In recognition of the higher priority now being placed on environmentally sensitive cargo handling solutions, Kalmar Industries – part of Cargotec Corporation – is launching Pro Future™, a new concept encompassing all of its environmentally friendly equipment. Kalmar will launch its first Pro Future™ products starting this month in Hannover, Germany, at the CeMAT Fair and Exhibition (27-31 May) and next month in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, at Terminal Operators Conference Europe (18-20 June).

Customers, interest groups and other stakeholders are increasingly interested in adopting practices that reduce emissions and create cleaner operating environments.  Their need for productive, yet eco-friendly solutions is the driving force behind Kalmar’s commitment to developing new generations of equipment featuring green technology.

Machines will be rated against five ecological decision-making drivers: source of power, energy efficiency, emissions, noise pollution and recyclability. Within each category, a product or service will be evaluated on a scale of one to five; the highest totals offer the most environmentally friendly benefits. Qualifying machines will carry a new green and white Pro Future™ logo, making Kalmar’s eco-friendly products easy to recognise and providing proof for customers who also value environmental initiatives.

With Kalmar’s Pro Future™ solutions, customers can truly promote sustainable performance while also gaining from key benefits, such as direct cost savings with energy efficient engines in the light of rising fuel costs; the ability to prove an operation’s eco-friendliness to stakeholders; and improved employee job satisfaction and attendance rates. The recyclability of decommissioned machines is also playing an important role in Kalmar customers’ effort to maintain more sustainable operations. 

A long-term commitment

The environment may be a major issue today, but Kalmar’s drive to reduce fuel consumption and emissions has been underway for some time.  Kalmar has been among the first suppliers to introduce low emission engines in heavy material handling equipment like reachstackers and lift trucks well before new emission regulations were introduced.  Furthermore, two decades ago, Kalmar was already supplying terminal tractors that could run on alternative fuels such as CNG (Compressed Natural Gas), LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) and LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas).

In recent years, Kalmar has modernised virtually its entire product portfolio with the environment in mind, offering electric-, diesel- or LPG-powered forklifts in the 5- to 9-tonne range, zero-emission and E-One+ all-electric rubber-tyred gantry cranes, and the electrically-driven EDRIVE® straddle carrier.

Besides equipping its machines with the industry’s cleanest engines even before new regulations required it, Kalmar has been actively involved in developing hybrid technology for some of its handling equipment.  In hybrid machines, braking as well as other waste energy is utilised, dramatically reducing energy consumption and emissions.

Customers want green solutions

Kalmar’s advancements in container handling equipment and technology are evolving to meet the demands of the industry’s environmental legislation and concerns.

As an example, the Port of Oslo, Norway – located adjacent to a residential area – needed to increase its container capacity within a confined space. The Port opted for four Kalmar zero-emission rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes designed without a diesel engine and instead powered via an electric cable. The units were also outfitted with sound insulated AC motors in all drives and a Bromma spreader with an Impact Noise Reduction System (INRS). As a result, the Port of Oslo reduced its emissions, noise levels and operating costs.

Use of environmentally friendly solutions often goes hand in hand with efficiency. The issue is then not just about the equipment, but how to organise the total handling process. 

The Port of Hamburg's biggest container terminal operator, Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) will see the handling capacity of Container Terminal Burchardkai double with the conversion of its conventional straddle carrier container storage area to an automatic stacking crane (ASC) system by 2012.  The project calls for 87 ASCs, of which Kalmar will supply HHLA with 24 units by the end of 2009. Not only will the semi-automated terminal conversion reduce CTB’s emission levels, but lower operational costs will emerge through the use of rail-mounted cranes powered by a cable electric feed as opposed to diesel engines, and a new layout producing shorter travelling distances for straddle carriers.

With the new Pro Future™ concept, Kalmar is dedicated to providing intelligent handling solutions that meet the toughest environmental standards on pollution, emissions, noise, safety and working environment without compromising productivity, reliability or cost efficiency.

Out of respect for its customers, colleagues and future generations, being green is a responsibility taken very seriously at Kalmar.

Note to editors:

Press information can be found on Kalmar’s website: www.kalmarind.com. Simply click on News Room to be taken to a list of recent press releases. A photograph to accompany this press release is also available on the Kalmar website, by clicking on Press Pictures. The caption for the photograph reads:

“Kalmar has taken its commitment to engineering sustainable cargo handling solutions one step further by launching Pro Future™, a new concept which will see its most eco-friendly products carry the green and white Pro Future™ logo.”

Kalmar is a global provider of container and heavy duty materials handling equipment, automation applications and related services. It is the world's leading supplier of cargo handling equipment to ports, terminals and intermodal facilities.

Every fourth container or trailer transfer at terminals around the world is handled by a Kalmar machine. The company also supplies a wide range of machines to demanding industrial customers for applications as diverse as handling steel and paper to shunting road trailers at distribution hubs.

Kalmar is also leading the way in port automation applications with its application of unmanned container handling technology, on-board smart features and remote maintenance products developed in co-operation with customers and partners.

Kalmar's product range is complemented by a large range of value added services such as maintenance contracts and fleet management. Production plants are situated in Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, Malaysia, China and the USA.  Kalmar's net sales were EUR 1.343 billion in 2007.

Kalmar is part of Cargotec Corporation, the world's leading provider of cargo handling solutions, which are used in local transportation, terminals, ports, distribution centres, and ships. In 2007, Cargotec's net sales were EUR 3.018 billion. Cargotec's class B shares are listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange.