The Rhenus Group, a leading global logistics service company based in Germany, has given its approval of the world’s first hybrid reach stacker, manufactured by Konecranes.
Rhenus’ subsidiary Contargo GmbH & Co KG recently bought a Konecranes SMV 4531 TC5 hybrid reach stacker to serve at the Duisburg Intermodal Terminal (DIT) in Germany.
Here, the machine will contribute to DIT’s increasing significance as a barge, rail and truck hub for both north-south and west-east connections in the Ruhr region.
Bernd Putens, Managing Director at DIT Duisburg Intermodal Terminal, said: “DIT, alongside the entire Contargo group, places a high value on technologies that are eco-friendly and sustainable.
“In fact, Contargo won the prestigious ‘ECO Performance Award’ in May of this year; a hybrid reach stacker fits perfectly into this ethos and was a logical next step for us.”
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Konecranes’s new lift truck technology was unveiled in January, 2013. Since then a successful year-long field test at the Port of Helsingborg, on the south-west coast of Sweden, succeeded in permanently placing the first hybrid lift truck at the port, at which is has been serving in normal container handling operations ever since.
Mr Putens said: “The machine should have the same high-build quality and expert after sales service we have come to expect from Konecranes, but with the added benefit of exceptional fuel and cost savings, as well as of course a bold contribution towards lowering our CO2 emissions.”
The SMV 4531 TC5 hybrid reach stacker reduces fuels consumption by at least 30%.
Lars Fredin, Senior Vice President and Head of Konecranes Lift Trucks, concluded: “One of our goals as a company is to innovate to the benefit of our customers and also the environment. We are exceptionally proud of having now set the bar in our industry for hybrid machines, and we plan on continuing to set that bar higher as more and more of our customers begin demanding more eco-efficient machines.”