Linde Material Handling is a leading global manufacturer of forklift trucks and warehouse technology trucks. In addition to its extensive product portfolio Linde provides a range of service applications in particular fleet management, automation and driver assistance systems which are prevalent in the industry today.
Linde is looking forward to the future of logistics. Some of its latest innovations, showcased at its 2016 World of Material Handling event, include expansion in the availability of lithium-ion and hydrogen powered trucks, the new Linde Roadster an electric counterbalanced forklift truck with increased visibility by the removal of the A-column and panoramic armoured glass roof and a new remote tracking system to map truck activity and adjust speed accordingly.
Andrew Daly, Commercial Director of Linde MH, spoke to Warehouse & Logistics News about the forthcoming IMHX exhibition.
Warehouse & Logistics News – First of all, Andrew Daly, as Commercial Director of Linde MH, what is your role in the company from day to day?
My day to day role is overseeing the commercial operations in the UK – anything that touches the customer.
This means having a good understanding of what our customers key challenges and needs are and ensuring we have a proposition to meet and exceed these needs. So whether customers are looking to improve efficiencies, safety or control within their fleet, Linde is well placed to serve their business now and in the future with the latest innovations.
WLN – Can you talk us through the different products and services Linde provides?
The Linde forklift range offers capacities ranging from one tonne to 18 tonnes and includes diesel, LPG, natural gas and electric powered counterbalance trucks aswell as one of the largest range of warehouse trucks. In addition to its broad product portfolio, Linde offers efficient intralogistics solutions including fleet management, automation and driver assistance systems, and provides a comprehensive range of vehiclerelated services.
In the past year Linde has begun to build up a strong position as a provider of flexible automated solutions with Linde robotics.
WLN – What kinds of businesses in what industry sectors are your solutions aimed at? What specific needs do they target?
Our truck range is diverse, and we see this reflected in our customer base where we serve a very wide range of industries within the UK. Linde also offers an almost unlimited portfolio of customer-specific solutions and tailor-made forklift trucks, precisely adapted to suit different operational requirements.
WLN – When was your business established? Who owns the company now? Which other countries do you operate in besides the UK?
Linde has been part of the KION Group since 2006, which floated on the stock exchange in 2013, and is now the world’s secondlargest manufacturer of forklifts in terms of revenue. With production and assembly plants and a global sales and service network with branches in more than 100 countries, the company is represented in all major regions around the world.
WLN – What sets your company apart as a supplier in your sector? Why should busy professionals from the warehouse and logistics industry take time out to visit your stand at IMHX? What is your overall message to visitors?
Building strong customer partnerships through the provision of efficient, cost effective services and improved flexibility has been a key focus for us at Linde. The products and themes we’ve decided to showcase this year have been carefully selected to align with our customers’ needs.
WLN – What will visitors be able to see on your stand at this year’s show? Which of your core products and solutions are you presenting? Are you launching anything new at IMHX?
This year we’re going to be focusing on innovation and how that theme feeds into every aspect of the company. Our stand will aim to demonstrate our capabilities and new products while interacting with visitors. We’ll also be displaying some new products that UK customers won’t have seen yet including our Roadster, T20 and T25SP trucks which we launched at our own trade event in Germany earlier this year.
WLN – Is this your first time exhibiting at IMHX? If you’ve been there before, what are you doing that’s different to last time?
Linde is not new to IMHX and there is always the challenge to improve what we have done in previous years. Whilst the industry focus shifts and the solutions we offer change our core message remains the same – Linde continues to understand and best meet customer’s needs now and in the future with the latest technological advancements.
WLN – The last IMHX was in 2013. How have your customers’ needs changed since then? What are the biggest pressures your clients face these days? How are you addressing these?
Customers continue to look for efficiency from their operations, whether that is fuel efficiency, improved pick rates or reduced servicing requirements. However, we are seeing the increase use of telematics and data analysis to drive efficiencies and this is in turn driven by our customers increasingly complex supply chain. We also see automation as a growing trend and we are very well positioned to help our customers with their future needs in this area.
WLN – How do your products and solutions address today’s increased emphasis on safety and environmental impact in warehousing and logistics? Will you be highlighting this aspect of your offering at the show?
Improving safety in the materials handling and logistics industry is a top priority for Linde. We’ve developed three different safety features for our customers: Bluespot, a visual driving path device, SpeedAssist which uses radars to reduce speed when indoors and Linde Safety Pilot, a driver assistance system which helps operator handle equipment safely.
The environmental impact of our trucks is also important to us. We’ve recently published an environmental impact report and, in the last year, launched two new products using alternative energy sources. These are our lithium-ion battery and hydrogen powered trucks which are already being used by our customers.
0845 608 5000
LINDE MH
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Linde Material Handling (UK) Ltd
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