Hyster Archives

Hyster Provides Electric Empty Container Handler

Posted on 12 May, 202329 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Hyster announces it will provide CARU Containers B.V. with a 100% battery-powered empty container handler for the depot in Rotterdam. The electric empty container handler will be powered by 650-volt lithium-ion batteries, with electricity sourced from solar panels on site at the CARU depot.

With more than 95% of CARU Container’s Scope 1 CO2 emissions coming from its diesel forklifts and empty container handler in 2021, the introduction of the electric Hyster Empty container handler can help the company to significantly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, while also helping to reduce its operational expenditure in terms of diesel costs.

“CARU Containers has invested heavily in its sustainability program,” says Thirza Belder, Sustainability Officer, CARU Containers “As a global market leader in container trade, we are keen to integrate sustainability into our entire value chain as we are striving to be net zero before 2030. Therefore, we started discussions with Hyster in 2021 to provide electric lift trucks and equipment for our depot, which later led to the electric empty container handler.”

CARU already possesses a 240 kilowatt-hour capacity battery that can store enough energy to charge the empty container handler for most of the year, supplemented with grid power when solar energy is less efficient during shorter winter days. This solution is expected to supply sufficient charge to allow the truck to complete five to six required hours of work during a shift before being recharged overnight. Throughout the site, CARU has installed measuring devices to calculate what percentage of the energy used comes from solar.

“This is a great application for a fully electric vehicle on a site that produces its own electricity,” says Jan Willem van den Brand, Director, Global Business Development Big Trucks, Hyster. “The fully electric empty container handler we are supplying to CARU Containers follows years of research and development into sustainable technologies for the port and container handling industry.”

This battery electric empty container handler is the latest in a series of developments where Hyster is at the forefront of electrifying higher-capacity port equipment that has traditionally relied on internal combustion engine (ICE) power. Hyster is providing an empty container handler powered by hydrogen fuel cells, another advanced electric power technology, at a terminal in Hamburg, Germany. The company is also currently testing the first-ever, real-world pilot of a hydrogen fuel cell-powered container handler at the Port of Los Angeles, and has previously announced a pilot of a fuel-cell powered ReachStacker at the Port of Valencia and a partnership with Capacity Trucks to develop electric and hydrogen powered terminal tractors. Hyster draws on extensive experience in electric truck design with the company’s line of smaller, lighter-capacity powered industrial trucks, for which Hyster offers extensive battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell power options.

“Our mission is to provide the innovative technologies our customers need to help meet their goals for emissions reduction and performance,” says van den Brand. “For some operations, lithium-ion power might be the answer, but for others, hydrogen is the right choice. The answer depends on so many factors like duty cycle, utility grid capacity and fuel availability. Our customers deserve choices that allow them to build the right solution based on their needs – not shoehorning a single technology into their operation.”

This electric empty container handler at the CARU depot is expected to operate for approximately 2,000 hours per year. Heffiq, a dealer local to CARU Containers, will act as the service partner, providing 24/7 service for maximum uptime of the truck, while Hyster will be actively involved in the integration of the truck. The empty container handler will be an electric equivalent to the Hyster H10XD-ECD8 double-container handler, which can create stacks of up to eight containers high, while handling two at a time. This design approach offers a level of familiarity for operators who have experience with other Hyster big trucks, as well as helping to control the cost of design, manufacturing, service and maintenance.

“There is a lot of interest in electric big trucks,” says Martijn Veerkamp, Commercial Director at Heffiq B.V. “But customers must consider questions of application, power infrastructure, return on investment and more. We had very constructive meetings with CARU and were able to come together to find a solution that works for them and their focus on sustainability. Heffiq is extremely proud to supply the first electric empty container handler in Rotterdam.”

New era for Yale Lift Truck Technologies

Posted on 27 March, 202325 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Yale Materials Handling has changed its brand name to Yale® Lift Truck Technologies. The rebranding reflects the Company’s emphasis on technology-enabled lift trucks for warehouse and intralogistics operations, delivered through a strong network of independent Dealers.

The rebrand highlights how Yale is responding to ever changing market conditions and demands; whilst emphasising its strengths in providing solutions for customers’ needs. The materials handling landscape is changing. So are its challenges. There are increasing demands for shorter delivery times and flexible, high-quality service. Europe is the biggest intralogistics market in the world and is expected to see an unprecedented level of expansion and innovation. Fast adoption will be key. From labour shortages to safety and sustainability goals, Yale is committed to providing solutions in the intralogistics and warehouse space.

“The new Yale positioning is built around three pillars” said Robert O’Donoghue, Vice President Marketing and Solutions EMEA from Yale Lift Truck Technologies. “The first is our smart design philosophy which is all about putting the customer first. Second, is our focus on Technology Integration. We’re not just keeping up; we’re leading the way. Third, is our dealer partners, who create long-lasting, successful relationships with customers”.

The new brand name is founded on a 100-year heritage designing and manufacturing lift truck technologies which keep evolving to meet the challenges facing today’s industries.
With its Dealer Partners, Yale focuses on customer success in the fast-changing intralogistics market.

Alternative Fuelling for Diesel Forklifts

Posted on 15 February, 202325 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Hyster has introduced new, alternative engine fuelling options which enables its big trucks and A Series IC forklifts to use HVO 100 (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) according to the EN15940 standard. In addition, the H2.0-3.5A A Series lift trucks can use GTL (Gas to Liquid) and BtL (Biomass to Liquid) fuels. These alternatives to diesel may help reduce CO2 emissions by up to 90%, supporting businesses in lowering their carbon footprint.

“While electrification of higher capacity lift trucks is moving forward, it is not yet the right solution for every application,” explains Rob Maris, Product Strategy Manager Big Trucks for Hyster Europe. “The initial cost of electric lift trucks along with the infrastructure and charging upgrades required can often delay adoption. And for the largest trucks, battery and hydrogen fuel cell technology simply isn’t there yet.”

“Switching to greener fuel types, such as HVO100, may offer a stop-gap solution for some businesses to reduce their carbon footprint while moving towards electrification,” Rob continues. HVO is a paraffinic bio-based liquid fuel originating from many kinds of vegetable oils, such as rapeseed, sunflower, and soybean oil, as well as animal fats. It can be used in conventional diesel engines, pure or blended with fossil diesel (Petro diesel). However, some minor modifications may be required in the fuelling systems due to the ethanol content.

Hyster A Series models are also capable of running on GTL and BtL fuel types. GTL is an alternative fuel derived from natural gas, which may produce fewer emissions and pollutants than conventional crude oil-based diesel. BtL fuels are synthetic fuels made from biomass – generally from solid biomass such as firewood, organic waste and animal meal. They may reduce emissions of particulate, hydrocarbons, CO, and CO2.

Hyster A Series lift trucks can be delivered ex-factory, readily equipped for use with alternative fuels. To enable HVO 100 to be used with Hyster Big Trucks, Empty Container Handlers, or ReachStackers, an aftermarket kit has been made available.

The solution supports compliance with Tier III, Tier IV, and Stage V emissions regulations and can be easily applied in the field, or factory-fitted for new equipment. Nitrile Rubber (NBR) seals in the fuel system replaced with FKM seals; a fluorinated, carbon-based synthetic rubber with long-term resistance to the effects of ethanol. Current fuel lines and other components used already have good resistance to the long-term effects of HVO.

Depending on the application and duty cycle, a fuel economy reduction of up to 0 – 6 percent on Big Trucks is also possible, compared to regular diesel fuel. At the same time, using HVO100 has no negative impact on a lift truck’s existing emissions improvement technologies, such as Diesel Oxidation Catalysts (DOC), Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF) or Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) systems. These alternative fuels also have no adverse effects on the durability of lift truck and container handler engine components, while delivering similar engine power output.
“Making HVO 100 a fuel option for Big Trucks is one of many Hyster projects relating to power options,” says Rob. “We continue to explore and provide new solutions to help businesses manage emissions from handling equipment at every stage of the journey towards electrification.”

How to Reduce Supply Chain Costs

Posted on 15 February, 202325 July, 2025 by David Priestman

No matter where we turn, supply chain costs are going up. From supermarkets to fuel stations, to our personal and business energy bills, no one has been unaffected from this steady, and sometimes devastating, increase in prices. According to a report by Accenture, the supply chain is particularly struggling; in the aftermath of the pandemic, the war in Ukraine is only exacerbating a shortage of raw materials, a breakdown in logistics, energy and inflation, and a shortage of talent. Depending on the length and severity of the war, the cost of the disruption to the supply chain could cost €242 billion – or in a protracted war scenario, €920 billion.

As the impact of this continues to be felt, Accenture predicts that consumers will start to cut back on some non-essential items, while businesses will focus on improving operating efficiency.
However, the report sets out the argument for reinventing the supply chain. It sets out the case for optimising the supply chain for value and resilience, rather than just for cost. The three key ideas within this re-design are resilience, relevance and sustainability – three areas in which Yale can deliver.

Warehouses are increasingly using robotic lift trucks to improve productivity. Seasoned managers might be inclined to assume that such significant efficiency gains must come at a steep price, but the truth is that robotics lift trucks actually help lower operating costs. While investing in automation can seem like a large expense upfront, a combination of labour, maintenance and equipment savings means that robotic lift trucks can cut operating expenses – making them a sound investment. Because an operation can begin by deploying just a single truck as proof of concept before making a larger investment, robotic lift trucks can be trialled before industry leaders commit further investment.

Today’s environment is driving operations to carefully evaluate how they utilise labour, allocating workers only for responsibilities that make the most productive use of their time and considering alternatives for lower-value, repetitive tasks. In addition to rising wages, the constant cycle of hiring and retraining workers can further swell operating costs.
Against this backdrop, improving employee satisfaction and retention can help lower operating costs. Academic research shows that organisations augmented by automation technologies are 33% more likely to be “human friendly” workplaces, in which employees are 31% more productive. That’s because robotics can relieve workers of the monotony of repetitive tasks that are abundant in supply chain environments, and instead focus on more rewarding, higher responsibility work.

By reducing operating costs and improving productivity, robotic lift trucks can deliver efficiencies, but the timeline naturally varies by operation. Several variables, such as the number of manual trucks replaced, robotic units purchased, operating hours and burdened labour rate, will greatly influence the calculation of and speed with which an operation can reasonably expect to achieve ROI.

Yale is seeking to help customers with a truck that they can configure for their own application. The Series N is designed for companies in search of equipment that directly serves the ins and outs of their operation. To meet today’s challenges head on, customers need a truck that is configured to the unique demands of their applications. This means they do not need to pay for features they do not use; instead, they can configure the truck and pay for the features they require. The Series N is designed to meet the challenges of the individual operation. The perfect balance of energy, ergonomics and productivity, the Series N invites them to reject the status quo and set their own standard.

The value of the trucks goes beyond the movement of goods from A to B; the Series N can assist with staff retention and reduce labour challenges thanks to its excellent ergonomics.
Boasting an easy three-point access, a large grab handle and generous foot space reduces strain and twisting as the operator gets in or out of the cab. A flip-up armrest provides an unobstructed route when raised, and additional comfort when down.

We all work best with the right tools and supportive surroundings, so the Series N boasts a spacious operator compartment to be spacious, with excellent head and shoulder clearance and a full suspension seat. Even during a long shift, operators can rely on the Series N to provide comfortable working conditions.

Sustainability is also a major concern for many companies. Customers looking to reduce the environmental impact of their operations have a wealth of choice with Yale products. From efficient engines to electric batteries, there are a range of power solution options for Yale materials handling equipment. Yale experts are on hand to help guide customers to the best option for their individual needs. Lithium-ion batteries can be integrated in certain models of Yale products, and boast the benefit of opportunity charging during breaks in shift. This means Yale lithium-ion products offer more uptime as well as reduced running costs.

The Yale Series N lift trucks boast low fuel consumption, enabling them to do more work with less fuel; tests showed the trucks used 13% less diesel use than leading competitors. Reliable and robust components reduce the amount of maintenance required, keeping the truck moving for as long as possible and reducing downtime. An average 14% reduction in maintenance time helps keep costs under control. All these features are solutions that Yale can offer to help customers increase productivity and reduce their costs.

Not every application requires a new forklift. Demand for quality used equipment continues to grow, and with it a need for a professional approach. Second-life products offer companies an affordable option to meet their immediate requirements. Businesses may find themselves in a situation where they need to source a forklift immediately or are required to reduce expenditure. They may even need a back-up forklift to keep their operations moving smoothly. Yaleused.com enables them to source used equipment, from a local Yale dealer at a budget to suit their individual needs.

The platform gives customers instant visibility of the variety of used products available from an authorised Yale dealer and provides easy communication with the seller. Customers can find second-life machinery manufactured by a leading, global forklift manufacturer, offering the peace of mind that an official Yale dealer can offer. As well as fully serviced, well-maintained and high quality machines with instant availability, customers benefit from the local presence of an authorised Yale dealer who can provide full parts and service support, warranties and finance options.

Subscribe