clamp,” says Richard Smith, Business Improvement Manager at Aggregate Industries. “The retractable legs and hydraulics control interlocks in this new attachment, provides efficient direct loading of concrete products efficiently on to curtain-sided vehicles.  It also opens the door to exciting haulage efficiency opportunities previously not pursued.”

Latest advances in lithium-ion forklifts

Posted on by David Priestman

Phil Ireland, Programme Leader 20/20 Platform at Hyster Europe, discusses the latest advances in lithium-ion power for Hyster lift trucks, and why common misconceptions could leave businesses missing out on the optimal solution.

In the past electric forklifts may have had a reputation for not being as ‘tough’ as their Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) counterparts. Though electric trucks thrive when matched with the right application, across the industry they can be typically seen to deliver 70% or less productivity compared to an equivalent ICE forklift. Until now.

New developments in lithium-ion

In 2020, Hyster launched the J7.0-9.0XNL series, with fully integrated lithium-ion batteries. These zero-emissions electric lift trucks with 7-9 tonnes of lift capacity offer comparable performance to an ICE truck, alongside rapid opportunity charging, due to some key advances in technology and truck design. For the first time, you can take a lithium-ion forklift, and “drive it like a diesel”.

A common objection to electric lift trucks is the run time.  It is a fact that batteries can only store so much energy, so previously operations would need to factor in the time, and infrastructure, for re-charging, making an ICE truck a simpler proposition.  However, the capability for opportunity charging with a lithium-ion battery changes that.

Operations with two or three shift operations can easily top up the charge, preventing the need for battery exchange and a separate charging room. The battery is also maintenance free with no watering or equalising, unlike a lead-acid battery. A single shift, seven-day-a-week operation using an electric forklift with a lead acid battery would, by contrast, need to equalise every six cycles for 16 hours.

What’s more, the lithium-ion battery permits high levels of regenerative braking current to be absorbed, extending run time and improving efficiency. This mode of operation is only possible on an electric lift truck and delivers the added benefit of less wear and tear on the brakes, in turn reducing maintenance costs.

The secret’s in the voltage

A key differentiator with the new Hyster J7.0-9.0XNL series is the voltage. The 350V technology makes high power charging and intensive performance possible. There is no loss in performance from frequent charging or capacity loss at heavy usage.

The higher voltage system makes it possible to charge at up to 50kW, speeding up the process. From empty, the lithium-ion battery can achieve 100% charge in less than 80 minutes. Importantly, high-power charging also allows for a quick boost – for certain applications, one minute of charging may create up to four minutes of drivetime. And the high voltage has other benefits too.

Lower voltage batteries result in a higher current for the same level of power and can overheat in intensive work cycles. Conversely, the 350V battery supports high productivity (in tonnes per hour moved) and applications with both intense peaks and continuous heavy-duty usage.

In this case, an electric truck is absolutely tough enough. The Hyster J7.0-9.0XNL series also features tough drivetrains, simple engineering, longer service intervals, and components built to last the lifetime of the truck, minimising truck maintenance needs.

There is also another important myth to address – that “electric trucks overheat all the time”. The Hyster J7.0-9.0XNL lift trucks are not only designed with a high voltage (and therefore low current) system that greatly reduces heat development, but also incorporates specially designed water-cooled motors and drive controllers to prevent this, while increasing the overall efficiency of the truck.  Battery monitoring systems are also included to keep a close eye on under and overcharging.

A green option for yellow trucks

The Hyster J7.0-9.0XNL series of electric lift trucks produce zero emissions. This is a clear benefit to those organisations aiming to improve environmental credentials.  Globally there is a move towards stricter legislation, and even total bans, on vehicles with IC engines. Organisations are therefore increasingly making the move to electric vehicles.

The ability to run and charge trucks internally without additional ventilation also provides a pollution-free alternative well suited to indoor/outdoor applications. The high controllability of electric trucks makes them an ideal option for working in confined areas, such as narrower aisle widths.

The Hyster lithium-ion forklifts are also quieter, both when working and when idling, improving operator comfort but also helping ensure that outdoor operations in urban areas comply with noise level legislation, and don’t upset the neighbours!

It depends on the application

It is important to remember that not every solution is right for every application.

Lithium-ion powered electric trucks are a more expensive initial purchase, though they have a long working life and when matched with the right application will offer productivity gains that can offset the cost.

However, low hours and less intensive operations may find the economic benefits more limited. Likewise, operations with high hours and small fleets may find opportunity charging intrusive, and large fleets may struggle to meet peak power demand capacity for charging.

Hyster has the expertise, both in-house and through our trusted dealer network, to advise on the transition from ICE to electrics, the right charging strategies, and ultimately matching the right solution to the specific needs of the application.

Hoppecke UK sales surge

Posted on by David Priestman

During a challenging 12 months, Hoppecke Industrial Batteries saw a significant uplift in UK sales against the backdrop of a market downturn. The market for motive power batteries was down around 25% in 2020/21. However, Hoppecke bucked the trend, growing sales by more than 15% over the previous year.

General Manager Stuart Browne says: “It’s been a tough year, and like everyone, we’ve had to adapt. We’ve coped well and our achievement is due, in part, to some key strategic planning to mitigate any fall out from Brexit. However, it’s largely thanks to a team effort to pull together and support customers throughout the pandemic.”

Coronavirus put the spotlight on logistics and its vital influence on the UK’s economic fortunes. This was especially evident as wholesalers and producers worked with supermarkets to keep the shelves stocked. At the same time, consumers got accustomed to shopping online for just about anything. In general, the pandemic has given people cause to think about logistics, particularly how products get from A to B. It’s clear that carriers and haulage firms are increasingly important to supply chain success.

Hoppecke implemented robust plans to ensure it was well-prepared for Brexit. Over the course of 2020 the company geared up to ensure a seamless transition. As a result, it was business as usual from 1 January 2021. Maintaining good stock levels throughout the year ensured an uninterrupted supply of motive power batteries and chargers for Hoppecke’s UK customers.

This approach also meant that, whatever the outcome of trade talks with the European Union, Hoppecke could satisfy customer requirements. Bringing in extra stock in the months leading up to Christmas avoided delays at the ports so products were readily available. In fact, these preparations enabled Hoppecke to achieve over 200% of its motive power batteries sales target for the month of December.

All employees at Hoppecke’s UK headquarters in Staffordshire have been retained, boosting business stability. The company has also taken on temporary workers in its busy warehouse. During lockdowns and the various tiered restrictions, the Hoppecke team has focussed on supporting customers. Some staff in administrative roles have been working remotely but by implementing appropriate measures to keep people safe, the production team has continued working on site.

Stuarts adds: “As a nation we’re really getting to grips with the pandemic and I believe we’ve overcome the biggest challenges.

“Hoppecke is committed to battery assembly, sales, rental, refurbishment and servicing in the UK for the long term and we’re upbeat about the future. We’re hoping for a less volatile 2021/22 and look forward to seeing those businesses most severely impacted by Covid-19 bounce back.”

In 2020/2021 Hoppecke Industrial Batteries posted a year-on-year increase of more than 15% for motive power battery sales.

Yale launches new platform pallet truck

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Yale’s new MPX Series platform pallet trucks offer impressive ergonomics designed around the needs of the operator.

The MP20-30X trucks are ideal for medium- to high-intensity applications and can manoeuvre comfortably even in the tightest of working environments. A range of innovative options enables the MPX Series trucks to be tailored to the specific nuances of an operation.

When it comes to maintaining high levels of productivity, comfortable employees can make all the difference to a company’s operation. The machine should be able to work in perfect harmony with its operator, requiring minimal effort to execute the task at hand. The new MPX Series platform pallet trucks from Yale Europe Materials Handling embodies this philosophy, offering impressive ergonomics and exceptional manoeuvrability.

“The Yale MP20-30X platform pallet trucks have been designed around the needs of the operator during horizontal transportation of loads,” explained Gianbattista Scaramuzza, Senior Product Strategy Manager, Warehouse Products at Yale. “Even in the most congested of spaces, these new low lift trucks can work effortlessly. For businesses looking to reduce operator fatigue and increase productivity, the MPX Series trucks are the perfect addition to a fleet.”

Ideal for medium- to high-intensity operations, the MP20-30X can be used in the loading and unloading of trailers, working around the dockside, order picking and cross docking.
The MPX Series tiller head has an ergonomically shaped handle, fitted with an integral hand guard, and will automatically return to the vertical position when released by the operator. The large butterfly control buttons are engineered to support natural thumb movement, with all dash panel components within easy reach.

Rather than forcing the operators to adapt to the same driving style, the MPX Series trucks feature driver mode selection to suit different operators’ skills.

MPX Series trucks are available in three configurations. For operations managers who would prefer the versatility of switching between ride-on and pedestrian mode, the MPX Series is available with a foldable platform and side arms for support. There are also two fixed platform options: one with permanent rear protection for the operator, and one with permanent side protection.

To meet the needs of specific applications, a foot sensor can be installed on trucks with permanent side protection, which will only allow the truck to be driven with an operator on-board.
“The operator platform on the new Yale MP20-30X Series trucks is designed to support a number of comfortable driving positions, while the rubber floor mat delivers extra grip while in transit,” explained Gianbattista.

The MPX Series trucks have a number of new features that allow operators to move loads smoothly and efficiently. The new, robust design of the foldable side arms provide stability and security when the truck is in motion, while also reducing maintenance costs and improving productivity.

As well as its ability to work in tight spaces, the MPX Series trucks can transfer loads across extended distances and offer a wide capacity range of 2 to 3 tonnes. The new fork design is available in a range of lengths, with customers also able to choose from two fork heights to suit their specific needs. The extended forks option allows the MP20-30X to transport up to two pallets or three Europallets crosswise per journey.

Operation managers can choose the power solution that best fits their needs with lead acid and lithium-ion batteries offered for the MP20-30X trucks. Its durable design combined with a low energy consumption helps keep ongoing running costs under control.

The MPX Series can be tailored to applications with a range of additional options. A smart lift option can elevate loads and begin transporting pallets before its load arms are at full lift, eliminating the need for the operator to continually hold down the button.

A height adjustable tiller is suitable for a wide range of operations. Simply by adjusting the position of the tiller, operators can adapt the truck into a driving position that they find comfortable.

For low-light environments, a working light package on the Yale MPX Series illuminates the load area. A cold store solution enables the MPX Series trucks to cope with temperatures as low as -30°C without any effect on its performance.

“We’re really proud to unveil our new MPX Series trucks. Yale has worked hard to identify features in which we can offer comfort and ease to the operator to help them be as productive as possible during a shift in a busy environment. We believe the MP20-30X accomplishes this and would be an asset to any warehouse operation,” concluded Gianbattista.

One-millionth Linde truck rolls out of Aschaffenburg

Posted on by David Priestman

Linde Material Handling has been manufacturing counterbalance trucks at its Aschaffenburg, Germany production site since back in 1959. In March 2021, the one-millionth vehicle rolled off the assembly line and has since been ceremoniously handed over to customer company Colorobbia España S.A., one of the largest facilities in the world for the production of frits, pigments and other products for the ceramics and glass industry.

Even though big celebrations had to be cancelled due to the pandemic, it was a real goosebump moment when the one-millionth counterbalance truck came off the production line at the Aschaffenburg plant in mid-March. Captured on video for everyone to see, the completion of the milestone vehicle was celebrated with a minute-long indoor fireworks display of red Bengal lights, sparklers, smoke and lots of glitter raining down around the figure “1,000,000”.

The next day, the latest-generation Linde diesel forklift truck with a load capacity of 3.5t set off on the journey to its future workplace at Colorobbia España S.A. on the east coast of Spain, with the signatures of all assembly employees written on the back of it. There, it will reinforce a fleet of 60 vehicles.

“We have been relying on Linde brand forklifts for 24 years now and particularly appreciate the trucks’ user-friendliness and safety,” says Gonzalo Trilles de Castro, Managing Director of Colorobbia España S.A. Equally important to him, he says, is a reliable partnership with a company that shares his own philosophy on sustainability, innovation and technology.

“All of this is a guarantee of long-term success, which we share with our customers as a competitive advantage.” The truck’s arrival at the Spanish customer company, which is celebrating its centenary this year, was duly recognised with a specially decorated cake which features sparklers too.

The one-millionth counterbalance truck from Linde Material Handling’s Aschaffenburg headquarters represents the latest highlight in its corporate success story, which now spans more than 60 years. With the “Hubtrac”, Linde’s first forklift truck, the intralogistics specialist offered an industry-defining, technological alternative to the commercial vehicles that had up to then been difficult to operate, usually having a jerky clutch and gear shift.

Thanks to the innovative hydrostatic drive, which allowed a double-pedal control to be fitted, this forerunner was ideally suited for retrieving and storing goods or loading and unloading trucks: no shifting was required when frequently driving back and forth, allowing both feet to be able to rest in a relaxed position on the respective pedal.

Even back then, this resulted in higher efficiency in goods handling and has remained the hallmark of all of Linde’s counterbalance trucks to this day – regardless of whether they are powered by internal combustion engines or electric motors.

Today, Linde Material Handling is once again setting technological standards and making its industrial trucks fit for the future: by means of a wide variety of energy types, intelligent assistance systems and networking as standard.

“Our goal is to enable customer companies to make their material flow processes as efficient and safe as possible, so that they will become even more successful in their core business,” says Stefan Prokosch, Senior Vice President Brand Management at Linde Material Handling. “With products that convince our customers, we already have our sights firmly set on the next milestone in our company’s history – the launch of Linde’s new electric forklift generation in June of this year.”

Tough Hyster trucks for metal coil handling

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Reliability, visibility, fleet management and parts supply are just some of the benefits that Hyster lift trucks and ReachStackers have brought to the Port of Oxelösund to support its tough metal coil handling requirements.

The Port of Oxelösund is around 100km south of Stockholm, Sweden. With a team of around 200 employees, operations at the Port are based on bulk goods for ocean-going vessels, alongside other packaged transportation solutions.

Metal coils arrive at the port by train from Borlänge and are unloaded with a crane, ready for forklifts to drive out and pick up the coils. When a ship comes in, the Port’s operators must then transport the metal coils to the port cranes which load coils onto the ships.

A combination of factors made the Port of Oxelösund choose a fleet of Hyster trucks for its demanding operations.

“Machines that are reliable. Strong machines,” says Christian Vallin, production engineer at the port. “That they [Hyster] had a solution on how to fix any problems. Supply of spare parts. A total solution that appealed to us.”

“Before selecting the new fleet, the Port of Oxelösund created a list of requirements for the vehicles. Its drivers also had a say from start to finish, with the opportunity to express how they wanted the vehicle to behave and what equipment the new lift trucks should have,” says Erik Pogrebnjak, sales representative for local Hyster distribution partner Nordisk Truck-Trans AB, which visited the site many times and provided feedback to help specify trucks to meet the port’s specific requirements.

After consulting with Hyster and the local dealer, the Port of Oxelösund eventually opted for two Hyster H32XM012 forklift trucks, two Hyster RS46-36CH ReachStackers and one 20 tonne capacity H20XM-9 Hyster lift truck. This equipment is reliable and strong, well suited to the tough portside conditions.

“Before ordering the trucks, the customer had the chance to see the trucks and ReachStackers in action at other Hyster customer sites and with Hyster dealers,” says Dmitry Dubrovsky, Big Truck Manager for Hyster. “They also had the opportunity to visit the Hyster factory in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, to test the trucks and ensure they made the right decision for their specific application needs.”

Optimising operator visibility

The Port of Oxelösund uses big machines and handles large metal loads, so that means an operator’s view backwards and forwards may be impaired.

Hyster helped by installing cameras at the back of the Hyster heavy-duty forklift trucks, as well as high cameras placed both on top of and under the fork stand. Operators have found that this has helped with the view of the quay when driving.

“What I like about the Hyster trucks is that they turn softly, they have brakes that brake securely, but not too much. I don’t feel stiff when I step out of the machine or have neck pain or anything like that. They are ergonomic and quiet,” said one of the Port’s operators.

Hyster Tracker provides control

An important part of the new fleet delivered is the Hyster Tracker wireless asset management system. Alongside a full range of fleet management benefits, this has given the Port of Oxelösund an opportunity to limit drivers, so only those who are authorised by the company can drive a truck during working hours.

Since the delivery of the trucks, Hyster and the dealer has worked with the customer to adjust and adapt the trucks even further based on the Port of Oxelösund’s specific business needs.#

“As a whole, we are very pleased with the deal and how it went from start to finish and our relationship with Hyster has further developed – the Hyster team takes time to call and ask how it is going,” says Christian Vallin, production engineer at Oxelösunds Hamn. “I would definitely recommend others to drive Hyster.”

FLTA Awards for Excellence winners announced

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The much-anticipated FLTA Awards for Excellence was streamed live on Saturday 10th April to reveal who would finally be crowned winners.

Having been twice postponed due to the pandemic, the event was taken online – a first for the FLTA in its history of holding the Awards.

Audiences tuned in for an evening of cocktails and celebrations, hosted by compere Rebecca Mordan. Throughout the evening, familiar faces from across the industry made an appearance to announce the winners in 10 categories.

The first winner of the night was B&B Attachments, who won Supplier of the Year, sponsored by Yale. This award speaks volumes about B&B Attachments as it is voted for by FLTA members themselves.

The remaining award winners were selected by a jury of industry experts, with Dealer of the Year, sponsored by Combilift, going to Truckmasters Handling.

With safety being a cornerstone of the FLTA, the Safe Site Award is always an inspirational one. This award, sponsored by Carrylift, went to Devenish Nutrition for its proactive approach and commitment to improving safety across multiple sites.

The most hotly contested awards of the night are always the sought-after Pick of the Year product accolades.

The Environment Award was sponsored by TVH, and went to JCB for its 30-19E — the world’s first electric telescopic forklift. This new product has zero emissions and minimal sound pollution, making it ideal for urban environments.

Earning its 10th award to date, Combilift received the Innovation Award, sponsored by IBCS. Its Electric Front and Rear Wheel Drive Combination impressed the panel with its clever design and how it handles long loads in the tightest spaces while minimising tyre wear.

When it comes to keeping operators comfortable, Linde proved top, with its N20C Steering Wheel winning the Ergonomics Award, sponsored by Triathlon Battery Solutions. The ergonomics of the steering wheel were truly designed with the operator in mind, removing a great deal of stress and strain throughout long shifts.

The Safety Award, sponsored by F-TEC, went to Hyster for its hinged elevating operator cabin for the Hyster® RS46 ReachStacker. The jury noted the excellent visibility afforded by the cabin, eliminating the need for cameras or spotters, who would potentially be at risk.

Sponsored by Doosan, the Apprentice of the Year Award honours the hard work and dedication put in by the industry’s newest recruits. Kieran Hale was named winner, and received a cheque and certificate.

The Services to the Industry Award, sponsored by Flexi, was won by Richard Hayes, in recognition of his work at Brindley Lift Truck Services as well as his invaluable contributions to the FLTA and CFTS over the years.

The final honour of the night was the Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Toyota Material Handling. Given his extraordinary career at Hitec and unwavering commitment to customers and staff alike, Lifetime Achievement was awarded to Prospero Girardi, who now finds himself in exclusive company as only a handful of people have ever received this award.

FLTA Director Tim Waples said: “The FLTA Awards for Excellence highlights the remarkable accomplishments of the sector and this year was no exception. We would like to offer a big congratulations to our well-deserving winners.

“It is also important to recognise the efforts of the other nominees in each category. All of the entries we received represent a clear commitment to delivering unrivalled services and ingenious products designed to make a real difference to the industry.”

As well as coming together to celebrate the sector’s best and brightest, ticket holders were also entered into a Grand Prize Draw, sponsored by Hubtex. Premium prizes were awarded to winners throughout the night, adding a few extra surprises for a lucky few.

“It was a fantastic night and even though the music and dancing couldn’t happen in person, we hope the audience had fun continuing the after-party at home,” added Tim Waples.

“We would like to sincerely thank all our sponsors: Combilift, Carrylift, Yale, Toyota Material Handling, F-TEC, IBCS, TVH, Triathlon Battery Solutions, Flexi, Doosan and Hubtex; our supporters: Transmon Engineering, JCB and DLL; and our media partner Handling and Storage Solutions.

“I look forward to the time when we can once again gather together to celebrate the achievements and innovations within our industry.”

The 26th FLTA Awards for Excellence is available to watch on YouTube here.

 

Clark appoints Luxembourg sales partner

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Clark Europe has appointed Europieces Luxembourg S.A. as a new sales partner for the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, thus further expanding its market presence in the Benelux countries.

“With Europieces Luxembourg, we were able to bring an experienced partner on board for our customers in Luxembourg,” explains Rolf Eiten, President & CEO of Clark Europe GmbH. “The Luxembourg economy is growing very strongly and will also grow more strongly than that of neighbouring countries in the coming years. We are pleased that we can participate in this growth with this strategic partnership.”

Europieces Luxembourg was founded in 1991 and specialises in the sale, rental and service of intralogistics solutions. In 2017, the company was acquired by the Kremer Group. As a market leader in industrial cranes and services, Kremer Group is also one of the main players in the field of machine training within LC Academie.

The training facility, which is well-known beyond the country’s borders, has also made a name for itself in the field of forklift driver training, a building block in the product portfolio that fitted perfectly into Europieces’ range of services.

The fortunes of Europieces Luxembourg are steered by CEO, Ralph Krips as well as Jeff Kayser, COO and Bernd Rickes, CTO. Today, the company focuses on the distribution of materials handling vehicles, work platforms, hand transport equipment, industrial shelving systems, loading and disposal technology, driver training and the used equipment business.

Europieces Luxembourg is located in Sassenheim in the canton of Esch on the Alzette – the southernmost canton of Luxembourg. The location covers a total area of 3376 sq m. In addition to the administrative area, the site includes a showroom, a spacious workshop area, a spare parts warehouse and eight training rooms.

With the inclusion of Clark materials handling vehicles in its product range, Europieces offers customers in Luxembourg the complete Clark service spectrum from a single source. In addition to all forklift classes and warehouse trucks, this also includes all accessories and spare parts as well as a comprehensive range of services including rental, financing and servicing for new and used Clark materials handling vehicles. With a total of ten employees – including five service technicians – the company ensures professional sales and service in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

“We see the partnership with Clark as another milestone in our strategic development towards becoming a ‘one-stop shop’ for intralogistics solutions in Luxembourg,” explains Ralph Krips, CEO of Europieces Luxembourg on the occasion of the partnership with Clark Europe. “The name ‘Clark’ has had a very high standing in the Luxembourg market for decades and is known for its low total cost of ownership. We look forward to offering our customers all the benefits of this strong brand combined with our first-class customer service in the future.”

FLTA: Safety is a journey, not a destination

Posted on by David Priestman

The Fork Lift Truck Association, part of UKMHA, is once again reminding businesses around the UK to take a hard look at safety on site, and asks: Are you doing as well as you should be?

Creating a lasting safety culture — where best practice behaviours and actions are embedded in day-to-day operations — should be the top priority of any site.

UKMHA Chief Executive Tim Waples explains: “Safety requires commitment. It’s that simple. If management is seen to act, and implement change, a workforce will be reassured and inspired to do the same.

“Investing in safety is an investment in the business and its future. You are more likely to see financial gains if you have a strong safety culture in place. Safety is not just common sense, it’s good business sense.

“A prime example is our 2019 FLTA Safe Site Award winners Kellogg’s. They invested hugely in making an old and complex site safer, but recognised that toolbox talks, staff meetings and constant engagement were what really made the difference.”

Here are just a few suggestions and tips for kickstarting a journey towards a better safety culture:

Set positive goals: Instead of focussing on lagging indicators, i.e. what businesses don’t want to see, think about leading indicators, which are the things a company wants to see more of. Set targets then make them happen.

Don’t be complacent: Smart organisations look for areas of improvement and risk, then put controls in place to resolve issues before serious problems occur.

Involve and inform staff: In great safety cultures, every employee has a working knowledge of health and safety topics, and they know their roles and responsibilities.

Have an open-door policy for reporting issues: Create an environment where constructive criticism is welcomed, and where reporting is not merely guilt-free but praised. No-one should fear they will be ignored or — worse still — punished for coming forward, and nothing should be swept under the carpet.

Continue to communicate: Keep safety alive through every channel available and make sure that safety is top of the agenda when new recruits are inducted. Achieving high participation rates will provide encouragement and momentum for future initiatives.

To support the industry in improving safety standards, the FLTA created the Safe User Group. Members receive access to invaluable tools, exclusive resources, case studies with actionable tips, and advice on easy, affordable site improvements. For more information on joining SUG visit www.fork-truck.org.uk/safe-user-group

STILL provides system comparison at logistics webinar

Posted on by David Priestman

Which system is best suited for automated production supply and disposal? Automated forklift trucks and warehouse trucks, underride AGVs or tugger trains? Answers to these questions were provided by the STILL experts on 30th March 2021, during the webinar “Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) for Production Logistics” and based on practical examples.

The most important answer up front: there is no such thing as the ‘jack-of-all-trades’ in this area either. There are strengths and weaknesses in each system, depending on the application.

However, it is a fact that the automation of production logistics significantly increases profitability in production. This is a point on which Noë van Bergen, Head of Automated Solutions at STILL, Florian Kratzer, International Key Account Manager Automated Solutions and expert for underride AGVs at the Hamburg-based intralogistics provider, and Herbert Fischer, Head of Business Segment Tugger Train at STILL, agreed during the event.

To achieve this, however, it is important to find the right balance in terms of time, money, energy and manpower. This depends on many factors, such as the choice of load carriers, the type of warehouse, the form of material transfer as well as the space available in the production area.

Automated forklift and warehouse trucks

Compared to underride AGVs and tugger trains, automated forklift trucks and warehouse equipment are particularly effective when existing manual processes are automated without significant changes, according to Noë van Bergen. The equipment is ideally suited to deal with existing infrastructure, such as rack or floor storage locations.

“Forklift and warehouse technology solutions show their advantages not only horizontally, but also vertically,” argued the expert. In addition, there is the load compatibility. The forklift and warehouse technology-based equipment is capable of transporting very different load carriers, such as pallets or wire mesh boxes, even from great heights in the warehouse to different transfer points in production. In addition, these automated vehicles are also cost-effective.

Van Bergen: “Forklift and warehouse technology-based applications in production supply have a really good return on investment. Most of the time we talk about a return on investment (ROI) of less than three years.”

Underride AGVs

Florian Kratzer spoke out in favour of the underride AGVs, which – in contrast to STILL’s automated forklift and warehouse technology solutions – were designed as automated guided vehicles (AGVs) from the outset.

“The vehicles are small enough to fit under the load carriers and can handle loads of up to 1.5 tonnes thanks to the integrated lifting mechanism. With excellent manoeuvrability, they can easily reach almost any position in production,” emphasised the STILL expert, who particularly praised the great flexibility of this automation solution:

“When comparing different systems, they feature the best accessibility in the field of product transfer. They can reach even deep into production areas – right up to the production worker on the assembly line.” This is due to the minimal space requirements of the underride AGVs, as their dimensions are limited to the size of the load carrier.

Kratzer: “We can easily carry out just-in-time deliveries with them. In addition, this provides a basis for automated dynamic route optimisation on the system side. And this at very low cost. Because with the deckload vehicle, costs are definitely well below those of a forklift truck and even below those of a tugger train.”

Tugger train systems

For Herbert Fischer, the tugger train is the tool of choice when it comes to automating production logistics. “If the system is planned correctly, tugger trains in production can combine both delivery and disposal of load carriers at the respective station in just one step. To be specific: Three tugger train systems handle roughly the same amount of material, for which the other two systems require up to about 15 vehicles, causing a lot of traffic in all directions. Bundled transport offers clear advantages here,” reasoned Fischer.

However, he also admitted that, especially at the beginning as well as in the case of full automation, considerable investment is necessary for a tugger train installation.

Fischer: “Due to the small number of units required, however, this investment is also kept within limits.”

Conclusion

So which is really the ideal solution for automating production logistics?

While the forklift truck clearly scores in terms of the infrastructure of the transfer points as well as the required buffer space for pallets, the underride AGVs stand out in terms of space requirements. They can manoeuvre far into the production area and thus get exactly to where the goods are needed. The bundled tugger train systems, on the other hand, prove their strengths especially in the improvement of lean production processes, such as sequencing.

“We see that the choice of automation in production logistics depends very much on the application. At STILL, we decide together with our customers on the best solution for their particular application following detailed consultation. At the end of the day, we do not sell the individual product, but suitable solutions for the respective requirement,” concluded Noë van Bergen.

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