In May 2014, Linde Material Handling (LMH) organized the event themed “Focus on Tomorrow”，and showcased its comprehensive range of products and services as well as current trends and visions for the future of internal material flow in an exhibition space at the Mainz trade fair centre as part of the "World of Material Handling" trade fair. Around 6000 customers, interested parties, journalists and colleagues from over 40 countries accepted the invitation and attended expert presentations, technical exhibitions and product demonstrations, and even had the opportunity to sit on a forklift truck or operate the tiller of a warehouse truck.

"We are delighted with the success of the "World of Material Handling". The trade fair more than exceeded our expectations, in particular with regard to the number and prestige of the visitors", says Theodor Maurer, Chairman of the Management Board of Linde MH, in summary of the event. International interest was noticeably high, with guests from overseas making up around 60% of the visitors. “The event has significantly contributed to our strategic goal of customer focus. Logistics managers want to experience products in person and put them to the test directly against one another", says Theodor Maurer, Chairman of the Management Board of Linde MH. "We also addressed current topics, such as sustainability, safety, data networking and automation through presentations and live demonstrations, and offered corresponding solutions".

In the event, Linde Material Handling showed the new generation Linde E12 to E20 EVO electric forklift trucks with increased energy efficiency, individually adjustable driving dynamics and improved comfort and safety. In addition, there were two trailer train solutions, Linde Logistic Train and Linde Factory Train, which are designed with maximum flexibility and user comfort in mind. What's more, already waiting in the wings was a new electric forklift truck series with a load capacity of 6 to 8 tonnes and pallet trucks with a load capacity of 1.6 to 2 tonnes and a lithium-ion battery. Outside, a range of counterbalance trucks were available for use on a test course. The visitors experienced pure dynamics on the kart track, burning rubber on the Linde E2 electrical go-kart equipped with a drive from truck series production.

Linde MH used ten product innovations to demonstrate how internal material flow will be more energy-efficient, safer, more productive and easier to service in the future. The highlight of the "World of Material Handling" was the launch of the Linde Safety Pilot, a globally unique driver assistance system for trucks. The functionality of the system was demonstrated by means of a show, in which a forklift truck driver performed critical manoeuvres supported by a protective framework. Without the Linde Safety Pilot, the truck tipped over onto the protective framework when driving with a raised load. But with the Linde Safety Pilot, the truck reduced its speed and the lift mast could not be extended further than permitted.

In addition to the above topics, Linde Material Handling also launched the new generation of fleet management solutions: modular design, wireless data transfer and integration of existing vehicles. Soon we will also use the vehicle details in the Linde Data Cloud to make our own service processes much more efficient. For example, we will automatically capture and transmit error codes so that the service technician does not necessarily have to be on site for fault diagnosis. Moreover, we will also know when to bring forward scheduled maintenance on the vehicle in order to prevent more severe defects, and we will automate the ordering of spare parts. That means more transparency, faster processes and enhanced vehicle availability for the customer.