Innovate to accumulate

There appears to be no shortage of technical innovation in the lift truck sector but competition among suppliers is fierce due to a fall in demand, writes Benedict Young With a large number of rivals vying for business, manufacturers of lift trucks – both reachstackers and forklifts – continually strive to maximise the operational and environmental efficiencies of their machines. Indeed, as well as enhancements to existing ranges of equipment, new models are reaching the market, in spite of the financial pressure on manufacturers in the wake of the global crisis.

Hyster has become the latest to bring new equipment to the market, launching a range of 25-32 tonne forklifts as Cargo Systems goes to press (see news page 9).

A new range of reachstackers is also expected to be launched by CVS Ferrari later this year, but the Italian company is keeping its card close to its chest and declined to reveal details for this article.

But while some suppliers announce whole new models, others say they continuously develop their machines and terminals have learnt to expect the latest innovations, either as standard or optional extras.

"Small changes are always taking place such as with driver ergonomics and cabin comfort," says Dan Johansson, sales manager for Sweden-based Svetruck. "There is also a lot of discussion about environmental matters. Quite a number of terminal stevedoring companies now buy equipment with air purifiers and we always put in the latest technology."

Svetruck offers Volvo, Scania and Cummins engines in its range of forklift trucks and log handlers. While Volvo and Scania used to be prevalent in Europe, Svetruck reveals that Cummins is now an increasingly popular choice in that continent.

All Svetruck machines in the 10- to 52-tonne range are equipped with ZF transmission as standard, with only the two heaviest log handlers now using Caterpillar transmission. Kessler drive axles are also standard.

TCM tells CS it has recently added "a few new features" to its reachstacker range that provide its customers with added benefits. "A colour touch display indicates the state of the machine," says Masao Watanabe, from the firm’s port and logistics equipment division. "A flow alarm now indicates the abnormal point when it happens. The change of the menu screen displays maintenance information and work history," he adds.

The Japanese company also says it has enhanced the operational efficiency and productivity of its reachstackers by reducing the turning radius, enabling more efficient use of available work space.

A new seat has improved the ergonomics of TCM units. "Our machine is equipped with a seat with an adjustment mechanism, a telescopic and tilt handle, a lever slide, a height adjustment-type armrest, a direction adjustable air conditioner, prevention of reflection with curved surface glass, a cooler box and a drink folder," says Watanabe.

Konecranes plans to update and upgrade its range of heavy forklift trucks during 2010. Mikael Andersson, the company’s product manager for lift trucks, explains: "The main improvements are new chassis and body design, allowing higher strength for bigger trucks, new rear counterweight design for greatly improved rear-low visibility by a deep and wide recess in the upper counterweight.

"Our new range starts at 28 tonnes and ends at 65 tonnes [1,200mm LC] as a standard truck, with bigger trucks available on request. The new sizes are 33, 50, 52, 55 and 65 tonnes, all at 1,200mm LC."

The same updates will be made in Konecranes new range of masted trucks for laden containers. Those toploaders will be available from the 33G (3-4 high), 37G (3-5 high), 45G (3-5 high) up to 52G (3-5 high), the new biggest unit. Lift capacities under spreader will range from 30 to 45 tonnes.

"All these trucks will feature the advanced control system as standard, where you have full monitoring of the truck and eco-drive function," adds Andersson.

Konecranes is also releasing two mid-size reachstackers with 21- and 25-tonne capacities for three-high stacking.

"The 21-tonner has a telescopic 20-40ft spreader and the 25-tonner has a 20ft non-telescopic spreader," says Patrik Lundbäck, Konecranes’ director of sales and marketing. "On the big stackers we are also releasing four models with single lift hook. These will handle big windmill sections, power stations, transformers and similar extra heavy cargo. The four models will lift 54, 60, 70 and 80 tonnes under the hook, at 2,000mm LC." Cargotec recently launched a new Kalmar reachstacker that the company said will provide flexible container handling with increased customer value. More of a budget machine than the rest of the range, the DRF420-450L was designed with performance and functions suitable for terminals with medium capacity and average operational requirements. "Some of our new customers do not have the operational requirements that we offer with our current models, and some new applications will not need heavy and intensive usage of their machine," says Mikael Persson, Cargotec VP for reachstackers and empty container handlers.

"We will ensure that we can meet this growing need for cost-effective, productive and flexible container handling. That’s why we present the Kalmar DRF L reachstacker – a streamlined machine with increased customer value. Its performance and functions have been specially developed for the day-to-day reality at terminals that form part of the continental distribution chain."

The new reachstacker has a lifting capacity of up to 45 tonnes in first container row, 30 tonnes in the second and 15 tonnes in the third. It can lift containers to five-high and the container can be picked or dropped-off by the machine approaching from any angle -90 degrees.

As well as its new 25-32 tonne forklifts, Hyster reports several innovations in its reachstacker range. "A front stabiliser option has made it possible to use the reachstacker for additional or higher capacity jobs, without making the machine larger or heavier and therefore not consuming more tyres, fuel, or space," says Antoon Cooijmans, big trucks product manager at Hyster Europe.

"The reachstacker has also evolved into a more flexible machine. In addition to the obvious on-terminal container handling duty, more applications have been made possible by adapting the machine to popular usages such as the handling of wind farm blades."

Hyster reachstackers now include a powered sliding cab for optimum visibility and a container weight display – also showing distance and height – to allow the driver to anticipate the truck’s capabilities before the stability/weight limit is reached.

Liebherr tells CS that its LRS645 reachstacker, which features a curve-shaped telescopic boom, is proving popular, with 18 units recently delivered, including 15 to Libya.

"The machine’s unique curve-shaped telescopic boom offers outstanding handling capabilities," says Joachim Dobler, the company’s marketing manager for reachstackers. "With a maximum operating weight of 75.3 tonnes, the machine is capable of lifting containers as heavy as 45 metric tonnes to a height of just under 16 metres, equating to six containers high in the first or front row. In four-high by three-deep stacks, the machine can remove the top container in the second row from either side without any necessary repositioning of the top container in the front six-high row. "Similarly, with three-high by three-wide block stacks the reachstacker operator is able to remove the top container in the third row without moving any of the boxes in the first or second rows. The curved boom allows the loading and unloading of containers from or below ground level without a special boom extension. This feature offers further advantages when working with barges and river vessels."

Svetruck produces forklifts and log handlers but not reachstackers. According to Johansson, suppliers should take care to assess what each customer will be handling before recommending a machine.

"Here in the North Scandinavian countries, we have a lot of small ports and they like to have a more multipurpose machine. You can have forklift with forks, inverted forks or container spreader, whereas a reachstacker is perfect for containers but only for containers. How will they handle the rest of the goods?

"The port of Helsingborg, for example, has 10 Svetruck 52-tonne forklifts but also four or five reachstackers for intermodal rail handling. There they think it is more effective to have the reachstacker, even over to the second track. But for container handling, they say it is more efficient with the forklift. The container is closer and quicker to handle. Competitors that produce forklift and reachstacker have to ensure they give the right advice."

The size of the reachstackers market is estimated to have been 1,450-1,500 units worldwide in 2008. Last year this fell considerably with manufacturers reporting declines ranging from 15-50%. The most optimistic forecast for recovery suggests the market may recover to 2008 levels by 2011/2012.

Little wonder then that suppliers are keen to offer all the high-tech attributes a terminal may want. In the short term though, market growth is tipped to be spurred on by the developing world, where technical sophistication is a secondary concern after robust design and unit price. So it may well be the budget workhorse models that drive the recovery.