Steel, stainless steel and aluminium are now transported electrically

• The forklift fleet at Becker's loading facility becomes climate-neutral

Bönen. Forklifts are the mobile backbone of our business. Without these little powerhouses, our internal logistics would grind to a halt. In addition to loading and unloading lorries, the so-called floor conveyor vehicles transport almost everything from A to B. In addition to products, pallets, packaging or recycling material as well as many other operating resources also have to be transported. The vehicles are therefore in constant use.

At the same time, the vehicle fleet plays an important role in the calculation of our company's carbon footprint in internal logistics. Emissions that are harmful to the climate can be easily identified at this point and potential savings can be implemented. The conversion of the current forklift fleet in the loading area from fossil-based (diesel and gas) to electric operation is thus one of the important measures to achieve the committed climate targets of Becker and thus ultimately also our Klöckner parent group. By 2030, we want to reduce all of our own emissions by 50%. The new Becker eStackers will now save around 100 tonnes of CO2 per year.

But the switch also has economic benefits. "In fact, the switch to electric forklifts even lowers our monthly costs compared to our old combustion engines," Alexander Oberg, Head of Indirect Spend Germany, is pleased to report. This is because the fleet has been reduced by three forklifts thanks to process- and route-optimised loading and supply of operating materials.

The eStackers from our partner Linde are designed for three-shift operation. They are equipped with Li-Ion batteries that allow short-term charging. When not in use, the vehicle can simply be plugged directly into the charging stations that have been set up near the places where it is used. In addition, the warehouse is pleased with the significantly lower noise level during logistics operations and the elimination of engine vibrations for the employees driving the eStackers.