Hydro: Multidirectional sideloaders score points with innovative safety features

When planning its new forklift fleet for their UK site in Tewkesbury, the company Hydro Building Systems (HBS) had one key issue at the forefront of its mind – safety. In order to manoeuvre the aluminium profiles, which are up to 7 metres long, efficiently and safely, the company worked with its long-term partner HUBTEX to implement innovative safety features such as the "Load Manager" or a personal protection system. As a result, the company has over five years of accident-free operation and has been awarded the group's internal "Safe Site Award".

Hydro Building Systems is a part of the Norwegian company Hydro, who employ around 33,000 people at more than 140 locations in 40 countries. Based in Tewkesbury, UK, the company distributes and sells low-carbon, high-performing aluminium windows, doors, and facades to the construction industry across the UK as the brands TECHNAL and WICONA. When the need for a new forklift fleet arose, there was no doubt who to turn to. 

 We have been working successfully with HUBTEX for more than twelve years, so there was no question that we would once again rely on our trusted partner from Germany when planning our new forklift fleet", 

explains Matthew Hickman, Director of Logistics and Manufacturing at Hydro in Tewkesbury.

The company uses a total of six electric multidirectional forklifts at its British site: three MQ 35s and three MQ 40s, which are from the new Phoenix series from HUBTEX. The trucks all ensure safe, manoeuvrable and efficient transport of long, heavy and bulky loads. Plus, the forklifts are also impressive in terms of comfort. Their crosswise seat cabin offers an ergonomic seating position, generous legroom and optimal visibility when driving forwards and backwards. 

"Our focus when developing the driver's cabin was on maximum comfort to enable fatigue-free and quiet working",  

explains Paul McNally, Managing Director at HUBTEX UK.

Innovative safety features

The requirements for this new multidirectional forklift fleet were clearly defined. The outdoor multidirectional sideloaders had to be efficient and reliable, capable of long run times across the site, especially at peak periods when loading and unloading trucks. With the indoor units, they had to operate safely at height within the narrow aisles within the warehouse. With safety being the top priority, Hydro’s long aluminium profiles had to be transported from A to B quickly, efficiently and most importantly, without risk or damage. 

"Together, we developed a series of safety features that were integrated into our electric multidirectional forklifts", explains McNally. "One such feature is the dampening system that allows the operator to smoothly lower the aluminium profiles and set them down gently and safely from heights in a narrow aisle. This system stops the profile from being damaged, whilst ensuring stillages are secure on the forks and lowered safely." 

This function not only ensures the safety of employees, but also reduces the risk of damage to the aluminium profiles. Additional safety is provided by a load detector, which detects whether there is a load on the forks. If the long goods are not positioned optimally and safely, the sensor prevents the electric multidirectional forklift from moving until the load is correctly secured.

Another important safety feature is the personal protection system. It stops the forklift automatically as soon as a person comes within 3 metres. If someone is within 5 metres of the truck, a yellow light is automatically activated, which visually indicates to the driver that a person could be nearby. The new trucks include high resolution cameras to aid the operator, a system to disable the steering when located in the aisle and a height safety lock. The latter ensures that the vehicle only starts when the load is below a certain height. If the fork carriages carrying the load are still too high, the forklift cannot start moving. This not only protects the goods on the racks and on the fork carriages, but also the driver and the vehicle.

These safety features have played a key role in ensuring that the Tewkesbury site has been accident-free for more than five years. This was one of the key reasons for the branch being nominated for site of the year for 2023, an award presented annually to one of the Hydro Group's 140 sites worldwide. 

"Our excellent safety record is undoubtedly contributed to by the safety features built into our HUBTEX electric multidirectional forklifts", says Hickman. "We are extremely proud of this award and our long-standing safety record".

Increased efficiency through sustainability

In addition to safety, sustainability also played a crucial role for Hydro when introducing the new forklifts. While the old models on the outdoor site were still powered by gas, the company now uses electric multidirectional forklifts from HUBTEX, which are significantly more environmentally friendly. In addition, Hydro uses a wire guidance system indoors, so HUBTEX installed the energy efficient electrical servo drives which further reduced the tucks energy consumption. In comparison to mechanical track guidance, the wire guidance version is actively steered (with a safety distance of 150 mm per side). However, the truck is not steered via the steering wheel, but via antennas in the forklift's load beds, which are guided by a guide wire in the ground. This means that the truck tracks along the guide wire before entering the rack and is "steered" in the right direction. Damage to the device or the rack is therefore prevented.

Other innovative features such as the 360°HX steering, which enables a smooth change of direction from lengthwise to crosswise travel without stopping, as well as the generous ground clearance ensure efficient and agile handling of long goods. 

"This eliminates the need for cumbersome manoeuvring, saves time and increases productivity. At the same time, we have less damage to the floor and wheel wear is significantly lower because the new electric multidirectional forklifts drive more smoothly", explains Hickman. "We are very happy with our new forklift fleet and the excellent cooperation with HUBTEX has proved successful once again".