Jungheinrich’s Series 2 and 3 – EKS 210 and EKS 312 – vertical order pickers were developed to meet the growing demand for flexibility and high picking performance over long shifts. The trucks’ in-built RFID warehouse navigation unit enables the operator to receive picking instructions from the warehouse management system. Once the instructions have been transmitted, the operator simply accepts the command via a terminal and the warehouse management system automatically guides the truck to the location in which the goods are stored. The truck travels via the shortest route and at the optimal speed to ensure that energy consumption is minimised.

Linde’s new pallet stackers introduce proportional lift control and soft landing of the forks into the low capacity sector and a number of other innovative features such as end-of-stroke resistance on the tiller. EasyLift® allows for authentic proportional lifting and lowering. The electronic control switch, mounted on the tiller head, has a 60° range of actuation to ensure smooth and precise load movement. These models also have proportional speed control. The closer the operator gets to the truck’s chassis, the closer to the vertical he holds the tiller. Traction speed automatically reduces as the tiller angle increases to enhance safety.

Small improvements can give one product an edge over the competition – but only rarely do we see an improvement of 40%!  This is the size increase in the OPB20NE’s operator compartment – part of a design package that results in a 24% productivity advantage over its closest competitors. Departing radically from conventional order picker layout, the battery has been moved from front to back – creating unimpeded on-off access to the enlarged operator platform (the biggest in the market) without affecting external dimensions.  Ultra-modern looks, with characteristic LED lights, are complemented by the Formula 1 styled Maxius steering wheel and controls, advanced electric steering and powerful acceleration – each contributing to the OPB20NE’s world-beating performance.

Narrow Aisle Flexi has revolutionised the articulated truck. The design team has re-engineered the drive and articulation system, allowing a truck to work in even smaller aisles, yet maintaining its four-wheel stability platform and front wheel drive benefits. The whole truck is designed as a modular assembly, which uses any combination of mast and chassis, thus handling any load, as well as reducing production costs and offering quicker deliveries. The key feature of this new truck is improved aisle performance. The resulting additional storage density enables use in very narrow aisles which are traditionally associated with turret and man-up trucks.

With iForks, RAVAS introduces the next generation of weighing forks for counterbalance trucks, reach trucks and narrow aisle trucks: a completely wireless system of which all components, including electronics and power supply, are integrated in the forks. Each of the two forks has its own signal transfer to the indicator in the cabin, via secured Bluetooth, eliminating the cable between the forks and indicator inside the truck. The weighing system can be installed onto any fork lift truck in a matter of minutes: plug and weigh! From that moment on, every load lifted by the truck is instantly and accurately weighed.

Women in Logistics UK was established in September 2008. It now has more than 500 members. The group was set up because women account for just 22% of the logistics workforce in England, compared with 46% in other sectors. Women in Logistics UK was formed with the aim to help increase the number of women in the sector, improve life for those women already working in logistics and to address the gender imbalance issue. The fork lift truck industry will benefit from the work of this innovative organization.

Standard on all Yale NexGen fork lift trucks is Yale Stop™, an electro-magnetic release brake that is automatically activated when the truck is not in motion, or when the driver is not seated.  Controllability on ramps and grades is increased and the risk of roll-back minimised. In applications where the operator is frequently on and off the fork lift, Yale Stop can help increase productivity significantly. There are ergonomic advantages as the need for the application of a manual handbrake is removed, increasing operator productivity. There are also no annoying buzzers associated with operators having forgotten to set the handbrake.