LI-ION HEARTED
Lithium-ion power is becoming increasingly popular for forklift
trucks, and o ers signifi cant advantages over traditional options
For forklift fl eet managers, deciding what
energy source to power your trucks is a
common dilemma. Indeed, as Kai von Berg,
senior director of product management,
counterbalance trucks and energy at STILL,
highlighted at a recent press conference,
“Energy is an indispensable and expensive
resource for industry. For intralogistics experts,
energy is a hinge factor – all the work we do is
subject to energy availability and cost.”
Traditionally, the debate boiled down to a
handful of choices: internal combustion engine,
gas/LPG or lead acid-powered electric trucks.
In recent years, however, lithium-ion technology
has been muscling in on the party.
While commercial lithium-ion battery
technology has been around since the 1990s,
powering your mobile phone and laptop, the
forklift truck market has been relatively slow to
adopt. However, the advantages of lithium-ion
make it a winning choice for many applications.
“Other technologies, especially lead-acid power,
have reached their innovation ceiling,” said von
Berg. “It’s now time for other technologies to
come in and take over. Lithium-ion technology is
still improving, but already provides signifi cant
Hyster's Phil
Ireland says
lithium-ion is
well suited to
sectors with
high hygiene
standards
No emissions
The fi rst of these benefi ts comes
in the shape of a signifi cant
reduction in emissions. The
latest EU regulations target a
further 15% reduction in CO2
emissions by 2030; the UK is
working to a similar target.
Adapting technologies and
processes to meet this won’t
come cheap, explained STILL’s
von Berg. “Energy has become
a key topic for investors,” he
said. “Whereas 20 years ago,
smoking chimneys were a sign
of a thriving business, today they
are a setback. As a result, energy
consumption must be managed
smartly, across the factory.”
This is where lithiumion
power comes into its
own. A lithium-ion powered
FLT produces no emissions
commonly associated with
other power sources, and – most
importantly for the bottom line
– a lithium-ion battery can off er
savings of up to 30% in energy
FORKLIFTS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020
costs compared to a lead-acid
battery. In addition, the lack of
emissions makes the warehouse
a cleaner, more pleasant place
to work.
“Lithium-ion is becoming
particularly popular in the food
and pharmaceutical industry
and other sectors with high
hygiene standards,” says Phil
Ireland, programme leader
at Hyster Europe. “These
operations are mostly indoors
and there is a priority to reduce
contamination. Lithium-ion
has no acid, which could spill,
and no fumes; hydrogen and
other gases can be produced
by lead acid, which are
unwelcome in clean production
and storage areas.”
Less maintenance
Lithium-ion trucks require next
to no maintenance, freeing up
staff time to undertake more
important work.
“The technological
BY CHRIS BECK
benefi ts over other propulsion methods.”
Camerons Brewery cuts costs and improves
energy effi ciency with lithium-ion power
Camerons Brewery has been a
fi xture in Hartlepool since 1865,
and is one of the town’s biggest
employers. Increased demand for its range of beers has seen increased
activity across the site – putting more pressure on its materials
handling capabilities.
Forklifts at the brewery are tasked with moving ever-increasing
numbers of kegs around the site and into warehouses. The existing fl eet
of LPG-powered trucks was getting through anywhere between 20
and 30 cylinders of gas per week, something the company realised was
neither energy nor cost e cient. It also left the business with extended
downtime periods when employees would have to change over the
LPG tanks for the forklifts and dispose of the used versions safely.
In July 2020, Camerons began a trial of lithium-ion trucks as part of
an existing fi ve-year relationship with Jungheinrich. Following the pilot,
the company has now implemented four lithium-ion powered trucks,
with anticipated cost savings of around £15,000 a year.
The benefi ts didn’t stop there: the short charging time and long
battery life has all but eliminated downtime, meaning the fl eet can
operate 24/7 and sta aren’t spending time changing cylinders. The
working conditions on-site have also improved – air pollution in
indoor spaces has reduced, noise pollution is down and there is no
need for the expensive exhaust systems to remove harmful gases or
acids while charging.
“The switch to lithium-ion trucks was simple and seamless, we were
able to see the benefi ts straight away and it works perfectly with the
attachments and clamps we require to move our kegs,” says Richard
Forster, logistics manager at Camerons Brewery. “The cost savings
were a no-brainer for us, and we’re very pleased to be doing our part in
reducing our carbon footprint.”
22 www.manufacturingmanagement.co.uk
/www.manufacturingmanagement.co.uk