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Tag: Materials Handling

Four new Konecranes Lifetime Advantage upgrades

Posted on by David Priestman

Konecranes Lifetime Advantage upgrade packages have been regularly bringing customers the most recent advances in safety and productivity available for their lift trucks for over three years. Now, the latest chapter in this long-term commitment to improving lift truck performance presents four more innovations from Konecranes.

Two of the four new upgrades directly address safety issues. The first safety upgrade, a container checking safety system for Konecranes empty container handlers, allows drivers or service technicians to check or perform maintenance on containers while the container is gripped by the spreader, reducing the downtime needed for container repairs. The system uses mechanical locks to put the driving gears into neutral, block hydraulics and prevent the container from lowering. As an extra precaution, an indicator light on the fender flashes until the driver deactivates the system.

The second safety upgrade is a collision warning and object recognition camera system for Konecranes reach stackers, mounted on the counterweight at the back. When an obstacle is detected in the direction the truck is moving, an alarm alerts the driver, becoming more urgent as the object gets closer. The camera provides a clear image of what is in the truck’s path on the control panel so that the driver can adjust direction to avoid the obstacle.

“Safety and productivity are our highest priorities at Konecranes, so we work hard to include enhancements for both in every Lifetime Advantage release,” says Johan Kårhammer, Global Spare Parts Operations Manager at Konecranes Lift Trucks. “Our latest upgrades are type-specific – for empty container handlers, reach stackers or forklifts – offering an additional level of specialised improvements so that our customers have access to the best range of options to suit their particular needs.”

The other two upgrades in this release are designed to improve productivity on all Konecranes forklift trucks and empty container handlers equipped with an MD4 master display. The first one is an engine shutdown software solution. If the coolant temperature goes over 103°C (217.4°F) or the oil pressure goes below one bar, a pop-up message appears on the display. The driver can then decide to turn off the engine or keep it running. Managing temperature and pressure increases productivity, decreases downtime and extends the lifetime of the lift truck because the engine runs more efficiently and stays in good condition longer.

The second productivity upgrade is a height indicator. When a laser senses that the total height of the machine (in other words, with an extended mast, including the load) reaches a specified limit, an alarm goes off and a pop-up window appears on the display. Settings can allow the driver to proceed with the knowledge that the height is now at its predefined maximum, or they can prevent lifting the load any higher. Keeping the height manageable increases productivity and safety in lifting operations.

“The Konecranes Lifetime Advantage programme is intended to support customers in their day-to-day business operations,” says Patrik Lundbäck, Director and Head of Sales and Distribution at Konecranes Lift Trucks. “The success of our upgrades is due to the cooperation of our program team and our global distributor network working together with customers to continuously add value to their container handling operations.”

 

Logistics Hall of Fame Council meets in Berlin

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The finalists for this year´s induction into the international Logistics Hall of Fame have been selected. On July 7th, the Logistics Hall of Fame Council nominated six personalities at the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport. Three candidates reached the final for the “TRATON Logistics Leader of the Year” award. In the run-up, 24 valid proposals from all over the world had been received by the award organisation. The lists of candidates for both awards are traditionally secret and are not published.

The members of the Logistics Hall of Fame Council 2022 are: Dr. Atif Askar (Head of Business Development, Strategy and M&A, TRATON SE), Marten Bosselmann (Chairman Bundesverband Paket & Expresslogistik (BIEK) e.V.), Prof. Dr. Julia Hartmann (Professor for Sustainability Management, EBS University for Business and Law), Oliver Luksic MdB (Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Digital and Transport), Dr. Michael Niedenthal (Head of Department, traffic policy, Verband der Automobilindustrie (VDA) e.V.), Matthias Rathmann (Editor-in-Chief trans aktuell), Sascha Schmel (Managing Director of the Association for Materials Handling and Intralogistics in the VDMA), Dr. Martin Schwemmer (Managing Director, Bundesvereinigung Logistik (BVL) e.V.) and Anita Würmser (Jury Chairwoman of the Logistics Hall of Fame).

Matthias Klug, Senior Director Brand Differentiation KION Industrial Trucks & Services EMA (KION IST EMEA), has assumed the office of election commissioner in 2022.

For the Logistics Hall of Fame, the next phase of the selection process will now begin: Who will enter the Hall of Fame as a new member and who will be awarded “TRATON Logistics Leader of the Year” will be decided in the coming weeks by the jury, which is made up of around 70 internationally renowned sector experts from business, media and politics, including Logistics Business News Editor Peter MacLeod.

The Logistics Hall of Fame documents the major milestones in logistics. The decisive factor for induction is that his or her work has made a significant and lasting contribution to the advancement of logistics beyond the boundaries of the company itself. To date, 37 men and women have been inducted to the Hall of Fame.

The “TRATON Logistics Leader of the Year” is awarded to the pacesetters and future leaders in the logistics industry. The focus is on topicality and the benefits for the own company as well as innovative strength, sustainability and corporate change. The award is given by the Logistics Hall of Fame and donated by TRATON SE.

Both awards will be presented at the annual gala reception.

The Logistics Hall of Fame was founded in 2003 and honours leading figures who have made outstanding efforts to promote the further development of logistics and supply chain management. This eternal pantheon is also designed to remind future generations of the achievements of these individuals in the service of logistics. The aim of the Logistics Hall of Fame is to act as a worldwide platform to publicise the performance capability of logistics and its importance for society. The Logistics Hall of Fame is a non-profit initiative supported by the world of politics, associations, the logistics industry and logistics science. The patron is Dr. Volker Wissing, German Federal Minister for Digital and Transport.

CAPTION (left to right): Matthias Rathmann, Dr. Martin Schwemmer, Anita Würmser, Sascha Schmel, Oliver Luksic, Marten Bosselmann, Dr. Atif Askar, Dr. Michael Niedenthal and Prof. Dr. Julia Hartmann.

IP camera monitors hidden areas

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Playing it safe in the event of a fault: The LCAM 308 IP camera from Leuze monitors hidden areas on stacker cranes and conveyor lines. This allows operators of logistics centres to trace back events reliably and rectify faults quickly and efficiently.

Even in modern logistics centres, it is not always possible to fully rule out faults. However, system operators can take steps to guard against this: The new LCAM 308 IP camera from Leuze records the 60 seconds prior to a fault in full HD. This enables events to be easily traced back. This is important if you want to rectify a malfunction quickly and efficiently. The camera is flexible in use and is suitable for visually monitoring hidden areas on stacker cranes and conveyor lines.

Diverse functions

Thanks to the comprehensive range of functions, system operators are equipped for every situation: For example, a live stream in HD resolution can be called up if required. Furthermore, the snapshot mode allows individual images to be captured, e.g. content of a box. This feature can be used during order picking to document whether the goods in the box were complete.

Practical: Standard browsers or standard streaming tools are all that’s needed for transmission of the 60-second recording or the live stream. No additional software is required. Operators are also spared having to deal with a flood of data: The LCAM 308 IP camera has a ring memory so that only the period before and after an event remains saved.

Harsh environments

With its robust metal housing, the LCAM 308 industrial IP camera has an IP65 protection rating. Dust cannot get inside and the device is water-jet proof. The advantage for mounting: Dovetail, threaded holes and a wide range of mounting accessories enable universal installation.

E-Commerce technologies showcase at IMHX

Posted on by David Priestman

During an era where the only certainty is uncertainty and consumer demands are evolving at a rapid pace, IMHX 2022 will provide logistics and E-commerce fulfilment professionals with an essential opportunity to discover technologies that keep them one step ahead, says IMHX 2022 Event Director, Rob Fisher.

Covid-19 – and the lockdowns introduced in an effort to restrict its spread among the population – changed the way goods are stored, picked and moved to the consumer dramatically, with the switch to online shopping in particular forcing retailers and their logistics partners to radically rethink and rapidly adapt well-established working practices.

The pace of change was breathtaking. Ten years of forecasted E-commerce growth occurred during the first month of the first national lockdown in 2020, and between February and October of 2021 the value of online sales in total retail sales grew from 19.6% to 28.5%.

The logistics sector’s ability to scale-up and adapt its services in response to such massive and rapid changes in consumer spending patterns was hugely impressive and without the expertise and dedication of the industry there can be little doubt that the public would have found the restrictive lockdown conditions even more difficult to live with.

For warehouse or distribution centre operators the need to keep pace with the shift away from bulk deliveries to retail stores towards the fulfilment of individual online orders directly to the consumer has necessitated significant adjustments across all aspects of the warehouse operation.

For instance, the E-commerce boom prompted many storage operations to reconsider their order picking methodologies. In particular, the space constraints generated by the need to hold more SKUs and the shorter pick times and quicker throughput rates needed to meet the delivery expectations of internet shoppers meant that storage solutions had to be rethought to make the most of the people and (in the majority of cases) limited space available.

A plethora of systems and solutions specifically developed to meet the distinct needs of online retailers and their fulfilment operations will be under the spotlight at the forthcoming IMHX 2022 (6-8 September, NEC, Birmingham).

Narrow Aisle Ltd, for example, will demonstrate the benefits of the Easi-Pick, a compact ride-on electric-powered vertical order picker designed specifically with e-fulfilment operations in mind.

The Easi-Pick delivers hugely improved productivity and increased safety for warehouse staff as they carry out a range of picking duties at both lower levels and at height within warehouse aisles. Its ability to work in very narrow aisles (VNA) means 30% more pallet and shelving locations can be designed into storage systems compared to traditional wide aisle operations.

Meanwhile, a range of storage and picking technology ideal for equipping ‘dark stores’ – the new breed of micro-fulfilment centres that are widely regarded as one of the most exciting online retail developments to emerge from the pandemic, will be highlighted by Bito Storage Systems.

Dark stores require shelving, pick and pack desks, picking trolleys, plastic containers, labelling, cupboards and lockers and having a one stop supplier is an important consideration for any micro fulfilment company that does not want to spend valuable time contacting a multitude of different providers. Dark store operators will be able to find everything they need on Bito Storage Systems’ stand.

Of course, the internet shopping boom has resulted in a substantial and sustained hike in the amount of cardboard required by internet traders to construct the boxes that protect their E-commerce orders in transit. Indeed, an estimated five billion corrugated boxes are used in the UK alone each year, so it is important that online retailers and their fulfilment partners – who are among the biggest users of cardboard packaging material – embrace a commitment to sustainable and more eco-friendly packaging, not just as a key component of their corporate social responsibility efforts, but as a way of optimising both operational and financial efficiency and driving supply chain performance.

A simple way for internet retailers and the logistics companies who fulfil orders on their behalf to slash the volume of cardboard that they use across their business is to ensure that, when goods are being packed prior to leaving the warehouse, they are put into an appropriately sized cardboard box

Sparck Technologies (formerly Packaging by Quadient) will use IMHX to demonstrate its eco-conscious packaging technology that creates fit-to-size boxes for every consignment quickly and efficiently. For example, Sparck’s CVP Impack automated packaging solution can pack up to 500 parcels per hour and requires only one operator while the CVP Everest model packs up to 1,100 parcels per hour with two operators.

Narrow Aisle, Bito and Sparck are just three of literally hundreds of exhibiting companies who will ensure that logistics and E-commerce fulfilment professionals leave IMHX 2022 having seen the very latest technological advancements that will enable them to meet the expectations of today’s increasingly demanding online shoppers.

Inside the transformation of Yale

Posted on by David Priestman

The launch of the Yale Series N is just one element of an exciting transformation within Yale Europe Materials Handling. Behind the scenes, the company is evolving the way it does business across the board in a bid to meet changing customer needs. 2022 will be the first time Yale reveals this transformation to the world, but the foundations have been laid in recent months and years. With wide-ranging changes and new ways of selling, engineering and building Yale products, Robert O’Donoghue, Vice President Marketing and Solutions, EMEA at Yale sat down to delve deeper into what has been going on behind-the-scenes as Yale embraces the future.

Q: A lot of the conversation around the new Series N range was about a wider business transformation of Yale: what sparked this?

Robert O’Donoghue (RO’D): The way our customers are buying materials handling equipment has changed dramatically over the past five years. Businesses want to work with a partner that understands their business and delivers the right solutions for their applications. We need to ensure Yale is their first port of call and that we can add more value earlier in the decision-making process.

The transformation is wide ranging – including how we have designed and built our new Series N range, but the changes don’t stop there. Some will be noticeable, whereas others have been a seamless transition. It’s an incredibly exciting period in our history.

Ultimately, we want our business to be focused on the success of our customers. This is why the Series N is designed to offer a new level of excellence in lift truck solutions. By moving away from defined categories of basic, standard and premium lift trucks, the Series N offers a new customer experience that enables them to define their own truck specification.

Q: How is Yale rising to meet the changes in customer buying habits?

RO’D: Our research has shown that customers are self-educating earlier in the buying process than ever before, so it’s important that Yale is there at the start of this journey to guide them to the solution they need.

We discovered that 68% of primary research by our customers is happening online. For this reason, we launched a brand-new website in 2021.

Having digested the wealth of information out there, as many as 57% of buyers have already completed the decision process of what they think they want in a materials handling solution before they engage with a salesperson – so our website is designed to be informative and inspiring, with a focus on industries and solutions.

Q: With so many customers self-educating online before they speak to a salesperson, has that changed your approach to sales?

RO’D: Yale needs to be involved in conversations as early as possible; after all, people want to buy from people. We have developed the HYImpact sales process that engages high up within a customer’s organisation early in that buying journey.

Today’s best practice is to fully understand the customer’s industries, their applications, needs and wants, and recognise how we might help the customer in ways that only Yale can. We’ve found what matters most to our customers is access to information: that’s knowledgeable salespeople and advice on suitability for their intended application. We’re transforming the availability and quality of what we provide so our sales team become trusted advisors.

We’re really rising to this challenge and embracing our new sales approach. Our dealers are also critical to our success and ensuring that we grow within the market, as is having the best partners with the best tools to deliver on that service.

Q: One area of significant change you mentioned is how you design and build Yale products; how does the Series N factor into this?

RO’D: The Series N marks a completely different way of providing products to our customers. The entire range is based on a single platform, enabling our customers to build a truck to meet their specific applications. They no longer have to settle for superfluous features and functionalities; they can define exactly what they need from a lift truck. With the Series N, customers can reject the status quo and set their own standard.

The most respect we can give our customers is to understand their needs in a deep way and have a platform that is both modular and scalable to configure the optimal solution.

Q: How else has the company pivoted to this new ethos?

RO’D: Changes to our Craigavon manufacturing facility have enabled us to create a more agile production line, providing better lead times for our customers.

Simplifying and streamlining our operations has improved on cost-efficiency, scalability and quality; we can now make any mix of product on the assembly lines, meaning we can react to customer needs rather than anticipating them. This helps us to supply products quicker to our customers and get our products integrated into their operations.

Quality still remains a top priority, and our new processes incorporate automation to ensure consistency across multiple products.

This is an incredibly exciting era for Yale, and we can’t wait to hear from our customers and dealers about their Series N experiences. There is a lot more to come, so keep an eye out for more news from us! Our success relies on the success of our customers; our investments in our facilities, digital solutions and new products are all driven to support them in reaching new levels of efficiency and productivity.

Perfect retrofit recipe for Almi

Posted on by David Priestman

To form resilient value chains to uphold delivery commitments to customers, you need high-performance intralogistics. Almi, the spice specialist based in the Upper Austria region, commissioned TGW Logistics Group to update its warehouse in Oftering. The TGW experts implemented the project in record time – during ongoing operation and despite the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Everyone’s got to eat! For Almi, a manufacturer of spice blends, the truth reflected in this proverb is a curse and blessing at once. It’s a blessing because the company, whose strategy is focused on diversification and internationalisation, has experienced constant growth since its founding in 1931. From dilettante to dedicated, gourmets at every level in 62 countries enjoy foods seasoned with high-quality Almi products – from asparagus soup to organic chicken. The Upper Austrian company earns approx. €132m in sales per year, with almost 90% of the products being exported.

Retrofit during live operation

However, success in the food industry has its price. Customers get hungry even on holidays. This means that, unlike other industries in which production shuts down during vacation periods, Almi cannot afford lengthy breaks. This poses major time management challenges for larger-scale construction or modernisation projects.

This was also true of the retrofit of the automated tote warehouse with approximately 10,000 storage locations. To continue to uphold delivery commitments and lay the foundation for future growth, the family-owned enterprise ruled out the prospect of expanding its facilities. “Sustainability is of great importance to Almi. We do not want to pave over more green areas, so we decided from the beginning to optimise the existing facility so that we will be well equipped for the future,” reports Stefan Lackinger, Almi’s Production Manager.

In 2006, Almi built a warehouse on a parcel of land of approx. 28,000 sq m, with the contract going to TGW. The heart of the system is the automatic mini-load warehouse with three aisles, tote buffer, and carton, tote and pallet conveyor systems on three levels. To boost the performance of the intralogistics, the system was equipped with energy-efficient conveyor technology. However, Almi did not rest on its laurels. In 2017, the seasoning specialist commissioned TGW to update the warehouse management system (WMS).

Together into a green future

Almi was very pleased with how the update went. As a result, Almi selected TGW as a partner of choice to join it on the path to a green future. The initial impulse came from the TGW retrofit experts, who presented a concept made up of multiple components: changing out a storage and retrieval machine, replacing the mechatronics of the Commissioner lifting beam system, updating three transfer carriages and one belt-driven lift, and implementing new control technology.

The retrofit specialists offered Almi proactive suggestions after seeing in the documentation that a few components were outdated. There was a danger that if they broke down, they would become more expensive or not available at all. TGW put together multiple variants, from which Almi selected one. “In the retrofit area, each project is customer-specific – therefore, experience is of tremendous importance,” emphasises Josef Fritz, Sales Project Manager at TGW.

Mustang E+ energy-efficient storage and retrieval machines

A portion of the investment, which was in the mid-six figures, was designated to replacing the storage and retrieval machine. TGW provided a Mustang E+ storage and retrieval machine of the latest generation. Its advantages: it weighs less than older units and, unlike them, has a state-of-the-art control system and does not require anti-oscillation technology. This makes it possible to save energy.

The world of retrofitting is, in theory, similar to good food: even the best recipe may not turn out so delicious if the cook is inexperienced. TGW looks back on more than half a century of experience, with the retrofit area in particular experiencing strong growth. The system integrator now handles five times as many retrofit projects annually as it did ten years ago – and proceeds systematically for each project. “A system downtime would be a disaster for any supply chain manager,” emphasises Markus Kammerhofer, Director of Sales Retrofit at TGW.

Over the years, TGW has compiled a list of seven success factors:

  • Consider the lead time and start early enough
  • Choose experienced partners and project managers
  • Develop a structured plan
  • Integrate specially developed retrofit solutions
  • Create a comprehensive functional specification
  • Clearly define migration phases
  • Intensive employee training

Planning and preparation as success factors

The first meeting was held in early 2021, while in the summer, the team drafted a project plan, with the functional specifications following. The experts then defined the migration steps and the tight schedule. The timeline set the bar high for all those involved. The objective: executing the entire project around the Christmas and New Year’s holidays to reduce the standstill to a minimum.

The TGW specialists arrived on December 21 and stayed at Almi until January 7, 2022, working every day except New Year’s Eve. However, the tight schedule was not the only challenge.

“All steps up to the go-live on January 7 had to be planned in detail,” says Fritz. Nevertheless, it was not possible to fully complete the project by January 6 as the plan had originally called for. However, this was not the fault of TGW. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and worldwide supply chain bottlenecks, the hardware was not replaced until April – at the weekends.

Energy savings of up to 20%

Despite the difficulties encountered, the projects were successfully completed in late April 2022. Lackinger, the Almi Production Manager, is highly satisfied with the result. He reports that the retrofit boosted system availability, while also lowering the cost of spare parts for maintenance work. The company’s green logistics strategy is also taking an important step forward – compliance with the ISO 50002 energy audit being just one example.

“Energy savings of up to 20% are now possible in intralogistics. In the past, unneeded braking energy of the storage and retrieval machine was simply lost. Now we feed it directly back into the grid. Thanks to the modernisation done by our partner TGW, we look to a greener future with confidence.”

 

Gebhardt expands management

Posted on by David Priestman

The Gebhardt Intralogistics Group, headquartered in Sinsheim, Germany has welcomed two new members to the management team. This change is necessary to maintain strong company growth and meet the challenges of the market, optimally positioning the company for the future. Volker Nicolai has been appointed the new Managing Director of Sales and Service. Kevin Stadler will be responsible for Human Resources and Finances as Managing Director. With these positions, Gebhardt strengthens its current management consisting of Fritz and Marco Gebhardt and Reinhold Himmelhan.

Gebhardt Intralogistics Group has been on the market for 70 years and is proud of the many years of continuous growth. Fritz and Marco Gebhardt and Reinhold Himmelhan reflect happily on the successful past and made the company a reliable and innovative intralogistics provider.

Fritz and Marco Gebhardt explain the motivation behind the expansion: It was an important step “to ensure this development continues and to best position the company for the future, as well as to expand the market position further.”

Nicolai is no stranger to the company. He began his Gebhardt career in 1993, taking a short hiatus as Head of Project Management at ICM Airport Technics GmbH from 2005 – 2012. Since then, he has led the International Sales team.

“Gebhardt is more than just an employer to me. It is a long-standing connection, both professionally and personally. I am looking forward to the new task and am thankful for the trust they have put in me,” explains Nicolai, pleased about the new position as Managing Director of Sales and Service.

In December 2006, Stadler started his professional career at Gebhardt after successfully completing his industrial engineering degree at the University of Applied Sciences in Mannheim. Over the years, he has gained professional experience in many areas, primarily in controlling, finance, and human resources, and he looks forward to bringing his expertise to the management team. “In this position, I will do my part to ensure that Gebhardt continues to be at the forefront of intralogistics providers and remains an interesting, sought-after employer in the region and other locations,” comments Stadler.

“With Volker Nicolai and Kevin Stadler, we welcome two skilled professionals in their field and long-time employees to the management team. With this step, we are focusing on continuity and continued positive development. Intralogistics is facing great challenges, whose solutions we want to actively shape with the expanded management and the entire Gebhardt team,” Marco Gebhardt concludes.

Randex VR gains first user

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Vertical storage lift company Randex has won the first user for its new ‘Randex VR’ virtual reality system, which uses digital models to simulate vertical storage space and performance. Global welding and cutting company WB Alloys, which works across the oil and gas, nuclear, marine, renewables, power generation and construction industries has used Randex VR to create a virtual twin of its new warehouse, populating it with virtual racking, office space and a ‘Randex Compact Twin’ vertical storage system, located in the company’s 5,000 SKU storage area. Randex VR has enabled WB Alloys to plan for best machine fit and optimum picking speeds.

Following go-live, Randex Compact Twin is now providing higher storage capacity with a smaller footprint and faster component retrieval from AB Alloys’ pick face – speeding the picking process and allowing inventory to be fine-tuned using Randex ‘Compact Store’ software, according to the company.

Commenting on its first sale of Randex VR, Randex director James Roberts says: “Planning with VR- and BIM-based digital models saves time and money by testing the space and performance of warehouse configurations before installation. This is especially true of vertical storage, whose proven space-saving and performance-boosting benefits can then be fully realised.”

Compact vertical storage lifts save up to 90% of floor space compared to standard shelving and pallet racking, says Randex. They can manage loads of up to 1.5 tonnes per storage tray and allow warehouse operatives to complete up to four times more picks than in a conventional warehouse environment, with goods automatically presented to the picker.

Compact vertical storage lifts can now be integrated with over 20 leading enterprise systems including IBM Maximo, SAP, JDA, Red Prairie and Blue Yonder.

Randex Ltd is the sole UK distributor for Compact Vertical Storage Lifts, manufactured in Sweden by Weland Solutions, a member of the privately owned, global group Weland AB. Randex customers include Bombardier, DHL, Fujifilm, Howdens, Hutchison Ports, Jaguar Land Rover, Ministry of Defence, P&G, Pfizer, Rolls Royce and Specsavers.

 

Kemi Shipping orders Konecranes electric forklifts

Posted on by David Priestman

Kemi Shipping Oy, owned by Finnish Metsä Group, has ordered eight award-winning Konecranes E-VER fully electric forklifts including full service contracts for its operations in the Port of Kemi. Highly impressed with an E-VER delivered early in 2022, the Finnish logistics company is strengthening operations with an additional order. The order was received in June 2022 and will be delivered in the first half of 2023.

Kemi Shipping provides a range of harbour services for customers in the region. With Metsä opening a new mill for bioproducts in the north, Kemi Shipping is taking the step to invest in new lift trucks for its new warehouse operations. The port facility is big and will benefit from the eight Konecranes E-VER electric forklifts that will serve the mill with their product handling as it reaches full production capacity.

“Sustainability is at the core of our business, so the first thing that attracted us to the Konecranes E-VER was the fact that it is fully electric,” says Kari Lundell, CEO of Kemi Shipping. “We had one Konecranes E-VER delivered earlier this year for paper board handling, and we could see its advantages immediately. Besides eliminating tailpipe emissions, it offers outstanding efficiency, and our drivers love it. Once all eight E-VER electric forklifts are on-site, they will mark another big step on our journey to greater productivity and lower emissions.”

“Kemi Shipping has been a loyal Konecranes customer for over two decades, sharing our mutual commitment to the environment,” says Klaus Kaukovalta, Product Manager, Lift Trucks for Konecranes Finland. “Konecranes E-VER, that won the sawmill industry Product Novelty Competition for improving the environmental performance, gives us the perfect opportunity to provide Kemi Shipping equipment that meets their specific requirements in a demanding industry.”

The eight additional lift trucks are Konecranes E-VER 16-1200C forklifts, with a fully-electric driveline and a capacity of 16 tonnes. Lithium-ion batteries manufactured with clean energy power each truck, taking just 45 minutes to fully recharge and re-generating brake energy back to its battery. With less heat, oil and fewer moving parts, the electric forklift requires less maintenance, and produces less chemical waste. The trucks will be supplied with special bale clamps to securely handle wood pulp.

These Konecranes E-VER electric forklifts are also Smart Connected Lift Trucks, in which TRUCONNECT Remote Monitoring follows each truck’s performance and maximises battery life through analytics such as charge optimisation and energy consumption.

A strong focus on customers and commitment to business growth and continuous improvement make Konecranes a lifting industry leader. This is underpinned by investments in digitalisation and technology, plus our work to make material flows more efficient with solutions that decarbonise the economy and advance circularity and safety.

 

AR Racking Appoints US Director

Posted on by Keith McKinley

AR Racking has appointed Pablo Montes as the Managing Director of its North American subsidiary in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Montes has a long track record in AR Racking, having held the position of Technical Director for the past 13 years. AR Racking says his appointment will give impetus and greater coverage to projects in the US, a market in which AR Racking has reinforced its strategy with the opening of its office in North Carolina several months ago and which is mainly focused on the execution of large-scale storage projects.

“It is undoubtedly a difficult challenge because of its newness and the characteristics of the country and the market, but we have proven international experience and a sufficiently solid and reliable structure to expand horizons,” commented Montes.

So commences a new professional era in which Montes will bring to the fore his strategic vision, team management, product knowledge and long-term experience in management positions in AR Racking.

AR Racking has a commercial presence in more than 60 countries, with its own offices in the principal European and Latin American markets, as well as an extensive distribution network with which it works closely with to meet the storage needs of any company. Opening up the US market is yet another example of the international character of the company, whose export rate is around 85%.

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