When it comes to materials handling with lift trucks or warehouse equipment, many chemical industry operations involve harsh environments and tough challenges.
To help these applications to achieve greater efficiencies, Hyster Europe works closely with customers in the chemical industry to deliver intelligent solutions that can help to overcome typical handling challenges.
- Corrosive liquids
Corrosive liquids are commonly handled or encountered within the chemical manufacturing, storage or recycling industries, and can cause extensive damage to lift trucks if the right measures are not in place.
To minimise damage, and keep maintenance and repair costs down, Hyster® lift trucks can be specified with zinc coated forks, chrome plated cylinder rods in the truck’s mast and with special tough primer paint.
- Flammable liquids and gases
In some chemical applications, flammable gas or vapour can be present in the atmosphere creating a potential explosion risk.
Working with expert suppliers, such as Pyroban, most types of Hyster® lift truck can be converted for operation in classified Zone 1 or Zone 2 areas. Explosion protection conversions help equipment to comply with ATEX 2014/34/EU in accordance with EN1755:2015.
- Dusty environments
To help reduce powder build up around the lift truck engine, Hyster® lift trucks can be provided with a reversible hydraulic fan that operates on an automatic timer to clear out residue deposits, as well as a heavy-duty air filter which can help reduce the intake of unwanted particles.
An in cab independent air filtration system also contributes to operator comfort in dusty operations.
Explosion protection conversion solutions are also available for Hyster® lift trucks operating in chemical applications where combustible dusts and powders are present.
- Awkward loads
In chemical applications, there can be many different load shapes and sizes which can be challenging to handle. For example, tall loads such gas cylinders may restrict an operator’s view.
To counter this, Hyster® forklifts offer a high cab option, to provide visibility for the operator, as well as swivel or rotating seat options to assist drivers that may frequently need to reverse.
- Fleet efficiency
The Hyster Tracker telematics system is available across the full range of Hyster® lift trucks, giving any application in the chemical industry a chance to benefit from greater visibility of how their fleet is used to help reduce costs.
With extensive data, Hyster Tracker enables the operations management team to minimise downtime and understand true operational costs. In addition, using information collected via the mapping tool, it is possible to better optimise truck utilisation throughout the whole materials handling operation.
For more information on intelligent Hyster® solutions to meet the needs of chemical applications, contact your local Hyster® distribution partner or visit www.hyster.eu .
