All in touch with KION

Imagine a life without grocery, clothing, and electronic stores or online shops. To say that life would be challenging is an understatement. But fortunately, we don't have to deal with such a bleak vision, because there are grocery, clothing, and electronic stores – and the shelves there are always full and there are constantly new products. Almost everything is almost always available. That's partly because almost everything has been in contact with KION at least once – namely in warehouses.

Global supply lines depend on reliable and innovative equipment and operations. That's where KION's Dematic, Linde Material Handling, STILL, Fenwick, and OM brands come in – because everything on the store shelf has previously been stored or transported by a forklift (or both). Let's take a closer look.

The clothes we wear every day reflect our style and identity. But have you ever stopped to think about the complex logistics processes that go into getting those clothes from the manufacturer to your closet? Intralogistics companies like the KION brand STILL play a crucial role in this journey, ensuring that our clothes are stored, transported, and delivered in the most efficient way possible. From the moment a piece of clothing is manufactured, it enters a complex network of logistics processes that involves everything – from warehousing and inventory management to transportation and distribution.

Anyone who would like to witness an instance of this process should visit New Wave GmbH in Geiselwind (Germany), a company that primarily distributes sportswear products from the Swedish brand CRAFT. In the logistics centre, countless brown cartons are stacked in sheer endless rows of shelves reaching up to the hall ceiling at a height of 8.30 meters. Speed and efficiency are critical here to the optimum flow of goods. That's why the company turned to STILL to help them improve their shipping operations. One of the primary solutions implemented by STILL was a high rack warehouse. It allows for the maximum use of height space through the efficient storage and retrieval of goods. Among these solutions were 33,000 picking positions and 8,500 pallet storage positions. The centre in Geiselwind can process and ship orders within 24 hours or less – thus making sure the latest fashion shirts are always on the shelves in a store near you.

You don’t just need forks; you also need forklifts. Because without these powerful machines, your everyday food and meal options wouldn’t even exist. Electric forklifts and narrow aisle trucks are used to transport food and beverages throughout the warehouse. These vehicles not only need to be able to handle heavy loads and navigate tight spaces, but they also need to be able to operate in harsh conditions, such as at extremely low temperatures in cold store.

That’s why Dutch fish retailer Schmidt Zeevis chose STILL for their electric forklift and narrow aisle truck needs. These vehicles can operate and optimize processes at up to minus 30 degrees Celsius – perfect for Schmidt’s humongous six-aisle and 800 pallet-bay deep-freeze warehouse. The forklifts allow for faster movement of goods, improving the overall speed and efficiency of warehouse operations. “STILL’s motto is Call us and we will come. This gives us the security we need, when we need it, particularly as the truck is absolutely essential to our day-to-day operations,” said Kees Groenenboom, logistics manager at Schmidt Zeevis, describing the cooperation.

So next time you enjoy a grilled salmon dinner, just know – intralogistics helped get the fish on your plate.

The tradition of heating homes with firewood is something that many people hold dear. The warmth and ambiance that a fire provides have a special place in a lot of people's hearts – especially during the holiday season. With the help of intralogistics companies like KION subsidiary Linde MH, enabling quick access to firewood is an effortless task.

Firewood specialists Beckenz GmbH must constantly transport vast bundles of oak, beech, and ash at its logistics centre – it only makes sense that they need a strong forklift. Their Linde H35 and Linde H50 trucks can stack firewood pallets of up to 1.20 meters, enabling the company to deliver 60 pallets of firewood daily. "The trucks never let us down," insured Steven Tammen, on-site production manager at Beckenz.

So next time you're snugged up in your blanket absorbing heat from a warm, cosy fireplace, just know that – intralogistics makes it possible.

"Almost everything we touch involved intralogistics at some point or another. From our phones to laptops and televisions, we rely on these items to function in the modern world," said Danielle Fernandes, Senior Director Vertical Strategy and Commercial Enablement at Dematic. The KION brand’s supply chain solution also play an essential role in ensuring the worldwide availability of items.

A good example is Leader Computers, one of Australia's largest IT distributors and PC manufacturers. Dematic was able to help Leader Computers by integrating AutoStore™ technology into its warehouse located in Sydney – a facility stocked with products stemming from over 70 brands, like Microsoft and LG. The automated solution consisted of nine robots, three goods-to-person ports, and more than 6,600 bins. The system accelerated picking processes tremendously. So much, so that the company can now pick large orders of different hard drives in just 30 minutes instead of 5 or 6 hours.

Without brands like Dematic, Linde Material Handling and STILL, "the value chain cycle and the movement of goods would slow down considerably," says Danielle Fernandes, summarizing the importance of intralogistics. Consumers' wishes to have their orders delivered the next day or even better, the same day, would not be possible (anymore). Only with highly efficient, automated warehouse systems and modern industrial trucks can companies meet the fast demands of a constantly growing market.