Email articleComment on this article Jungheinrich has launched a global rebrand, repositioning itself as a consulting service provider as well as manufacturer, taking on the slogan “Machines. Ideas. Solutions.”

As part of its expanded service offerings, Jungheinrich has launched an online forklift truck fleet management system, a route optimisation system and also a wide aisle navigation system available on its own WMS.

The fleet management system, called ISM Online, has four modules that can be operated individually or in combination. The basis module gives an overview of all master data for the fleet. The operating costs module accesses invoices, operating hours and service reports, and the safety and productivity modules can document truck damage and address the causes of the damage.

Steve Richmond, general manager of the systems & projects division, said: “Where the new Jungheinrich truck route optimisation module is used there have been quantifiable improvements in the productivity of the equipment and the overall performance of the operation.”

The navigation system follows the firm’s 2008 system for narrow aisle navigation, and uses barcodes in the warehouse roof, which are read by a scanner on each truck and analysed and communicated via each truck’s radio data terminal.

“The days when operators picked from or put away at the wrong location are history… Most importantly, the system provides a complete overview of all the trucks operating within the facility,” said Richmond.

To tie in with the manufacturer’s brand it has also launched an auto pallet mover, in response to a shift in customers’ requirements towards larger facilities with many repetitive long journeys of full pallets.

Richmond said: “There is renewed interest in automated guided vehicles and we believe the development and launch of our new Auto Pallet Mover is well timed.”

Jungheinrich recently launched its lithium-ion powered trucks to market at CeMat, and has already taken orders from customers such as Tesco. The new battery technology eliminates maintenance and replacement time and costs. Bill Goodwin, UK sales director said: “We’ve had masses of interest, and the potential environments for use are broader than we thought.”