Pick up a newspaper, listen to the radio, or watch the news before you head into work. You may well be hard-pressed in all of these scenarios to find many ‘good news’ stories about the economy. It’s incredibly heartening, then, to note that things seem to be defiantly on the up in the forklift truck (FLT) market. Equally exciting, too, are the innovations in forklift design and technology. Put simply: the FLT market is genuinely exciting right now.
THE RECOVERY
Industry reports have noted that, at the end of August, the European Federation of Materials Handling (FEM) indicated how the continent’s industrial truck market was on its way to recovery. The forklift market showed particular strength, and although this doesn’t relate specifically to maritime or containerised trade, a 17% share of the transport and logistics market commanded by FLTs in 2010 compared favourably against the previous year’s 16%. In the UK, there was a near-50/50 balance between sales for warehouse trucks and counter-balance trucks (12,400 units for the former, 12,000 for the latter). The most notable increase in demand came from Germany and the UK, while Russia showed particularly strong signs of recovery in Eastern Europe. This year to date, FEM states that there are indications of a further increase in market demand in Europe, with 34% growth in Western Europe and 70% in Eastern Europe after the first half of 2011. Encouraging signs such as these have resulted in resellers and distributors such as the UK-based Barloworld Handling reporting good news. It recently announced that it was investing £3million (USD4.8 million) in 140 new diesel- and gas-powered Hyster forklifts for short-term hire. Barloworld states that, as the general market conditions have improved over the past year, a strong demand has returned for its short-term hire trucks. Barloworld has invested more than £12 million in new Hyster forklifts for its national short-term rental fleet over the past four years.
A VISION OF COMFORT AND CLEANLINESS
Advancements in forklift design across the market have focused on familiar facets: enhanced driver ergonomics, reduced fuel emissions, improvements to maintenance processes. Put simply, everything possible to reduce operating costs and optimise efficiency. In November 2010, Hyster unveiled a new, ecologically enhanced, range of container handlers and forklift trucks above 16 tonnes lifting capacity. Included within this was the range of 25–32-tonne heavy-duty forklifts. The trucks now feature new Tier 4i/Stage IIIB low emission engines, offering fuel savings of up to 15%. The 25–32-tonne range was first launched in 2010 and comprises nine models, including three ultra-compact configurations with wheelbases of between 3.655 meters and 3.935 meters, for operations where space is limited.
Hyster showcased the improvement to the range at this year’s TOC Europe in June. The robust powertrain on the 25–32-tonne range is intended to provide increased dependability for long periods of peak power operation, with protection for the engine and the 3-speed transmission. The range is being manufactured with the new Cummins QSB 6.7 engine (up to 270hp, 210kW) at Hyster’s Big Trucks assembly line in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. The engine employs a Variable Geometry Turbocharger (VGT), which varies the exhaust gas flow into the turbine wheel, delivering rapid boost at low engine rpm, and then maintains high boost at higher rpm independent of engine speed. To complement the addition of the Cummins engine technologies, Hyster has also introduced performance operation developments, including cooling on demand, rpm management and alternate engine idle speed, to help further reduce total fuel consumption. The trucks only provide maximum power on demand, when it is really needed, with load-sensing hydraulics that ‘feel’ the load weight that is lifted. For the forklift driver, the Hyster ‘Vista’ Operator Compartment offers “excellent comfort, outstanding ergonomics and a low noise level,” the manufacturer states. The cab is positioned at mid-height towards the front, and is designed to provide optimised all-round visibility. Operators can select either an ECO-eLo “fuel efficiency” or HiP “high performance” mode. The HiP mode is the normal operating mode, whereas the ECO-eLo mode reduces the maximum engine speed and optimises fuel efficiency. Hyster boasts that maintenance requirements on the trucks are kept to a minimum, with features such as oil-immersed brakes and increased service intervals contributing to lower overall operating costs. The tilting cab, which ensures easy access to key components, also makes servicing easier, it states.
Konecranes also used one of this year’s conferences – CeMAT 2011 in May – to present a comprehensive range of new features on its heavy-duty forklift trucks and reachstackers (RS).The RS and FLT range is comprised of machines with a lifting capacity between 10–65 tonnes, with paramount concerns in the design being “maximum efficiency, economy and safety in container goods handling.” Among the new features on the Konecranes range of forklifts are ECO-driving, a new control system offering fuel savings of up to 40%, the NearGuard system, which alerts the driver to the danger of collision with pre-defined obstacles, and the tyre pressure monitoring and warning system. Cargotec’s latest development in the forklift market came in the form of its DCG90-180 range of Kalmar lift trucks. These FLTs, which were also showcased at CeMAT 2011, feature the new ‘G’ generation of counterbalance equipment. The trucks have loading capacities ranging from 9–18 tonnes, and Cargotec states that they will deliver improvements in fuel efficiency, safety, serviceability and ergonomics, while reducing environmental impact. Following the lead of these forklifts, the benefits of the DCG90-180 range will be gradually phased in across the entirety of Kalmar’s counterbalance fleet. The G generation has been under development for three years, including a trial phase of rigorous testing. Maintenance lifetime savings are a major facet of the DCG90-180 forklifts’ benefits. The trucks are designed to keep driver productivity high while maintaining low operational costs, offering “improved synchronicity” between the driver’s work and the truck itself. New electric and hydraulic systems on the range result in quicker response, higher lifting speed, increased control, and reduced fuel emissions. In ergonomic and visibility terms, the range’s EGO cabin is markedly different to its predecessor, with major upgrades designed to improve driver comfort, productivity, efficiency and safety. The cabin boasts a combination of a side-tilting steering wheel, comfort pedals, a rotatable and fully integrated Kalmar seat, and complete climate control. It features a spacious new open design and curved front and rear windows that provide the operator with greater views diagonally, forwards and backwards. High capacity wipers offer more than 90% surface coverage of the front window, and roof wipers have been brought in to offer optimised visibility and safety, even under incredibly adverse weather conditions. A solid safety cage construction with profiled beams to eliminate blind spots improves health and safety, while noise levels can be reduced through the use of variable pumps and a temperature-controlled cooling fan that only runs when required. Service accessibility on the range is of premium importance, with the electric cabinet positioned to offer fast and easy access. All hydraulic oil filters can be reached from above at one location. All check points for daily inspection are directly accessible at ground level on the side of the truck and service intervals for the 9–18 tonne range are scheduled after 500 hours of operation. The G generation counterbalance equipment also offers a new electronic steering system and human-machine interface (HMI), providing the same set-up, irrespective of the Kalmar vehicle you operate. This intuitive design makes it easier for new drivers to famili
arise themselves with the trucks, while enhancing the work of experienced operators, Cargotec states. The DCG90-180 range features a new cooling system to optimise machine uptime. It employs two new Tier 4i/Stage IIIB emissions-compliant Volvo and Cummins diesel engines. These cut particulate emissions by 90%, as well as reducing nitrogen oxide emissions by half, states the manufacturer. Both also improve fuel efficiency whilst maintaining operational reliability, durability and performance by delivering maximum power and torque at low rpm.
AN UNMOVABLE FORCE
Forklifts are an ever-present concern for the manufacturers of the cargo-handling lift machines that service maritime trade. In these times of somewhat staggered economic recovery, it is significant that reports from the market for this staple machine of global commerce are positive. It is equally important that the companies that deliver these machines to our ports around the globe have a very clear focus on consistently further enhancing their operating capabilities. In a world where bleak news is so often at the forefront of discourse, such good news stories are always welcome.