Products and Solutions

With uniform standards and global coordination of technical activities to shorten the development processes for more product variants, the KION Group’s development approach is designed for efficiency. Development projects, initiated by product management in the Operating Units according to customer need, are coordinated and pooled by the Group-wide R&D¹ organization.

The innovative Product Evolution Process 2 (iPEP 2) is the KION Group's framework for product development in the ITS segment. The basic idea is to tailor the process to a specific project. Every project has specific parameters and requirements, such as the need for sustainability, which must be taken into account in project management. The implementation of these requirements is controlled by life cycle management software that organizes the requirements and documents the achievement of targets.

In recent years, the iPEP framework has undergone deliberate and structured further development. Initially, the focus was on establishing a comprehensive product strategy. Building on this foundation, the initiative then focused on refining and strengthening the product development process in order to promote product sustainability to an even greater degree. The current focus is the further definition of specific sustainability criteria that are to be taken into account in this process. The overarching aim is to develop a structured approach that integrates sustainability aspects right from the early product design phase.

In keeping with the overall strategy of the KION Group, prioritizing the energy efficiency and sustainability of its products is also a key aspect for Linde MH. This includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions during the product use phase and increasing the use of recyclable and recycled materials. Linde MH strives to develop environmentally friendly and energy-efficient products and solutions that conserve resources and are cost-effective for customers. To this end, the company opts for eco-friendly materials and ensures that its products are easy to reuse, repair, and refurbish. Moreover, big data analyses make it possible to create product specifications and configurations that forgo unnecessary safety buffers while utilizing the life cycle to the optimal extent.

Linde MH applies agile methods to conduct these analyses. This means that work results are available sooner and goals can be achieved earlier. A high degree of modularity helps to optimize the use of materials and has a positive impact on logistics, production, and service. Intelligent platform concepts are an important element of this approach. For example, the new generation of Linde MH counterbalanced forklift trucks requires fewer parts than its predecessor. This reduces logistics costs, increases efficiency, and, in the medium term, reduces the need for spare parts in service vehicles in operation throughout Europe.

It is also important that the trucks offer maximum driving performance with minimum fuel consumption. All electric forklift trucks developed in the future will therefore be both lithium-ion and fuel cell capable. What’s more, with the development of the X models, an electric forklift truck is now available that can replace an internal combustion truck in almost any operation. The KION Group has set itself the goal of making 92% of its portfolio electrically powered by 2027, including battery and fuel cell-powered products. Linde MH contributed to this aim during the reporting year by equipping 90.7% of products sold with an electric drive.

Recognized for excellent performance in intralogistics

In March 2024, Linde MH was awarded first place in the “Industrial Trucks and Accessories” category of the “materialfluss PRODUCT OF THE YEAR 2024” competition. The Linde X35 to X50 electric forklift truck series impressed the specialist panel of judges and received the most votes. This award underlines the significant advances in electric forklift truck technology, which combines high performance with lower emissions. The battery-powered counterbalanced forklift trucks offer the performance, robustness, and comfort required for demanding outdoor applications and at the same time contribute to sustainable intralogistics.

Linde MH also achieved another success with its AI-based solution “Linde Energy Manager”, which took second place in the “Logistics and Transportation” category. The aim of the award is to recognize innovations in the logistics and intralogistics sector. The intelligent system optimizes the energy consumption of Linde MH forklift trucks and enables customers to increase their efficiency and reduce their operating costs.

New drive technologies aren’t the only way to reduce energy consumption—making better use of energy can also open up significant scope for savings. One of the areas that Linde MH is working on to further improve product efficiency is therefore the development of solutions for the networked control of chargers. The aim of these solutions is to avoid expensive load peaks and to efficiently control the load consumption of the individual chargers. In addition, data-based analysis software enables customers to make all energy consumption in the company transparent, identify potential savings, and purchase energy more cost-effectively based on consumption forecasts. For example, the charging times for the forklift fleet can be adapted to the availability of electricity from the plant’s own photovoltaic systems.

With data-supported consulting tools, Linde MH helps customers to find the ideal drive and energy system for their fleet so they can achieve their sustainability targets. Sales colleagues use the Linde Energy Manager, for instance, to record all criteria relevant to the selection of an energy system in collaboration with the customer. Based on this information, the software provides a percentage assessment of which energy solution—diesel, gas or biofuel, lead-acid battery, or lithium-ion drive—is best suited to the customer’s operating conditions and aims in terms of cost and sustainability. Expertise and test data from various departments have been used in the development of the software and associated database.

Linde MH also offers environmentally friendly alternatives for industrial trucks with combustion engines. As early as 2022, the KION Group received approval to use hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) as a fuel in Linde MH internal combustion forklift trucks. Depending on the manufacturer, a large proportion of HVO diesel is produced from renewable raw materials. Customers who use diesel forklift trucks can now fill up with this more environmentally friendly alternative diesel fuel, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90% compared to conventional diesel.

Energy-efficient lithium-ion batteries are available for the majority of Linde MH’s fleet. They offer decisive advantages over conventional lead-acid batteries, including faster charging times and higher charging efficiency as well as a service life that is three to four times longer and a much higher energy content. In addition, the energy efficiency of lithium-ion batteries is over 90%, which enables users to achieve energy savings of around 30% as well as significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to a conventional battery-charger combination.

hydrogen

At the customer’s request, Linde MH offers the factory integration of fuel cells into its industrial trucks as well as the “fuel cell ready” option. The aim is to give customers an environmentally friendly energy alternative by offering forklift trucks with fuel cell technology. If hydrogen obtained from renewable energies is also used, the fleet then operates virtually emission-free and so makes an important contribution to greenhouse gas emission savings. Indeed, Linde MH already has one of the largest fuel cell fleets in use at the production site of a well-known German automotive group.

Refurbishment and Recycling

Linde MH also develops concepts that protect the environment in the phase following the long-term use of its products. As well as producing its own lithium-ion batteries, the company also pays special attention to refurbishment and recycling. After all, what happens to the batteries once the guaranteed charging cycles have been reached is a crucial issue for the future.

This is where Linde MH’s return guarantee comes in: The nearest network partner in the country concerned takes back the batteries, thus ensuring that Linde MH fulfills its legal obligation to do so. Linde MH lithium-ion batteries go through a life cycle process with the aim of taking full advantage of the extraordinary lifespan of this technology:

Step 1: Refurbishment
Thanks to lithium-ion batteries’ long lifespans, batteries in a certain state of health (SoH) can be cleaned, refurbished, and reused in a new or used truck. Depending on battery usage, this cycle can usually be repeated several times.

Step 2: Remanufacturing
If the used battery no longer meets the requirements for reuse in a forklift truck but is still functional, parts are repurposed for other operations (such as cell modules in stationary operations or reconditioned steel trays for new batteries).

Step 3: Recycling
Once a battery reaches the end of its life, it is disassembled into its composite parts and recycled according to the material. Cells and modules are recycled in a two-stage process and the resources they contain can be recovered. Since 2023, the KION Group has been developing a strategic partnership with Li-Cycle Holdings Corp. in Europe in order to implement recycling initiatives. This partnership enables the Group to send recovered lithium-ion modules to Li-Cycle facilities for processing. During the recycling process, the batteries are shredded, which minimizes impacts on the environment. The recovered materials are then processed to produce resources that can be used in the manufacture of new batteries. In 2024, around 15.8 metric tons of battery modules, which equates to 442 batteries, were returned to Linde MH and went through the company’s established life cycle process.

Linde MH also uses a well-established recycling loop for lead-acid batteries in which the manufacturers handle the recycling process.

For several years now, Linde MH has been offering attractive deals on rental and used trucks that reduce costs for the customer while at the same time conserving valuable primary resources. In the reporting year, Linde MH gave a new lease of life to around 30,312 used trucks in the EMEA region², and so is already contributing to the development of a circular economy.

With its “Approved Trucks” concept, Linde MH has replaced the previous “Plus,” “Super,” and “Ultra” levels with a single high standard of refurbishment. This means that only industrial trucks that have undergone a clearly defined process following the strictest guidelines will be supplied to customer companies. It is important to Linde MH that the used trucks, which are sourced either from the company’s own rental fleet or from leasing returns, have a blemish-free history.

The disposal of old forklift trucks is regulated by Directive 2000/53/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council. Linde MH therefore provides detailed information on the disposal of forklift trucks at approved recycling plants.

The life cycle assessments (LCAs) prepared for Linde MH products show that the use phase is the main source of GHG emissions if customers use a traditional energy mix. The energy efficiency of the power units is therefore always a key focus, both for internal combustion engines and in the further development of powerful and efficient electric drive technologies.

To ensure consistent and reliable environmental data, the KION Group has invested in robust life cycle assessment methods that serve as a basis for decisions throughout the entire product life cycle. The LCA team provides these assessments to steer internal environmental management strategies and identify opportunities for further emission reductions.

To further improve this process, LCA training courses were offered to employees ranging from executives to technicians in 2024. The training courses covered both theoretical and practical aspects and were aimed in particular at enabling product developers to make informed decisions regarding the design, choice of materials, and durability of components. This is also reflected in Linde MH’s efforts to achieve significant savings in Scope 3 emissions as early as the design phase. The KION Group’s plant standards pursue the same goal. A further milestone was also reached in the reporting year: The product-related CO₂ footprint of the Linde N20 order picker, SV type 1115 N20, was verified and validated by independent third parties in accordance with ISO 14067 for the first time.

Footnotes:
[1] The KION Group’s cross-brand and cross-regional approach to product development is designed to maintain universal standards and ensure international coordination of its technical operations around the globe. Functions such as research and development, procurement, and quality and sustainability management all fall under the remit of the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of KION GROUP AG
[2] The number stated refers to all used trucks sold, both to end customers and to dealers