“Operational Efficiency” Award from the UKMHA
HUBTEX wins 2025 Archie Award
The UK Material Handling Association (UKMHA) has honoured HUBTEX with an Archie Award this year. The HUBTEX PhoeniX electric multidirectional sideloader won in the “Operational Efficiency” category. At a manufacturer of plastics and polymer solutions, the truck delivered higher efficiency, ergonomic improvements and a more sustainable specification. For more than 30 years, the award has recognised companies, teams and individuals who advance materials handling through innovative solutions.
HUBTEX impressed the UKMHA jury in Birmingham with a concrete use case in the “Operational Efficiency” category: at an international plastics and polymer producer, the PhoeniX electric multi-directional sideloader transports profile racks up to six metres long with ease in aisles just 2.02 metres wide, significantly improving the overall flow of goods. Equipped with a sensor-based Aisle Entry Assist and the HUBTEX Load Manager, the truck achieved a marked efficiency gain and substantial cost savings for the customer. Without increasing headcount, more than 1,600 working hours per year were recovered while reducing strain on the workforce.
The HUBTEX team at the Archie Awards 2025 ceremony. The award recognises the outstanding increase in efficiency achieved by the PhoeniX in operation. From left to right: Dean Gallhager (Technical Manager), Stefan Krassnig (Country Manager), Paul McNally (Managing Director Hubtex UK), Kali Singh (Business Development Manager - North), Marlen Möller (Marketing Manager) and John Radcliffe (Business Development Manager - Midlands).
In day-to-day operation, the sensor-based Aisle Entry Assist enables semi-automated, precise and rapid entry into narrow racking aisles. By eliminating time-consuming manoeuvring, up to ten seconds can be saved per movement, which consistently boosts throughput and overall material flow — with fewer staff. The integrated Load Manager further improves accuracy when handling long and heavy loads. Thanks to pre-programmed heights and storage locations, the truck automatically travels to the required rack level at the push of a button, saving valuable seconds otherwise spent on fine adjustment during storage and retrieval. It also virtually eliminates damage to the vehicle, load and racking. This level of semi-automation, combined with the truck’s intuitive operation, delivers another benefit: onboarding time for new employees drops from three months to just two weeks — an 85% reduction. For the customer, that means a faster ROI on new team members, seamless shift handovers and continuous operational readiness.
Left to right: Stefan Krassnig (Country Manager at HUBTEX) and Paul McNally (Managing Director HUBTEX UK) at the formal presentation of the 2025 Archie Award in Birmingham. HUBTEX was recognised in the “Operational Efficiency” category for the PhoeniX application.
Resource-efficient and powerful
The PhoeniX also proved itself on sustainability. Modern lithium-ion technology and the switch to electric power steering cut total energy consumption in operation by 20%. The batteries feature intelligent intermediate charging, enabling a charge from 30% to 80% in just 30 minutes. This eliminates time-consuming battery changes and ensures continuous operation. At the same time, the customer reclaimed valuable space previously reserved for spare battery storage — space that can now be used more productively.
“This award is a special endorsement for us. With this application example, we demonstrate that our vehicles not only make processes faster, safer and more sustainable, but also deliver a measurable and flexible competitive edge,” says Michael Röbig, Head of Product Management at HUBTEX.
The Archie Award 2025 in the category "Operational Efficiency", awarded to HUBTEX for the successful application of the PhoeniX at a plastics manufacturer.
In action: The PhoeniX electric multidirectional sideloader transports profile racks up to six metres long safely and efficiently in aisles as narrow as 2.02 metres.