With a three-shift, 460,000 square-foot facilities in Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.- based International Paper was looking for ways to save money and improve workflow. Their 85 battery-powered lift trucks worked well, but operators were spending 40 minutes each shift waiting while the battery was changed in each truck. And it wasn’t just the 2 hours per day per truck in battery changes that were slowing them down. The room where they stored all the extra batteries was taking up valuable floor space. The changing equipment required specialized maintenance and the safety risks involved with changing two-ton batteries made everyone uncomfortable.
Myths about battery-powered forklifts lead companies to think they're not up to the task of moving multi-ton, heavy-duty payloads, they don’t work outdoors, or they require battery changes to work 3 shifts. It's time to set the record straight...
The Express fast charge system was launched by EnerSys in 2005. It allows operators to run a forklift for multiple shifts, simply and quickly recharging the battery while on break. Express was the first fast charge brand to include batteries specifically engineered for fast charging, as well as data management devices. Working together, these technologies allow companies to use electric forklifts in applications formerly served by liquid propane, battery changing or fuel cells.
In the world of industrial batteries, the terms “fast charger,” "rapid charger" and "quick charger" can be used loosely. A true fast charger is part of an engineered system matching the right-size battery to the right-size charger. This allows a forklift to run through multiple shifts using only one battery.
In 2016, new regulations required the shipping department of Mahou’s largest brewery to exchange their internal combustion forklifts for electric-powered ones. Linde Material Handling won the contract and delivered 14 new electric counterbalanced forklifts in June 2016, with capacities ranging from 2 to 3.5 tons. All trucks were equipped with fork spreader attachments, allowing the transport of 3 pallets side by side. All trucks were also equipped with air conditioning for the summer and heaters for winter.
Fast charging gives lift trucks the power they need to replace Class IV and V internal combustion trucks, even in high-demand, multi-shift, indoor/outdoor operations. The result? Savings, uptime, safety and more.
Fast charging combines advanced power conversion technology with precise battery monitoring to safely return energy to industrial forklift batteries faster than conventional or opportunity charging.
Tompla Industries, located near Madrid, Spain, operates 24 hours, six days a week, producing four billion envelopes per year. When one of the European largest producers of envelopes has to stop a forklift mid-shift to change a battery, the lost productivity can be felt through each succeeding shift.
In 2010 the Portuguese subsidiary of Faurecia embarked on a plan to increase productivity across their 6 plants. Two of the largest plants are located outside Oporto, producing headrests, airbags, seats, and upholstery. These plants operate on a 3-shift schedule, supplying product to most major European car manufacturers.