The results of the TÜV-certified performance test for other trucks have now been confirmed for warehouse trucks: The most cost-effective solution is provided by Linde Material Handling.

Acquisition and financing costs only make up a small proportion of the overall costs of an industrial truck. Much more important in terms of determining cost-effectiveness are the subsequent costs of ongoing operation, such as energy and service costs — with personnel costs a particularly decisive factor. Whether dealing with trucks or warehouse trucks, wages and salaries are not only the largest cost drivers, but also the decisive factor determining cost-effective operation of the device. However, information on the truck’s cost-effectiveness is not found in type sheets or written quotations — documents that are generally used in investment decisions. This missing information is provided by the TÜV-certified performance test, which now also covers two important rcore warehouse trucks: pallet trucks and reach trucks.

It is not only trucks from Linde that are more cost-effective than comparable trucks from competitors, but also the tested warehouse trucks. Greater handling performance is not the only crucial factor in this regard — energy consumption, which is in lower in many cases, also plays a key role. This is the result of the two performance tests for pallet trucks and reach trucks, which were certified by TÜV Nord in 2011. Patrick Ebert, Head of Product Management for Germany and the Linde Academy at Linde MH, summarises the results “In comparison to the competition, the savings potential of our warehouse trucks is, depending on the model, up to 20%”. “We ascribe this significant difference to our overall concept. All of our truck components are calibrated to one another. For all key units such as hydraulics, drives, lift masts and chassis, it is not only development and testing that is completed at Linde Material Handling, but also manufacturing and assembly. The only exception to this rule is the manufacturing of electronics.” And the depth of production is complemented by many years of development expertise.

The productivity of the trucks is determined in the test using a practical performance test. Both performance (required time in minutes) and consumption (energy consumption in ampere-hours) are measured in each of the trucks. The test is carried out three times per truck in order to obtain reliable and valid results.

“Overall, warehouse trucks are an investment that represent a significant cost factor over their entire operating time. And this is true despite the fact that both pallet trucks and pallet stackers are substantially better value purchases than trucks”, explains Patrick Ebert. He adds that this proves how important a performance test is for warehouse trucks in particular as an objective basis for examining cost-effectiveness.

Pallet trucks and reach trucks were each tested together with the relevant trucks from competitors. The testing procedure is based on defined work cycles that are derived from practical experience. For pallet trucks, eight pallets weighing 600 kilograms each had to be transported from a starting point to a lorry 2.45 metres wide and 13.6 metres long and then loaded into the lorry. The pallets were subsequently unloaded and transported back. For reach trucks, the test procedure involved taking pallets weighing 670 kilograms from their starting position and placing them into the aisles of a high-rack warehouse at heights of 4.5 metres and 6 metres. The pallets from higher levels then had to be moved to particular shelf spaces at ground level, based on the replenishment supply during order picking. Finally, the pallets were removed from storage and brought back from the aisles to the starting position.