Industrial Truck Industry Looks Boldly to the Future

Exhibitors from the international industrial truck industry are coming to LogiMAT 2024 to showcase products and solutions highlighting the critical role of electric powertrains in the efficient flow of goods and materials in intralogistics. The focus in Halls 9 and 10 of the Messe Stuttgart convention center will be on new forklift truck series and pallet trucks as well as innovations in powertrain technologies, energy storage systems, driver assistance systems, and automated guided vehicles. Expert Forums, part of the trade show’s accompanying program of events, complement the exhibits with information on current trends.

No need to reinvent the wheel? Industrial truck exhibitors at LogiMAT 2024 would beg to differ—figuratively and literally—with their extensive lineup of innovative new wheels, tires, and casters. Tires with new rubber compounds display a bright color signal on the tread when they have about 100 hours of operation remaining. New elastic solid tires are manufactured from about 60 percent renewable and recycled materials. Roller container systems and mobile transport boxes offer wheels with integrated roller brakes. New polyamide wheels and casters require up to 25 percent less energy for forward motion during operation. Low-resistance swivel castors optimize order picking trolleys. Transport systems with mecanum wheels can maneuver in every direction without mechanical steering. Traction drives for high-lift pallet trucks and small forklifts developed specifically for automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) offer compact wheelsets with a highly integrated modular wheel hub drive system. “These are smart innovations for efficient, sustainable processes in intralogistics transports,” remarks Exhibition Director Michael Ruchty from event organizer EUROEXPO Messe- und Kongress-GmbH in Munich. “This broad spectrum of innovations that we see just in the wheel and tire components extends to the equipment as well. In addition to new forklift truck series and pallet trucks, LogiMAT will showcase innovations in powertrain technologies, energy storage systems, driver assistance systems, and AGVs.”
Electric low-lift pallet trucks boast the highest growth worldwide
The exhibitor group of industrial trucks, attachments, and energy management systems—located in Halls 9 and 10 and in the outdoor area in between—will present products reflecting several current trends in the material handling industry. First, warehouse mobility and material flows rely on class 1 to 3 industrial trucks, forklifts, pallet trucks, and tugger trains. Lithium-ion technology is now the standard among all manufacturers, and the latest official publications report that electric low-lift pallet trucks in particular are showing the highest growth rates worldwide. Visitors can experience such unconventional innovations as a new motorized warehouse order picker for heights up to 5.35 m or a lift that can be mounted on electric high-lift pallet trucks for weights up to 2,500 kg with no additional measures for load securing required. The second trend associated with the growth in electric equipment is the accelerating decline in demand for class 4 and 5 trucks with combustion engines—though they still claim a market share of some 40 percent. The third trend of things to come is the increased focus on AGV and AMR solutions.
All leading industrial truck manufacturers are coming to the Messe Stuttgart convention center, March 19–21. They’ll bring along the very latest in safe, reliable, energy-efficient transport equipment, and nearly all will present new AGVs at LogiMAT. Several exhibitors will offer live demonstrations highlighting the benefits and possibilities of fully automated warehouse devices working collaboratively. One example will feature driverless reach trucks and high-lift pallet trucks interfacing with shuttle systems in an automated shelf warehouse. Another will present flexible, scalable automation solutions with AGV systems and AMRs. Yet another will feature smart entry-level solutions using a high-lift pallet truck to automate individual logistical processes. The topic is also addressed in an afternoon Expert Forum, part of LogiMAT’s accompanying program, by a panel moderated by Dr. Günter Ullrich, Managing Partner of Forum AGV (www.forum-fts.com/en) and Head of the VDI Technical Committee for AGV systems. In the LogiMAT Arena of the East Entrance Atrium, experts will examine the future of mobile robots from the perspective of sensor manufacturers, focusing on the challenges of designing safe robots.
Focus on lithium-ion and fuel cells
Another focus of the industrial truck manufacturers and other exhibitors in Halls 9 and 10 is electrical power. One manufacturer has already announced that by 2025, it plans to fully electrify its entire portfolio—from front loaders and container-handling equipment to industrial reach stackers and heavy-duty forklift trucks in the 10–33-ton payload range. A representative sampling will be previewed at LogiMAT. Lithium-ion (Li-ion) is the technology of choice for nearly all new electric forklift truck series and electric material handling equipment. In Hall 10, several manufacturers will be showcasing redesigned reach trucks and new electric high-lift pallet trucks alongside the latest developments in electric counterbalance trucks, all with Li-ion batteries. Hall 9 will host the first-time presentation of a new scissor lift truck that is fully electric (Li-ion lift and powertrain) and offers various fork length options up to 2,000 mm. Visitors there can also experience a new eurobin tug with lithium LiFePO4 technology, which enables short interim charging without damaging the battery.
At the same time, some leading industrial truck manufacturers are pushing for the ongoing development and integration of fuel cells to reduce their customers’ greenhouse gas emissions. Hydrogen is regarded as a key energy technology of the future: powerful, emission-free—and very environmentally friendly once a reliable source of “green” hydrogen has been secured. Experts believe that this technology will one day dominate intralogistics in a mixed portfolio with Li-ion batteries. One of the original equipment manufacturers was recently the first to market its own 24-volt fuel cell system, which can be installed as an option in its industrial trucks.
Industrial truck manufacturers and specialized providers working in sensor technology and IT are optimizing the workplace environment of forklift operators by enhancing the performance of driver assistance software with end-to-end systems and AI-based recognition systems. Such systems might, for example, support drivers handling long materials by preselecting useful fork adjustment and mast extension options to pinpoint the target position and optimize the lifting height or, as with a new camera-based assistance system, provide effective protection against collisions with objects and people. One leading provider is planning the European debut of an end-to-end forklift driver assistance system package that combines location- and event-related features to optimize ergonomics and workplace safety during operation.
The driver assistance systems intervene, for example, when operators lift loads above the recommended height or when people, obstacles, or other hazards appear at the end of aisles or at intersections. In the loading area between Halls 8 and 10, industry professionals can test various AI-based backup assistance systems from another manufacturer that alert forklift drivers to people in the area behind them. Also on display is a reach truck with extensive safety features, including multiple driver assistance systems to warn both pedestrians and drivers and prevent collisions or mast vibrations.
Tips for sustainable investments
Industry professionals can also find inspiration and assistance in making sustainable investments. Manufacturers will present the latest concepts and concept studies for autonomous devices featuring improved human-machine interaction and machine learning. A prototype will also be presented to illustrate how an evolutionary use of production materials can sustainably increase the recycling rate of warehouse equipment. A more in-depth examination of this topic can be found in the Expert Forum “Circular logistics—disassembly as a foundation for sustainability” in the LogiMAT Arena, East Entrance Atrium—part of the accompanying program of LogiMAT 2024. Dr. Johannes Fottner, Full Professor for Logistics Engineering at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), welcomes a panel of experts on the afternoon on the opening day of LogiMAT to explore how the disassembly of end-of-life products can be the foundation for sustainability.
“The industrial truck sector is coming to LogiMAT 2024 to offer an extensive overview of its current portfolio of products and services, underscoring the innovation and forward-looking developments in the industry,” concludes Exhibition Director Ruchty. “Though the emphasis on individual product segments may shift, the diversity of new innovations shows that electric industrial trucks are the key tool for the efficient flow of goods and material in intralogistics and will remain so for the foreseeable future.”