Michelin Polska invests in new lithium-ion forklift trucks

To implement its strategy for sustainable development, Michelin has equipped its new production hall for butyl rubber compounds in Poland with lithium-ion forklift trucks from STILL.

The Michelin Group is a leader in the global tyre industry, producing tyres for cars, lorries, agricultural and construction machinery, aircraft, motorcycles and bicycles. The company employs more than 125,000 people in 177 countries and produces around 170 million tyres a year in more than 120 production facilities around the world, including the plant in Olsztyn, Poland.

The challenge: Efficient and sustainable in-house transport

The Michelin Group’s Olsztyn site is the largest tyre plant in Poland. The company employs more than 5000 people and produces around 11 million Michelin, Kleber and BFGoodrich tyres each year. The plant produces tyres for cars, vans, trucks and agricultural vehicles, as well as moulds, pipes and semi-finished products. Over 80 percent are exported to all continents. The site covers approximately 200 hectares and has a state-of-the-art, 90,000 m² logistics centre, which is one of Michelin’s largest warehouses worldwide. The Olsztyn plant also houses a test centre where tyre and material tests are carried out for the Michelin Group. Environmental protection and sustainability are particularly important to the company. In recent years, the plant has been able to halve its water consumption and invest in a new gas heating plant in order to completely dispense with coal. Another step towards sustainability was the construction of a hall for the recovery of tyre rubber at the end of the product life cycle. Care has also been to equip the system with energy-saving and efficient industrial trucks.

The solution: Electric forklift trucks with lithium-ion battery technology

STILL Poland has been supplying forklift trucks and warehouse trucks to the Michelin site in Olsztyn for more than 18 years. Approximately 400 of STILL’s signature orange industrial trucks are in use there. The fleet includes everything from low lift pallet trucks to tow tractors and electric forklift trucks. Until now, lead-acid batteries have dominated the fleet, but the decision was made to use trucks with lithium-ion technology for the new production hall. “After consultation with the experts at STILL and an in-depth analysis of maintenance, production, occupational safety and the company’s fire department, Michelin decided to test trucks with lithium-ion batteries as part of a new investment,” reports Marek Trzeszczkowski from STILL Poland, Senior Strategic Account Manager for Michelin. “The technology reduces the CO2 footprint thanks to higher energy efficiency during charging and up to three times longer service life compared to conventional batteries. In addition, battery fluid does not need to be replenished and there is no need for a ventilated battery chamber. This results in time and cost savings as well as greater comfort for the drivers,” he adds.

The result? Energy-efficient intralogistics and a lower carbon footprint.

The solution implemented not only ensures particularly efficient intralogistics in the new production hall, but also fits perfectly with Michelin’s sustainability and development strategy in Poland. “We value the long-standing cooperation with STILL Poland due to the high quality of the products, the fast service, the availability of spare parts and the flexibility of STILL. With our recent investment, STILL has proven that it is also a good technological partner in the implementation of energy-efficient drive technologies,” says Michał Zdunkiewicz, Industrial Projects Manager at Michelin’s semi-finished products plant.

To sum up, he says: “We are very pleased with the availability, ease of use and lower energy consumption of the trucks with lithium-ion batteries. The solution saves time, money and electricity in the long term and reduces the carbon footprint for the maintenance and operation of the fleet. I doubt these will be the last lithium-ion trucks to be commissioned at the Michelin plant in Olsztyn.”