Linde reflects on its success in 2013

Both ranges extend our ability to provide our customers with high quality, innovative and efficient products that not only meet their requirements but also go that extra mile to help reduce cost of ownership and increase operator comfort and safety. The Linde R14 to R20 reach trucks provide customers with a whole host of advanced technical features which not only increase productive flow of goods in the warehouse but also make the trucks more comfortable and safer to use and easier to service.

The Linde R14 to R20 range offers lift heights up to 13 metres, ensuring that additional pallet storage locations can be planned to maximise the use of warehouse space. The technology behind this feature is a new lift mast concept with stronger profiles that reinforce the mast and enable a reduction in mast deflection while at the same time allowing an increase in residual load capacity of up to 20%. The assembly of mast profiles, chain guides and lift cylinders provides an optimised view through the mast. To enhance the upward view, the Linde reach trucks can be equipped with an optional, full width, toughened glass roof.

In addition to the new lift mast technology, the R14 to R20 range offers a series of functions to enhance the comfort and safety of the operators – a long standing commitment of Linde. The steering wheel, display, hydraulic control levers and armrest are mounted on an adjustable console to suit each individual operator. The state of the art air suspended seat which automatically adjusts to the operator’s weight as soon as the truck is switched on combined with the innovative chassis damping feature which is isolated from the lower chassis by resilient rubber mounts protects the operator from vibrations.

The Linde EVO Diesel Counterbalance range not only meets and surpasses the new legislation for stage IIIB EC emissions but offers customers a high quality, ergonomically advanced truck. It is the cleanest truck in the 2.5 to 3.5 tonne market producing exceptionally low emissions compared to competitor trucks in the same class, helping to further improve working environments. Extremely low fuel consumption helps keep costs down. In fact customer tests revealed that these new models are up to 28% more fuel efficient than the previous model stretching the efficiency gap even further compared to the competition.

We have been delighted with the feedback we have received from our customers in response to the launch of our new products. The Metafin Group Holdings in Walsall made a switch to using Linde engine counterbalance trucks in January after using their existing fleet for a number of years and, as a result, within the first few months a fuel saving of over £13,500 was achieved. Metafin is one of Europe’s leading trade coater, specialising in Cathodic Electropaint and Powder Coating processes.

Linde supplied Metafin with five H 20 and H 25 D model trucks with capacities of 2 and 2.5 tonnes to trial against the existing fleet. These trucks were used for general warehouse operations including the loading and unloading of pallets on road vehicles and feeding production lines.

These trucks feature the renowned Linde hydrostatic transmission, which requires no clutch, no mechanical differential and no torque converter making the machines simpler and more reliable and retaining 99% of power compared to torque converter where 30% of power is lost. The hydrostatic transmission offers high torque at low speed enabling the trucks to operate at a lower rpm and reduce fuel consumption. The hydraulic system operates independently from traction and automatically selects the optimum amount of engine power required to operate the hydraulics - thereby eliminating unnecessary engine revving and fuel consumption.



We initially predicted that Metafin would make a 25 per cent fuel saving using the Linde fleet but the trial revealed a 39.5 per cent saving. We always encourage our clients to trial our trucks so they can compare them against our their existing fleet as we are confident that our products will consistently out-perform our competitors.

At Linde, we always look for opportunities to help current and potential customers make savings through our trucks. It’s also important that businesses are given the best fleet of trucks for their operational needs; and so our try before you buy option has worked particularly well for our customers.

Our product development team is currently working on adding ground-breaking new features to our existing product lines to further improve their efficiency for our customers as well as new innovative products and services and we look forward to sharing this with you in 2014.