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Noblelift has acquired French automated intralogistics company Savoye. Chinese forklift manufacturer Noblelift has acquired French automated intralogistics company Savoye. Savoye president Rémy Jeannin says: "The tie-up with Noblelift reflects our focus on growth and will position Savoye as one of the top 20 intralogistics specialists worldwide. This move comes amid a wave of consolidation in the past few years, as world logistics players have pooled their strengths to stay competitive, offer the best technology and expand their global reach. At Savoye we agree with this strategy: to grow faster over the long term, we must broaden our scope." Jeannin is referring to moves like Toyota`s purchases of Vanderlande and Bastian Solutions, KION`s acquisition of Dematic, and Jungheinrich`s 2015 take-over of MIAS Group. Savoye, a division of Legris Industries, will be acquired by the Noblelift industrial investment fund, which was set up by Noblelift Intelligent Equipment Co. Ltd and two other investors. The move will broaden Savoye`s access to global intralogistics markets, notably giving it a presence in China which is on track to become the world`s largest market. Savoye will also continue its current deployment in the United States. The proposed sale has been approved by employee representatives at Savoye, and the company`s management team will stay on. There will be no change to its organisational chart or to jobs or core structures at subsidiaries and production sites, according to a company statement. The agreement will take effect once the buyer secures the necessary approvals from Chinese officials, and the deal is expected to be finalised in the second half of 2018. Savoye describes itself as a global designer and integrator of IT solutions, automated systems and other equipment for logistics hubs. It designs, manufactures, assembles and deploys automated equipment and IT, delivering customised solutions at every stage in the supply chain. Savoye has 609 employees and reported 2017 sales of EUR85 million (USD99 million). Noblelift Intelligent Equipment Co. Ltd is engaged primarily in research, development, manufacturing and sale of manual and electric-powered forklifts. The company focuses on three main products: small, light transport vehicles, electric warehouse/handling vehicles, and electric trucks used in handling, transport and warehousing. Noblelift has a workforce of 1,564 and reported sales of USD326 million in 2017. Financial terms for the deal have not been disclosed. https://www.forkliftaction.com/news/newsdisplay.aspx?nwid=20721

A number of new safety products have been launched recently. TVH will distribute WHC products TVH adds anti-crush systems British design and innovation company WHC recently teamed up with worldwide distributor TVH to provide its anti-crush systems to a global market. Bradford-based WHC Ltd has created a system designed to reduce the risk of accidents on the factory floor. WHC specialises in the design and manufacture of custom reel and roll handling trucks used in the paper, printing and packaging industries, which are fitted with the ACKPlate anti-crush system. Customers started asking for similar systems for their existing fleets of warehouse trucks, prompting the development of the ACKBelt and ACKPad. TVH, with 30,000 registered customers in 172 countries worldwide, is the first to sign up to distribute WHC Ltd`s anti-crush products. OE Attachments' Fork Wear Indicator OE Attachments launches Fork Wear Indicator OE Attachments, a supplier of high-quality attachments, safety solutions and innovative products to OEMs, has announced a new way to measure forklift fork wear: The Fork Wear Indicator. The Fork Wear Indicator is an easy-to-read guide stamped into the side of most OE Attachments` ITA forks. This simple visual indicator helps operators and safety managers identify forks that are unsafe or are approaching unsafe wear levels. Machines with pre-installed Fork Wear Indicator-stamped forks are expected to demand higher wholesale and retail prices given the value-added benefits they provide end users. According to OSHA guidelines and industry standards, forklift forks should be replaced after 10% of wear, since that milestone de-rates fork capacity by 20%. Using a fork caliper to determine the wear of a forklift fork is standard practice in the industry, but current technology has left room for error and negligence. OE Attachments` patented Fork Wear Indicator for forklift forks makes knowing how and when to check fork wear levels a quick, easy, and more reliable process. Snorkel adds Trigger Guards Snorkel introduces trigger guard Snorkel, a leading global manufacturer of aerial work platforms, has developed a trigger guard solution that will be fitted as standard to all new Snorkel lifts that have an enable switch-operated joystick. The new trigger guard is also available as a retrofit solution for legacy Snorkel electric and rough-terrain scissor lifts, as well as any Snorkel models with an enable switch operated joystick, including some electric boom lifts, towable booms and mast booms. The trigger guard fits directly onto the joystick and provides an additional level of protection over the enable switch to prevent involuntary movement, without affecting normal operation of the controls. Matthew Elvin, Snorkel CEO, says: "We take safety seriously, and the introduction of the trigger guard solution provides operators with an additional level of protection on machines which utilise an enable switch operated joystick from involuntary movement." Reference: https://www.forkliftaction.com/news/newsdisplay.aspx?nwid=20718

The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals` (CSCMP) latest Annual State of Logistics Report estimates that the sector constitutes 7.7% of Nominal GDP in the United States. The costs of shipping goods and services are rising, as seen by increased capacity rates, which is leading to higher supply chain costs for corporations, and the consolidation of smaller trucking and logistics companies that cannot keep pace. Challenges in this space have resulted in high-level technological innovations that have shaken the industry out of outdated stereotypes. Rising fuel costs also factor into the equation. The continued growth of e-commerce pushed parcel shipment volume up by 7% in 2017, to nearly USD100 billion, and forecasts expect that to rise at similar levels for the next few years. This has a strong effect on the supply chain in the areas of more visibility for both the corporation and the customer, the need for more warehousing, which in many cases will be smaller and closer to large population centres, and designing more responsive and flexible logistics networks. Reference: https://www.forkliftaction.com/news/newsdisplay.aspx?nwid=20846

Linde electric trucks in the load capacity range from six to eight tons are available with lithium-ion batteries. Linde has filled the gap in its lithium-ion line-up, now accommodating this power source in its 6 – 8 T models. The technology was introduced with pallet trucks four years ago, and since 2017, lithium-ion power has been available as an option for almost all electrically powered Linde series with a load capacity of up to 5 T. Now, Linde has added further models to fill the last gaps in its product range, including electric counterbalance trucks that can lift loads of up to 8 T. "Only very few manufacturers offer electric forklifts in this load category," says Björn Walter, product manager - counterbalance trucks at Linde Material Handling. "We are, therefore, proud to provide a complete solution consisting of a lithium-ion battery plus a charger for these heavy-duty vehicles, too. This is where the benefits of lithium-ion technology, such as longer availability and doing away with the need to change batteries, as well as positive effects like higher driving speeds and favourable temperature behaviour, are particularly evident." All models in this series can be equipped with a powerful 90 v lithium-ion battery with almost 120 kWh capacity. Chargers with 9 kW, 17 kW and 30 kW are available – depending on how quickly the (intermediate) charging of the battery has to take place during operation. A key advantage is the elimination of the need to change batteries. "A lead-acid battery of this size weighs about three tons and must be replaced with the help of a forklift, for example," says Walter. "This not only costs time and money, but also involves numerous risks, such as injury to employees or damage to the battery or vehicle." In addition, lithium-ion trucks generate lower levels of CO2 than forklifts with lead-acid batteries and diesel drives. The lithium-ion battery also performs better with regard to other emissions - no harmful battery gases requiring extraction are produced during the charging process. Reference: https://www.forkliftaction.com/news/newsdisplay.aspx?nwid=20816

Crown will implement a price increase Forklift prices look set to rise in the United States. Speculation is mounting after Crown Equipment Corporation announced it "will implement a price increase effective September 4, 2018". There`s no indication yet of the size of that increase, nor whether it will be uniform across the range. Major manufacturers contacted by Forkliftaction News would not comment on their plans to increase prices, but interestingly, none ruled out a price rise. Pending price increases are not unexpected, especially in the wake of last month`s introduction of new tariffs on a range of imports from China, including forklifts and forklift parts. These imposts augment recently imposed tariffs on steel and aluminium imports – raw materials heavily used in forklift manufacture. As reported earlier, the major importers of Chinese forklifts are being forced to increase prices, many not able to absorb the full 25% tariff. And while many importers had stocked up ahead of the tariff implementation, inventories are believed to be running thin, with new imports burdened with higher costs. Meanwhile, the increased cost of steel and aluminium is also reportedly starting to impact, with producers like motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson warning that tariffs will probably push up costs for all of its products. Insiders say major materials handling manufacturers are subject to the same pressures and will be increasingly impacted as their material stockpiles are reduced. In May, before the imposition of the tariffs, Brett Wood, president and CEO of Toyota Material Handling North America, told Forkliftaction News of his fears around the measures. Even though TMHU buys steel – and lots of it – in the US, Wood predicted that prices will go up. "So now you`re penalising someone who already is loyal to the US - and that price increase will get passed on to the consumer." While most manufacturers are remaining tight-lipped about their pricing strategies, many will be forced to act when Crown shows its hand next month. Reference: https://www.forkliftaction.com/news/newsdisplay.aspx?nwid=20818

Hand pallet trucks may be at risk Safety company Pyroban has warned that hand pallet trucks operating in potentially explosive atmospheres have the potential to cause ignition. Many types of diesel- or electric-powered materials handling equipment, such as forklifts, frequently undergo specialist explosion-protection conversion by Pyroban for use in ATEX-classified Zone 1, 2, 21 or 22 areas. As flammable gases, vapours, dusts or powders may be present in these areas, these conversions are completed in line with legislation such as EN1755:2015 to maximise safety. However, this particular standard applies only to powered industrial trucks and does not cover safety requirements around hand pallet trucks used in explosive atmospheres. "Hand pallet trucks are commonplace in warehouse, production and logistics environments where flammable materials are frequently handled, from pharmaceutical and chemical applications to food and drink operations," says Rob Vesty, sales manager for Pyroban. "However, we see far fewer requests to convert this type of equipment than we would expect. "Companies do not seem to be aware that although EN1755 does not apply, hand pallet trucks pose an ignition risk and must comply with ATEX 2014/34/EU, as well as two other important and relevant standards." "It only takes one source of friction from a hand pallet truck to cause ignition and lead to potentially devastating consequences," he explains. "To safeguard their people, site and supply chain, companies must consider the potential risks of every type of equipment in their operation." Reference: https://www.forkliftaction.com/news/newsdisplay.aspx?nwid=20817&nwtype=411&counter=yes&usid=132588&neid=884

CeMAT Russia (19-21 September) is an international exhibition for materials handling, warehousing equipment and logistics. Find out what's in store for 2018. Sections: Pick & Pack Move & Lift Store & Load Logistics IT Manage & Service The exhibition presents: warehouse management systems, warehouse and lifting handling equipment (forklifts, stackers, lift trucks), storage rack systems, components for warehouse equipment, supply chain management, warehouse automation systems (conveyors, robotic systems), RFID system both. Why exhibit at CeMAT Russia? Find customers from various regions of Russia: visitors from 65 regions of Russia Experts' interest in CeMAT Russia grows: 4,368 visitors in 2015, 4,759 in 2016, 5,050 in 2017 98% of exhibitors were satisfied with the quality of visitors 87% of exhibitors have found new customers and partners See who is exhibiting in 2018 Find out more about exhibiting at CeMAT Russia http://www.cemat-russia.ru/en-GB/exhibitors/book.aspx

Investment should remain strong in 2018 After solid growth in 2017, investment in equipment and software should remain strong in 2018 and is projected to expand by 7%, according to the Q3 update to the 2018 Equipment Leasing & Finance U.S. Economic Outlook released by the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation. Business investment continues to expand at a robust pace, contributing to a likely strong year for the US economy. Overall, the economy is expected to grow 2.8% in 2018 (up from 2.7% in the previous outlook, and significantly better than last year`s 2.3% growth rate). The quarterly report by the Foundation, which is focused on the $1 trillion equipment leasing and finance sector, highlights key trends in equipment investment and places them in the context of the broader U.S. economic climate. Jeffry D. Elliott, Foundation chairman and senior managing director of Huntington Equipment Finance, says: "Momentum continues to be positive for the equipment finance industry with a forecast including a stable growing capital expenditure environment." According to the report, capital spending has been solid thus far in 2018, and strengthening economic momentum coupled with elevated business confidence levels should lead to continued investment during the third and fourth quarters. Investment in equipment and software is expected to grow by 7%, and financial stress remains low. Credit supply conditions are mixed as banks are easing standards for C&I and commercial real estate loans while tightening standards for household lending. While the report predicts 3% annual economic growth in 2018, continued upheaval in US trade policy is a concern. The Foundation-Keybridge US Equipment & Software Investment Momentum Monitor, which is included in the report, tracks 12 equipment and software investment verticals, finding that investment in most equipment verticals should remain solid in 2018. It anticipates that over the next three to six months, materials handling equipment investment should continue to grow at a moderate pace, while other industrial equipment investment growth has likely peaked and may decelerate. The Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation produces the Equipment Leasing & Finance US Economic Outlook report in partnership with economic and public policy consulting firm Keybridge Research https://www.forkliftaction.com/news/newsdisplay.aspx?nwid=20744

The United States last week introduced new tariffs on a range of imports from China, including forklifts and forklift parts. Importers were warned of the measures earlier this year but had hoped that the Trump administration would back down. Despite lobbying, the full 25% tariff is now in place. Forklift importers like Noblelift are now running two price lists – one including the tariff and one without, covering the stock already landed. "We will be raising our prices," says managing director Loren Swakow, who adds that existing stock will be sold at old prices. LiuGong has implemented a tariff surcharge, but North America forklift division president Ken Biediger says the company is "absorbing the majority of the tariff". Although there was some warning, it seems most importers were not able to stockpile inventory to avoid the impost. "The notice of tariff implementation was too short to effectively stockpile inventory. Most of our orders in process were already sold," says Biediger. "Fortunately, we had a decent inventory level already in place." While Swakow had flagged a push to land inventory in the US before the tariffs took hold, he says Noblelift North America was "not able to increase our stock as the other manufacturers did". Of course, the tariff is no surprise to dealers. As Swakow explains, "This has been in the news for a while now (and) we were also sending out warnings and updates to the dealer network so they were not surprised when it went into effect." "The response of our dealers has been very positive as they are thankful that LiuGong is bearing the majority of the tariff burden," says Biediger. While not commenting on the specifics of Hangcha`s strategy, Frank Russo, sales director of HC Forklift, notes that "tariffs, like increasing competition or any other disruptive factor, cause companies to rethink their marketing strategy which in itself is dynamic". "Hangcha Ltd has seen such disruptions over the years and - have grown and prospered (in spite of them). Our plans and goals are not changing: we will press on with more focus and determination." LiuGong`s Biediger is hopeful that the tariff will be a short-term measure. "The ITA (Industrial Truck Association) is actively lobbying the US Government to eliminate the tariffs on forklifts and promote free trade," he notes. "LiuGong is committed to supporting our American dealers in this difficult time and we will continue our efforts in this market despite the tariff." Brian Feehan, president of the Industrial Truck Association, tells Forkliftaction News that the ITA has been "a long advocate for free and fair trade". He cites a recent ITA submission to Washington which reinforced ITA`s commitment to global trade negotiations through two principles: "The first is the elimination of all tariffs immediately, and the second is harmonisation of non-tariff issues through a transparent process." The submission opposes tariffs and calls instead for "direct bilateral trade negotiations with China that would improve previous agreements by addressing fundamental issues relevant to China, including their industrial policy, state-favoured industries, transparency and IP protection". https://www.forkliftaction.com/news/newsdisplay.aspx?nwid=20748

In the era of ever-increasing globalization, nearly all supply chain logistics professionals are impacted by international trade. And with tremendous geopolitical uncertainty and unpredictability in an already complex regulatory environment, strategy and planning can make the difference between profitable operations and costly errors and delays. This session will give delegates a deeper understanding of CETA, TPP, Canada`s international trade agenda - including with the United States - and how to prepare to do better business internationally. It will provide a future-looking analysis of Canada`s major new trade agreements, including insider perspectives on forecasted trade increases. The session will also discuss how Vancouver is well situated to become North and South America`s west coast maritime business hub - as currently one does not exist. Delegates will learn about Canada`s opportunities to attract the international business activity of global maritime and trade activities that are part of both international trade and the global supply chain, and what those opportunities could mean for their businesses. The session will conclude with a Q&A with the presenters. Given the constantly evolving nature of regulation, this presentation may be finalized closer to Canada Logistics Conference 2018 to ensure delegates get the most up-to-date information and analysis. The session will conclude with an open Q&A with the speakers. Link: http://www.citt.ca/conference/2018/register.html

Bot-assisted Cluster Picking Bots with multiple totes or slots allow picking of multiple orders in parallel. Bots move the orders around the picking area, stopping at every location required to fill the order. Human workers do the picking into the appropriate tote or slot. Once those picking tasks are complete, the bot travels to the next location required for the order and the worker travels to the next closest bot. When all of the orders in a cluster are complete, the bot travels to a packing area. Benefits: Bots increase the productivity of the worker by reducing walking from/to pick up and deposit stations and across zones with no picks. By increasing the productivity of the worker, the distribution center needs less labor, which reduces the costs associated with hiring, training, and retaining workers. Challenges: Bots operate at a lower speed than humans, and load capacity constraints might limit the number of orders in a bot cluster. Because of these factors, the number of bots in the bot-assisted solution is always higher than the number of human workers in a traditional manual cluster picking operation. Furthermore, bots must wait for pickers to execute the picks, and pickers must roam around their designated areas looking for bots (see second illustration below). The only way to minimize this dual waiting effect is to add more bots, which creates two problems: higher costs, which tend to break the business case; and congestion, which reduces the productivity. In conclusion, we find that as compared to a high-density picking operation, the benefits of bots in cluster picking are low compared to their cost. Read more: https://www.mmh.com/article/nextgen_supply_chain_bots_will_transform_your_distribution_operations

Dear Valued Clients, We would like to invite you to visit our booth in Canton Fair. Our booth number is 12.0 C47. We will present our hand pallet truck, manual hydraulic stacker, electric pallet truck, other material handling equipment and wire bending machine. Pleae contact us to make an appointment. We will have speical gifts and show promotion available for our clients. Best Regrads, Team Akodi

The market for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) continues to thrive, with multinational manufacturers across the supply chain integrating these flexible and collaborative robots into their general warehouse automation strategies. As I discussed in my post last month, automated mobile robots are a simple, efficient and cost-effective way to automate material handling and in-house transportation tasks in nearly any situation where employees would previously have been required to push carts around the facility. Are autonomous mobile robots safe? How are companies integrating AMRs in general automation? How do they navigate through warehouses? What's the typical return on investment? Read more: https://www.ebnonline.com/author.asp?section_id=4079&doc_id=283351&

Here are some highlight of what it will show in MODEX: Material handling equipment and systems, which includes a broad range of products, from the highly complex (like automated guided vehicles and automated storage and retrieval systems) to the elegantly simple (like casters, racks, and shelves). Packaging, containers, and shipping equipment, which encompasses not just pallets, containers, and shrink wrap but also packaging machinery, equipment designed for the inspection of products by weight or scanning, and palletizers. Inventory management and controlling technologies, which includes computers, controllers, and software programs as well as systems integrators. Dock and warehouse equipment and supplies, such as dock levelers, pads, and doors; flooring; hoists; cranes; monorails; and below/hook lifting devices. Consultants and distribution system planners, including simulators, modelers, and third-party logistics service providers. Automatic identification equipment and systems, such as bar-code printers and scanners, radio-frequency identification (RFID) systems, vision systems, and voice recognition systems. Supply chain management, which serves as a catch-all category for such products and services as alternative fuel systems, parcel management and distribution, reverse logistics, and inventory security services. Smart city logistics and connected supply chain, connected technologies, including "smart city" technologies that can help urban areas address the increasing challenges of congestion, noise, and pollution associated with more frequent last-mile deliveries to their growing populations. Transportation and logistics, such as road, rail, sea, and air freight services; parcel delivery; and autonomous vehicles. Reference site: http://www.dcvelocity.com/articles/20180308-modex-2018-innovation-central/ Our new style hand pallet truck: http://www.akodiforklift.com/hand-pallet-truck/53567538.html

Dear Valued Clients, It's my pleausre to introduce our new wire bending machine. This wire foaming machine is easy to move to difference places by a smaller truck. It's easuer to set up and easy to operate. People can learn how to use our rebar bender within 10 minutes. It also increases work efficiency. It can make any required shapes. Please feel free to contact us for further information. Wire bending machine: BM68 - Size: 1900*580*1100mm, weight: 240kg - Motor: 220v/3.0Kw - Control: induction - Bending iron diameter: 6-8mm - Largest product size: (800x800)mm Smallest size:(100X100)mm Team Akodi Forklift

Dear Valued Customer, We would like to introduce our new design foldable hand hydraulic stacker. The capacity of manual pallet stacker is 200 kg and the lift height is 900 mm. It's cost effective and ideal for smaller grocery stores, bakery, etc. Every business will need it. Please see below pictures. Please feel free to contact us for more information. We have good promotion for our new products. Thank you Regards, Akodi Sales Team Foldable Hand Stacker Parameters/ Model CTY209 Capacity kg 200 Max. lift height mm 60 Min. height mm 900 Fork size (L*W*D) mm 500*80*40 Fork outer width mm 500 Front leg length mm 445 Front wheels mm φ50x24 Turning (rear) wheels mm φ100x32 Stacker size (L*W*H) mm 900*500*1200 Package size (L*W*H) mm 1350*500*485 Folded size (L*W*H) mm 1350*500*250 Weight kg 26

Hi Valued Clients, We would like to share with you some photos from Cargo Logistics Canada. It's in beautiful Vancouver city. There are some well known retailers showing electric forklifts, electric pallet trucks, electric stackers, and many other equipments. In addition, rail terminals, ports, and other material handling equipment suppliers are in the show as well. The show has better traffic and more compnaies involved. Best Regards, Team Akodi Forklift

Hi Valued Clients, Happy Chinese New Year. We would like to wish you and your family a healthy, happy, and wealthy year of the dog. We wish to build stronger relationship with you. This year, we will design new model of electric pallet truck, new pallet jack, and etc. We will announce our new products soon. Stay tuned! Best wishes, Team Akodi Forklift

Akodi Forklift is pleased to send another shipment to our long-term Canada client. They are happy with with our 2.5 ton new style hand pallet jack and they order dock plate from us as well. Our long and narrow pallet truck sell well in their market too. Many loyal clients support us all year around. We appreciate our clients' business. Please feel free to contact us for any inquiry.

Hello Clients, We would like to introduce our new custom made hand pallet truck. This is used to tow different equipments with adjustable fork feature 380 - 550mm. The capacity is 2 ton. The maximum lift height is 120mm. In addition, our oil pump is water-proof. We can give 18 month warranty. Please feel free to contact us for any special needs of electric pallet truck, manual hydraulic stacker or hand pallet truck.