- Educational resources supplier Findel has switched the last of its distribution centre truck fleet to lithium ion (LI) from Jungheinrich UK.
- Counterbalance trucks have traditionally presented challenges for LI, but Jungheinrich’s 4-Series overcomes these.
- The upgrade means every truck can enjoy the benefits of LI. In addition to low carbon operation, these include running extended shifts, convenient charging and removing the need to hire additional trucks and lead acid batteries at peak periods.
Findel is one of Europe’s largest educational resources suppliers, shipping products worldwide from its main Nottingham distribution centre.
As Chris Leonard, Findel’s ESG Manager puts it, “If you were to take the roof off a school, turn it upside down and shake it, everything that falls out would be items we supply.”
The vast range makes automation a challenge, which is why the distribution centre employs a combination of conveyor, pump, very narrow aisle (VNA) and counterbalance trucks.
Now, the last and most challenging elements of Findel’s fleet — its counterbalance trucks — have been switched to lithium-ion power, completing a seven-year journey and taking the business closer to its zero carbon ambitions.
Switching to LI; eradicating gas
“Findel, a company recognised for taking early and innovative action on carbon reduction, was one of the first in its sector to invest in Li technology.”
Starting with a small portion of its approx. 20-strong lead acid battery fleet, the number of Jungheinrich LI trucks has grown as performance has been proven and contracts have come up for renewal.
So comprehensive was Findel’s adoption of LI and other carbon reduction measures that, “In terms of our Scope 1 and 2 emissions, there wasn’t much left for us to tackle,” says Chris. “We were down to the granular details and that included our last few gas counterbalance vehicles.”
Now, the final counterbalance trucks have also been switched for Jungheinrich’s new 4-Series, as Oliver Fearn, Area Sales Manager for Jungheinrich UK explains.
“One of the challenges with a lithium-ion counterbalance is that operators have traditionally preferred the power of a gas or diesel truck over LI. Jungheinrich’s 4-Series bridges that gap, delivering an indoor/outdoor truck with better hydraulic performance and better motor configuration that slashes the performance advantage of LPG and diesel. Operators love it.”
The counterbalance upgrade means the entire Findel truck fleet can now enjoy the full benefits of LI. Oliver says: “Findel can avoid the battery changing process. It also enables them to operate 24 hours, running extended shifts during peak periods and charging the trucks at break times. In the past, they’d had to rent additional batteries and trucks to support the peak period. They no longer need to do that.
“Switching to LI has supported Findel’s carbon reduction efforts — for example our Powerline trucks are CO2 neutral at the point of delivery — but it has also made a clear difference to production costs and efficiency.”
Chris confirms the impact of Li-ion: “Based on several years of data collection, I can confirm that transitioning away from LPG is projected to prevent approximately 1.56 MtCO₂e [that is, million tones of carbon equivalent] per quarter, equating to 6.24 MtCO₂e annually. This represents 26% of our market-based Scope 1 emissions for FY25.
“This shift marks a significant step toward reducing our Scope 1 emissions to near zero, aligning with a key milestone in our SBTi-approved carbon reduction pathway and reinforcing our commitment to achieving net zero by 2040 at the latest.”
A shared low carbon ambition
Jungheinrich is on a mission to help every fleet operate more sustainably. Findel is on a parallel journey. Chris says, “Thinking sustainably is at the heart of everything we do and we want to align ourselves with partners like Jungheinrich who share our world view.”
