Fuel cell systems produced by STILL

Hamburg-based intralogistics provider STILL will launch their own 24-volt fuel cell system for warehouse trucks next year. This will be produced at the main plant in Hamburg. With this, STILL will be the first original equipment manufacturer on the European market to produce fuel cell systems - so-called battery replacement modules - at their own production facilities. "Fuel cell technology is certainly STILL's most innovative mainstay at the moment," explains Frank Müller, Senior Vice President STILL Brand Management. "Particularly in view of the current crises, we believe that this technology has a great chance to succeed.

"One Face to the Customer" – holistic approach

In order to advise and support its customers comprehensively in matters of fuel cell technology as well, STILL has entered into a partnership with Hydrogentle GmbH, a Hamburg-based engineering firm that plans special plant construction, prepares feasibility analyses and advises customers on the subject of hydrogen infrastructure. "With the support of the hydrogen specialist Hydrogentle, we can, in the interest of our customers, offer a holistic approach to the topic of fuel cells," Müller continues. Holistic means that the customer only needs one point of contact with STILL: to provide high-quality industrial trucks that are "Fuell cell-ready", the fuel cell, the service and the entire hydrogen infrastructure - all from a single source.

Hydrogentle GmbH, based in the Port of Hamburg, develops and implements projects and concepts in the field of green hydrogen and provides support to customers. Like STILL, Hydrogentle takes a holistic approach: consulting, evaluation and individual site assessment as well as planning, project management and implementation. At the customer's request, Hydrogentle provides support right up to the handover of a turnkey hydrogen infrastructure for the refuelling of industrial trucks and other vehicles. "Hydrogen and all that it entails is complicated," says Axel Poblotzki, Managing Director of Hydrogentle GmbH. "We simplify the topic and make hydrogenbased solutions tangible at every scale."

Hydrogen as a technology suitable for everyday use

The one-face-to-the-customer approach takes on a special meaning in the context of hydrogen. The value chain from the production to the refuelling of hydrogen is long and complex. Different suppliers and trades have to be coordinated with each other like Swiss clockwork. This is where Hydrogentle comes in and develops everyday solutions for customers. The focus is on the technical, legal and economic feasibility of projects and concepts. "The cooperation between our two companies will significantly simplify the consultation, the installation of infrastructure and the operation of fuel cell-powered forklift trucks for our customers," says Frank Müller. "We are very pleased that we were able to win Hydrogentle as a partner."

The cooperation with Hydrogentle is the final and decisive building block for STILL to now proactively launch fuel cell technology on the market. This means that STILL trucks are no longer just "Li-Ion Ready", but also "Fuel Cell Ready". This means that customers can choose between the different energy sources without having to opt for a specific truck. In addition, STILL offers its customers "full service" for vehicles and batteries or fuel cells, a very robust system architecture and low downtimes. Perfect system integration leads to a high level of acceptance of the new technology and thus to the establishment of an extensive hydrogen infrastructure by STILL partner Hydrogentle - as you would expect from STILL, everything from a single source.