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Kion and Siemens together in a parallel universe
Kion will be the first company in Europe to use Siemens' new simulation software " Digital Twin Composer " , thereby also seeking a degree of independence from the US market, where NVIDIA has so far been the dominant solution for merging the digital and real worlds in smart warehouses.
Columbus's "egg"
Now Linde MH also offers an expanded series with an integrated lithium-ion battery: The major advantage, according to the manufacturer, is the increased space in the driver's cab, which is up to 35 percent above the industry average, and the fact that the footwell has grown significantly with the elimination of the traditional battery compartment.
“Best of Intralogistics” in the test camp
As part of the Test Camp Intralogistics and the International Forklift of the Year (IFOY) competition, the preliminary certificates for 2026 were presented today in Dortmund by Jan Drömer, Chairman of the VDMA Materials Handling and Intralogistics Section, to the 17 nominees who will now go into the final round.
SVTL meets in a historic setting
The general assembly of the Swiss Association for Temperature-Controlled Logistics will take place on May 8th Lenzburg Castle and , in addition to the usual agenda items, personnel management, modern advertising for skilled workers on social media and the question of whether humanoid robots will one day be helpful .
MAGA in the approach path
German technology remains highly regarded when it comes to rapid material handling, the elimination of weaknesses, and service quality. Following successful projects in Oklahoma and Texas, the steel trader " Steel and Pipe Supply " (SPS) in Kansas City once again relied on Kasto saws and storage systems.
Rent warehouse equipment instead of buying it
Bito is launching an offensive with an economical alternative for companies that want to re-equip, expand, or temporarily supplement their warehouse and production areas, but don't want to tie up their capital long-term: renting instead of buying is the motto. The advantages – especially in " dynamic times " – are obvious.
«Kanpai» with sake on the pharmaceutical chain
Logistics provider Yusen is presenting an expanded global platform for the healthcare sector at LogiPharma in Vienna, where companies such as Novartis, Bayer, Takeda, and hospital supplier UCB are currently participating. The platform focuses on the professional delivery of specialized healthcare solutions.
Streamlined logistics
Coop's own rail connection for urban logistics in Zurich, streamlined logistics vehicles and the outsourcing of all operating room logistics in a cooperation between the Seeschau Clinic and the Swiss Post are the projects that are entering the final sprint for this year's Swiss Logistics Award from GS1.
Vacuum technology makes mobility possible
Compressed air has traditionally been used primarily for fixed installations. Schmalz's vacuum grippers also mainly operate with lines that often have to run across halls and facilities. However, mobile robotics increasingly requires flexible solutions – a need that Schmalz now intends to address more effectively.
A foray into drive technology
Safelog, the specialists for software for controlling intralogistics processes, have entered into a cooperation with the drive experts from SEW Eurodrive at LogiMAT in order to jointly develop a high-performance software for controlling mobile and stationary processes in intralogistics.
ELOshield reduces accident rate
ELOshield reduces accident rate
For some time now, Feldschlösschen, the largest beverage distributor in Switzerland, has been using a warning system from Elokon in areas where production and order picking employees are on foot and on forklifts in areas that are not spatially separated from each other.
In order to implement the vision of «ZERO Accidents» by 2030, which aims to reduce the annual accident rate to zero, Feldschlösschen, together with forklift manufacturer Jungheinrich, has opted for the radio-based environmental warning system.
The production facility at the headquarters in Rheinfelden has been expanded many times over the years, so that production now extends across several warehouses and the basement. Here, production and order picking employees move around both on foot and using forklifts in areas that are not physically separated. Particularly confusing areas, such as intersections and entrances to the transfer corridors, pose an increased risk of accidents due to the constant oncoming traffic.
“The goal was to bring our factory logistics up to the latest technological standards in terms of security, and with Elokon as a partner, which has years of experience and extensive know-how in the beverage industry, we were able to better protect our staff. In addition, the products are also manufacturer-independent, so we were able to use them for our entire forklift fleet,” explains Warehouse Manager Martin Waldmeier.
ELOshield is now in use for the preventive protection of people and vehicles in all hazardous areas of the beverage manufacturer. A total of 30 industrial trucks have been retrofitted with it.
The different functions of ELOshield were individually configured to suit the spatial conditions – for the passageways between the individual warehouses as well as for the bottling warehouse, «ELOshield» was chosen in a «Zone» variant to secure the individual danger zones.
If a forklift enters this area, the ELOshield vehicle module triggers a warning signal and automatically reduces the vehicle's speed. For pedestrians, wearable personal modules are available that emit both audible and vibration warning signals when a forklift approaches. Ultra-wideband (UWB) technology ensures barrier-free protection, enabling the timely detection and warning of both people and industrial trucks, even in blind spots and around obstacles.
“In designated areas, the ELOshieldSPEED function for automatically reducing vehicle speed in situations with limited visibility was particularly important,” explains Waldmeier, adding: “Some of our forklifts can move up to 3.5 tons of goods at once. This not only poses increased risks for our personnel – a collision can quickly lead to significant material and building damage.”
Elokon, a specialist in telematics and safety systems for forklift trucks, was founded in 1986, has branches in Germany, the USA and Poland and serves customers in over 40 countries worldwide.
