Beverage industry
Efficiently Combating ThirstIntralogistics challenges are increasing rapidly in the beverage industry. Companies, suppliers and logistics service providers in the beverage industry are facing the task of supplying a wide range of customers with a growing number of products in increasingly fragmented processes. They have to work at top speed to distribute drinks crates, barrels and individual bottles onto full and mixed pallets and make them available for rapid delivery by truck. High handling volumes, short delivery periods, increasing price pressure, seasonal fluctuation and challenging safety regulations mean that there is no margin for error in the beverage industry.
Beverage producers with large product volumes in particular are confronted with the problem of decreasing margins, which further intensifies the need for efficient processes. Added to this is the fact that the more efficient the storage and transport processes in the beverage industry, the more the companies can benefit from the shelf life of their products. In other words, from the valuable phase between production and consumption in which the drinks reach the end consumer with the desired quality and freshness.
Challenges for the Beverage Industry
Solutions from the Sector
Optimize Throughput
The filling plant never stands still. As a result, industrial trucks are generally in use round the clock in the beverage industry. On average, a forklift truck completes around 3000 operating hours per year. In big companies, even 4000 or 5000 operating hours is not uncommon. The motto of the beverage industry is to provide as many pallets as possible as quickly as possible for goods dispatch and prompt loading and unloading of the truck.
In order to do this, the vast majority of the sector relies on traditional four to five-ton counterbalanced forklift trucks with various attachments. Using 8-ton or even 15-ton trucks with multiple clamps for four to six pallets is less common, but even more efficient. Linde is one of the few truck providers on the market able to offer precisely these technical features to manufacturers in the beverage industry.
Hydrostatic Drive for the Beverage Industry
The performance of the trucks is also decisive for the efficiency of goods handling. This is where the tried-and-tested hydrostatic drive of the Linde trucks comes into play, transferring the power of the engine to the drive wheels and lifting hydraulic system without any losses. The Linde Hydrostat stands out due to its low energy consumption and, thanks to its longevity, it reduces the servicing required to a minimum. At the same time, the high residual load capacity of the Linde trucks ensures smaller trucks can be used with the same load weight.
Furthermore, on request Linde will adjust all trucks to the specific challenges of the beverage industry. For example, it is possible to equip forklift trucks with special, raised driver’s cabs to allow optimum visibility for the driver in spite of the towering load. The following Linde solutions help you to achieve optimum handling performance in the beverage industry.
Hydrostatic drive
Thanks to the hydrostatic drive from Linde, forklift trucks are efficient, long-lasting and they save energy.
Find out moreWhen things get tough
Linde offers a range of heavy trucks that can be used to handle even heavy loads safely and efficiently.
Find out moreCustom-fit Equipment
Numerous features can be used to tailor forklift trucks from Linde to the special requirements of the beverage industry.
Ensure Safety
The safety requirements for modern industrial trucks and their operators are continually increasing. This is particularly true for the beverage industry, where processes are characterized by a high throughput of heavy yet delicate goods. In addition to this, drivers in traditional block warehouses frequently have to battle with a restricted view. Keeping throughput at a consistently high level under these conditions increases the risk of accidents.
Accidents with industrial trucks in the beverage industry in particular often have devastating consequences. And this can be in a number of ways: Firstly, one individual truck load may be worth many thousands of euros. If the products are damaged, there will therefore be high financial losses. On the other hand, there is the immense risk of serious personal injury, which is unfortunately not uncommon in the case of collisions with large, heavily loaded beverage trucks.
Risk of Explosion in the Beverage Industry
Distilleries also face an additional risk. The processing of their products can cause explosive mixtures of gas, which form when distilling or during storage in wooden barrels. When transporting barrels, there is the additional risk of the driver having a restricted view.
For all of these reasons, permanent safety in the warehouse and during all transport work is an absolute essential for companies in the beverage industry. Linde helps to minimize these risks with innovative truck technology, state-of-the-art safety solutions and explosion-proof trucks.
Optimum Light
With Linde VertiLight and Linde LED Stripes, Linde offers two lighting concepts for increasing safety and efficiency when working with industrial trucks.
Find out moreLinde Safety Guard
The Linde Safety Guard assistance system surrounds people and trucks with a protection zone, thereby increasing safety in their immediate vicinity.
Find out moreLinde Safety Scan
The structured consulting service Linde Safety Scan helps you to permanently reduce safety risks in relation to internal traffic.
Find out moreAdded Safety
Assistance systems such as the Linde Safety Pilot ensure greater safety in everyday warehouse operations.
Find out moreExplosion-proof Devices
Trucks with explosion-proof components offer additional safety in flammable environments.
Find out moreProtect the Environment
The worldwide climate crisis is putting consumer goods manufacturers in particular under enormous pressure to change. Brand-conscious end consumers place increasing importance on the sustainable manufacture of products and approve of the reduction of greenhouse gases along the value-added chain. This constantly growing need for sustainability plays a central role for the beverage industry in particular, because hardly any other consumer goods have a similarly significant lifestyle factor. The brand value of their products is the biggest asset that beverage manufacturers have. It is therefore crucial that they operate in an environmentally friendly manner.
In order to meet this challenge, many major brands in the beverage industry have now established corresponding compliance guidelines. These stipulate that even suppliers and partners have to declare themselves to be climate neutral and be able to provide relevant certifications. Internal logistics at the suppliers can make a significant contribution to noticeably improving the climate footprint.
Holistic Energy for the Beverage Industry
As a pioneer in the areas of electrification, lithium ion power units and fuel cell technology, Linde offers a wide range of solutions for a better climate footprint. With comprehensive energy consulting services, customers from the beverage industry also have the opportunity to view climate and environmental protection holistically and integrate appropriate measures into the company’s overall strategy efficiently.
Linde’s commitment to Sustainability is shown, among other things, by the gold award from the renowned CSR ratings agency EcoVadis, which the company has already been awarded a number of times. In addition, Linde promotes climate protection according to the criteria of the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) and discloses its emissions data as part of the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). The following Linde solutions will help you to achieve your specific sustainability targets.
Electrically Powered
Whether the objective is to protect the climate or cut costs: electric forklift trucks are the future of intralogistics. Linde offers electric forklift trucks for any requirements.
Find out moreLi-ION Technology
Lithium-ion batteries have become the new standard for electric industrial trucks. They offer a host of benefits compared to traditional lead acid cells.
Find out moreFuel Cells
With innovative hydrogen fuel cells, Linde offers forward-looking power unit technology for greater efficiency and climate protection.
Find out moreHolistic Energy Consulting Services
Linde experts analyze the entire energy requirements of a site and provide specific proposals to increase efficiency.
Find out moreUse Innovations
The beverage industry is well-known for being fast-paced. Manufacturers must react flexibly to current market trends as quickly as possible and include new products and product varieties in their range. This is more difficult due to the high complexity in the distribution centers.
Depending on the size of the company, several hundred different drinks brands have to be palletized and prepared for transport. The increasing number of mixed pallets, which have to include the ordered drinks in the correct quantity and sequence, are a particular challenge.
Efficiency, accuracy and absolute reliability are crucial issues in the beverage industry. State-of-the-art trucks, automation, digitalization and reliable delivery processes can be important building blocks for optimizing all levels of intralogistics. Linde therefore offers a wealth of technologies and consultancy services for the complex intralogistics requirements of the beverage industry.
Autonomous Trucks
With the electric forklifts, pallet trucks, and tow tractors from the MATIC series, Linde offers a wide range of automated trucks.
Find out moreNetworked Fleet
The Linde connect software provides fleet operators with all the information for efficient and safe fleet management.
Find out moreIntelligent Automation
Linde offers scalable standard operations to automate individual process steps or entire material flows.
Find out moreMaximize Availability
The beverage industry works in 24/7 operation throughout the year, with seasonal peaks in demand during the summer months and for major events such as the football world cup further increasing the delivery pressure. This immense product throughput results in tremendous requirements for the availability of the entire truck fleet. If just one single truck drops out temporarily, this will result in direct financial losses. In order to guarantee permanent availability under all circumstances, three criteria are crucial: firstly reliable trucks, secondly outstanding service and thirdly the option to cover temporary peaks in demand with additional trucks at short notice.
Robustness and low maintenance requirements have always been a trademark feature of Linde trucks. Thanks to their tough design and the long service life of all components, the devices do not have to be serviced often. At the same time, easily accessible service modules ensure that any maintenance processes that may be required are completed quickly.
Service for the Beverage Industry
In order to maximize the availability of the truck fleet, Linde offers all of its customers outstanding service. The worldwide service network with around 8500 service technicians means that we are always close to the customer and available. Linde provides round-the-clock support, seven days a week. This means that forklift trucks and warehouse handling equipment remain productive and safe, and your operations are consistently cost-effective and sustainable.
Linde also offers various solutions for covering seasonal peaks in demand in the beverage industry quickly and easily. For example, Linde customers can make use of Europe's largest hire fleet of forklift trucks and warehouse equipment in order to temporarily expand their current fleet. Moreover, special rental programs are available as a flexible solution based on a core fleet. In this case the user has a fixed number of trucks in permanent use. If demand increases temporarily, he can access additional trucks. The following Linde solutions ensure the maximum availability of your trucks.
Outstanding Service
Thanks to a worldwide service network, a service technician from Linde will be available anytime, anywhere.
Find out moreJust Rent
The rental service from Linde means that you can add forklift trucks and warehouse equipment to your own truck fleet quickly and easily.
Find out more