Total operating cost significantly reduced: Packing Center Hamburg switches completely to Hyster

At the container packing station of Packing Center Hamburg (PCH) approximately 35,000 TEUs a year are loaded and unloaded for import and export. The large Hyster RS46-36CH container handlers form the backbone of the operation.

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From the major ports in New York, Vancouver, New Delhi, Singapore and Shanghai the containers arrive at PCH in the heart of the port of Hamburg, where the company unloads mainly consolidated cargo. Pallets of insulation materials, barrels, steel, tractors, printing presses, marine propellers: at PCH the goods are turned over and transported by hauliers to recipients across Europe. Up to 350 HGVs leave the 100,000 square metre facility every day.

PCH now uses the latest generation of Hyster^® RS46-36CH ReachStackers, which already meet the Stage IV/Tier 4 final emission standards, to transport containers on its premises. Currently, PCH has three of these big trucks in use, including the 1000th ReachStacker Hyster produced at its Dutch factory in Nijmegen. "The first few months under tough operating conditions have shown us that the new Hyster container handlers really do use up to 25 percent less fuel than their predecessors – while delivering the same performance", says Klaus Wachsmann, one of the PCH managing directors. Thanks to the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) technology Hyster uses in its engines in combination with selective catalytic reduction (SCR), these models require only a relatively low amount of urea (AdBlue). "That and the lower fuel consumption", says Wachsmann, "have allowed us to significantly reduce the operating cost of our trucks."

A Cummins QSL9 engine delivering up to 370 hp/276 KW provides the necessary power in the Hyster ReachStackers. "So far, we are very pleased with the ReachStackers. Based on our positive experiences we will be increasing the number of our container handlers to a total of six Hyster machines." The ReachStackers are also used to stack the 20- and 40-foot marine containers in the first, second and third row of the company's empty depot.

At peak times, the seven new warehouses on the premises PCH moved into in September 2013 together with Sacco Shipping GmbH are already operating at full capacity. In moving the goods from the containers to the warehouses and HGVs, every minute matters and highest efficiency is the order of the day.

In addition to the ReachStackers, PCH currently uses a total of 23 Hyster^® trucks to handle its goods – from hand pallet trucks such as the P2.0 through diesel trucks from the H2.5 FT Advance series and four-wheel electric lift trucks like the J2.5 XN Advance+ to the R1.6 reach truck.

"In the future, we will only be using materials handling equipment from Hyster, as it is reliable and robust enough to withstand the demanding challenges of shift operation here", says Wachsmann.

Duramatch^® transmission prevents wheelspin

To reduce operating costs for the trucks and protect the goods against soiling, the materials handling equipment is carefully adapted to its use at PCH. Take for example the tyres. In the Hyster^® Fortens H2.5FT Advance+ diesel trucks, the Duramatch^® transmission prevents wheelspin when accelerating and loading/unloading. "This significantly reduces friction, which quickly saves a set of tyres that costs around 1,500 euros", says Andreas Küstermann, managing director at Hyster dealer Norgatec. To save money and energy, the trucks switch off automatically if they are not used for two minutes.

"With the large number of trucks we use, keeping operating costs as low as possible is a very important factor for us", says Uwe Zemelka, also managing director at PCH. "That's why we are increasingly using electric trucks from Hyster, which compared to trucks with combustion engines use less fuel and allow lower maintenance intervals while delivering the same performance." With over 140 different models, Hyster has the selection the company needs. PCH's approximately 120 industrial and commercial staff have to be able to rely on dependable trucks at all times. Especially with growing deadline pressures: sometimes the window from "gate arrival" of the containers to goods dispatch is no more than eight hours – including customs checks. "So we need trucks that are robust and always available", says Zemelka. "A flexible service provider like Norgatec, who works with Hyster to implement our particular requirements quickly and easily, helps us achieve that."